--- name: "rpm" section: "8" platform: "linux" package: "rpm-tools" version: "6.0.1-2" release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01" platforms: ["linux"] url: "https://new.carta.tech/rpm" --- # rpm(8) RPM Package Manager ## NAME rpm - RPM Package Manager ## SYNOPSIS ### Querying and verifying packages **rpm** {**-q**\|**--query**} \[select-options\] \[query-options\] \[*PACKAGE\_FILE* ...\] \[*PACKAGE\_NAME* ...\] **rpm** {**-V**\|**--verify**} \[select-options\] \[verify-options\] \[*PACKAGE\_NAME* ...\] ### Installing, upgrading and removing packages **rpm** {**-i**\|**--install**} \[transaction-options\] \[install-options\] *PACKAGE\_FILE* ... **rpm** {**-U**\|**--upgrade**} \[transaction-options\] \[install-options\] *PACKAGE\_FILE* ... **rpm** {**-F**\|**--freshen**} \[transaction-options\] \[install-options\] *PACKAGE\_FILE* ... **rpm** **--reinstall** \[transaction-options\] \[install-options\] *PACKAGE\_FILE* ... **rpm** **--restore** \[transaction-options\] \[select-options\] *PACKAGE\_NAME* ... **rpm** {**-e**\|**--erase**} \[transaction-options\] \[erase-options\] *PACKAGE\_NAME* ... ### Misc operations **rpm** **--querytags** See [**rpm-common**(8)](/rpm-common/8.md) for operations common to all rpm executables. ## DESCRIPTION **rpm** is a powerful **Package Manager**, which can be used to build, install, query, verify, update, and erase individual software packages. A **package** consists of an archive of files and meta-data used to install and erase the archive files. The meta-data includes helper scripts, file attributes, and descriptive information about the package. **Packages** come in two varieties: binary packages, used to encapsulate software to be installed, and source packages, containing the source code and recipe necessary to produce binary packages. ## OPERATIONS ### Querying and verifying packages **-V**, **--verify** Verify package(s), comparing information about the installed files in the package with information about the files taken from the package metadata stored in the **rpm** database. Among other things, verifying compares the size, digest, permissions, type, owner and group of each file. Any discrepancies are displayed. **-q**, **--query** Query package files or installed package(s). ### Installing, upgrading and removing packages **-i**, **--install** Install new package(s) without considering upgrade scenarios. This is considered special usage, normally installations should be done with **--upgrade**. **-U**, **--upgrade** Install or upgrade package(s) to a newer version. Old and/or obsoleted package(s) are removed after the new package is installed. **-F**, **--freshen** Upgrade package(s), but only ones for which an earlier version is installed. **--reinstall** Reinstall previously installed package(s). **--restore** Restore file metadata such as timestamp, owner, group, permissions and capabilities of files of installed package(s). **-e**, **--erase** Erase installed packages. ### Misc operations **--querytags** Dump known querytags. Useful with the **--queryformat** option. ### Obsolete compatibility aliases These are obsolete [**popt**(3)](/popt/3.md) aliases for backwards compatibility only, and their use is discouraged. **--initdb**, **--rebuilddb**, **--verifydb** See [**rpmdb**(8)](/rpmdb/8.md). **--addsign**, **--delsign**, **--resign** See [**rpmsign**(1)](/rpmsign/1.md). **-K**, **--checksig**, **--import** See [**rpmkeys**(8)](/rpmkeys/8.md). **--specfile** See [**rpmspec**(1)](/rpmspec/1.md). See [**rpm-common**(8)](/rpm-common/8.md) for the operations common to all rpm executables. ## ARGUMENTS *PACKAGE\_FILE* Either an **rpm** package or an [**rpm-manifest**(5)](/rpm-manifest/5.md) file. May also be specified as an **ftp** or **http** URL, in which case the package will be downloaded before being installed. See **FTP/HTTP OPTIONS** for information on **rpm**'s **ftp** and **http** client support. *PACKAGE\_NAME* Installed package named *PACKAGE\_NAME*. To specify the package more precisely the package name may be followed by the version or version and release both separated by a dash or an architecture name separated by a dot. See the output of **rpm -qa** or **rpm -qp** *PACKAGE\_FILE* as an example. ## OPTIONS See [**rpm-common**(8)](/rpm-common/8.md) for the options common to all operations. ## INSTALL AND UPGRADE OPTIONS - **--allfiles** Installs or upgrades all the **missingok** files in the package, regardless if they exist. - **--badreloc** Used with **--relocate**, permit relocations on all file paths, not just those *OLDPATH*'s included in the binary package relocation hint(s). - **--excludepath** *OLDPATH* Don't install files whose name begins with *OLDPATH*. - **--excludeartifacts** Don't install any files which are marked as artifacts, such as build-id links. - **--excludeconfigs**, **--noconfigs** Do not install configuration files. - **--excludedocs** Don't install any files which are marked as documentation (which includes man pages and texinfo documents). - **--force** Same as using **--replacepkgs**, **--replacefiles**, and **--oldpackage**. - **--ignoresize** Don't check mount filesystems for sufficient disk space before installing this package. - **--ignorearch** Allow installation or upgrading even if the architectures of the binary package and host don't match. - **--ignoreos** Allow installation or upgrading even if the operating systems of the binary package and host don't match. - **--includedocs** Install documentation files. This is the default behavior. - **--nocontexts** Don't set SELinux contexts for files and scriptlets. Only effective if [**rpm-plugin-selinux**(8)](/rpm-plugin-selinux/8.md) is installed and active. - **--nocaps** Don't set file capabilities. - **--noverify** Don't perform verify package files prior to installation. - **--nosysusers** Don't create sysusers from packages - **--oldpackage** Allow an upgrade to replace a newer package with an older one. - **--prefix** *NEWPATH* For relocatable binary packages, translate all file paths that start with the installation prefix in the package relocation hint(s) to *NEWPATH*. - **--relocate** *OLDPATH*=*NEWPATH* For relocatable binary packages, translate all file paths that start with *OLDPATH* in the package relocation hint(s) to *NEWPATH*. This option can be used repeatedly if several *OLDPATH*'s in the package are to be relocated. - **--replacefiles** Install the packages even if they replace files from other, already installed, packages. - **--replacepkgs** Install the packages even if some of them are already installed on this system. ## ERASE OPTIONS - **--allmatches** Remove all versions of the package which match *PACKAGE\_NAME*. Normally an error is issued if *PACKAGE\_NAME* matches multiple packages. ## TRANSACTION OPTIONS The transaction options are common to **--install**, **--upgrade**, **--reinstall** and **--erase** operations. - **--deploops** Print dependency loops as warnings. - **-h**, **--hash** Print 50 hash marks as the package archive is unpacked. Use with **-v**\|**--verbose** for a nicer display. - **--justdb** Update only the database, not the filesystem. - **--nodb** Update only the filesystem, not the database. - **--nodeps** Don't check dependencies before uninstalling the packages. - **--noorder** Don't reorder the packages for an install. The list of packages would normally be reordered to satisfy dependencies. - **--noplugins** Do not load and execute plugins. - **--noscripts** Disables execution of package scriptlets. Equivalent to **--nopre** **--nopost** **--nopreun** **--nopostun** **--nopretrans** **--noposttrans** **--nopreuntrans** **--nopostuntrans** - **--nopre** **--nopost** **--nopreun** **--nopostun** **--nopretrans** **--noposttrans** **--nopreuntrans** **--nopostuntrans** Don't execute the scriptlets of the named type. - **--notriggers** Disable execution of package triggers. Equivalent to **--notriggerprein** **--notriggerin** **--notriggerun** **--notriggerpostun** - **--notriggerin** **--notriggerun** **--notriggerprein** **--notriggerpostun** Disable execution of the trigger scriptlets of the named type. - **--percent** Print percentages as files are unpacked from the package archive. This is intended to make **rpm** easy to run from other tools. - **--test** Don't really execute anything, just go through the motions. Useful in conjunction with the **-vv** option for debugging. ## QUERY OPTIONS - **--qf** *QUERYFMT*, **--queryformat** *QUERYFMT* Output format of each queried package, as described by [**rpm-queryformat**(7)](/rpm-queryformat/7.md). If omitted, uses the format defined by **%\_query\_all\_fmt** in [**rpm-config**(5)](/rpm-config/5.md). There are three subsets of options for querying: package selection, file selection and information selection. ## PACKAGE SELECTION OPTIONS **-a**, **--all** \[*SELECTOR* ...\] Query all installed packages. Optional *SELECTOR*'s in the form of tag=pattern can be provided to narrow the selection, for example name="b\*" to query packages whose name starts with "b". - **--dupes** List duplicated packages. - **-f**, **--file** *FILE* Query package owning installed *FILE*. - **--filecaps** List filenames with POSIX1.e capabilities. - **--fileclass** List filenames with their classes (libmagic classification). - **--filecolor** List filenames with their colors (0 for noarch, 1 for 32bit, 2 for 64 bit). - **--fileprovide** List filenames with their provides. - **--filerequire** List filenames with their requires. - **-g**, **--group** *GROUP* Query packages with the group of *GROUP*. - **--noglob** Do not glob arguments when installing package files. - **--nomanifest** Don't process non-package files as [**rpm-manifest**(5)](/rpm-manifest/5.md) files. - **-p**, **--package** *PACKAGE\_FILE* Query an (uninstalled) package *PACKAGE\_FILE*. - **--path** *PATH* Query package(s) owning *PATH*, whether the file is installed or not. Multiple packages may own a *PATH*, but the file is only owned by the package installed last. - **--querybynumber** *HDRNUM* Query the *HDRNUM* database entry directly; this is useful only for debugging. - **--specfile** *SPECFILE* Obsolete, use [**rpmspec**(1)](/rpmspec/1.md) instead. - **--tid** *TID* Query package(s) that have a given *TID* transaction identifier. A UNIX timestamp is currently used as a transaction identifier. All package(s) installed or erased within a single transaction have a common identifier. - **--triggeredby** *PACKAGE\_NAME* Query packages that are triggered by package(s) *PACKAGE\_NAME*. - **--whatobsoletes** *CAPABILITY* Query all packages that obsolete *CAPABILITY* for proper functioning. - **--whatprovides** *CAPABILITY* Query all packages that provide the *CAPABILITY* capability. - **--whatrequires** *CAPABILITY* Query all packages that require *CAPABILITY* for proper functioning. - **--whatconflicts** *CAPABILITY* Query all packages that conflict with *CAPABILITY*. - **--whatrecommends** *CAPABILITY* Query all packages that recommend *CAPABILITY*. - **--whatsuggests** *CAPABILITY* Query all packages that suggest *CAPABILITY*. - **--whatsupplements** *CAPABILITY* Query all packages that supplement *CAPABILITY*. - **--whatenhances** *CAPABILITY* Query all packages that enhance *CAPABILITY*. ## PACKAGE QUERY OPTIONS - **--changelog** Display change information for the package. - **--changes** Display change information for the package with full timestamps. - **--conflicts** List capabilities this package conflicts with. - **--dump** Dump file information as follows (implies **-l**): path size mtime digest mode owner group isconfig isdoc rdev symlink - **--enhances** List capabilities enhanced by package(s). - **--filesbypkg** List all the files in each selected package. - **--filetriggers** List filetrigger scriptlets from package(s). - **-i**, **--info** Display package information, including name, version, and description. This uses the **--queryformat** if one was specified. - **--last** Orders the package listing by install time such that the latest packages are at the top. - **-l**, **--list** List files in package. - **--obsoletes** List packages this package obsoletes. - **--provides** List capabilities this package provides. - **--recommends** List capabilities recommended by package(s). - **-R**, **--requires** List capabilities on which this package depends. - **--suggests** List capabilities suggested by package(s). - **--supplements** List capabilities supplemented by package(s). - **--scripts** List the package specific scriptlet(s) that are used as part of the installation and uninstallation processes. - **-s**, **--state** Display the **states** of files in the package (implies **-l**). The state of each file is one of **normal**, **not installed**, or **replaced**. - **--triggers**, **--triggerscripts** Display the trigger scripts, if any, which are contained in the package. - **--xml** Format package headers as XML. ## FILE SELECTION OPTIONS - **-A**, **--artifactfiles** Only include artifact files (implies **-l**). - **-c**, **--configfiles** Only include configuration files (implies **-l**). - **-d**, **--docfiles** Only include documentation files (implies **-l**). - **-L**, **--licensefiles** Only include license files (implies **-l**). - **--noartifact** Exclude artifact files. - **--noconfig** Exclude config files. - **--noghost** Exclude ghost files. ## VERIFY OPTIONS The package and file selection options are the same as for package querying (including [**rpm-manifest**(5)](/rpm-manifest/5.md) files as arguments). Other options unique to verify mode are: - **--nodeps** Don't verify dependencies of packages. - **--nodigest** Don't verify package or header digests when reading. - **--nofiles** Don't verify any attributes of package files. - **--noscripts** Don't execute the **%verifyscript** scriptlet (if any). - **--nosignature** Don't verify package or header signatures when reading. **--nolinkto** **--nofiledigest** (formerly **--nomd5**) **--nosize** **--nomtime** **--nomode** **--nordev** Don't verify the corresponding file attribute. - **--nouser** **--nogroup** Don't verify file user/group ownership. Note that only local [**passwd**(5)](/passwd/5.md) and [**group**(5)](/group/5.md) databases are consulted. - **--nocaps** Don't verify file capabilities. ## OUTPUT **--verify** The format of the output is a string of 9 *result* characters a possible *attribute* from the package, followed by the filename. Each of the 9 characters denotes the result of a comparison of attribute(s) of the file to the value of those attribute(s) recorded in the database. A single "**.**" (period) means the test passed, while a single "**?**" (question mark) indicates the test could not be performed (e.g. file permissions prevent reading). Otherwise, the (mnemonically em**B**oldened) character denotes failure of the corresponding **--verify** test: | | | | --- | --- | | **Result** | **Description** | | **S** | file **S**ize differs | | **M** | **M**ode differs (includes permissions and file type) | | **5** | digest (formerly MD**5** sum) differs | | **D** | **D**evice major/minor number mismatch | | **L** | read**L**ink(2) path mismatch | | **U** | **U**ser ownership differs | | **G** | **G**roup ownership differs | | **T** | m**T**ime differs | | **P** | ca**P**abilities differ | | | | | --- | --- | | **Attribute** | **Description** | | **a** | **%artifact** - an implicit side-effect file (eg. build-id links) | | **c** | **%config**uration file | | **d** | **%doc**umentation file | | **g** | **%ghost** file | | **l** | **%license** file | | **m** | **%missingok** - file missing is not a verify failure | | **n** | %config(**noreplace**) - do not replace (a %config file) | | **r** | **%readme** file | | **s** | **rpm-spec**(5) file in a source package | ## EXIT STATUS On success, 0 is returned, a nonzero failure code otherwise. ## EXAMPLES **rpm -Uvh hello-2.0-1.noarch.rpm** Install or upgrade *hello-2.0-1.noarch.rpm* package with verbose output and progress meters. **-Uvh** is probably the most common of all the **rpm** operations. **rpm -Uvh --excludedocs --root /srv/test mydist-23.mft** Install packages described by the *mydist-23.mft* [**rpm-manifest**(5)](/rpm-manifest/5.md) file into the alternative system root at */srv/test*, excluding all documentation files. **rpm -Fvh \*.rpm** Freshen installed packages from a local directory, with verbose output and progress meters. **rpm -i kernel-6.15.4-200.x86\_64.rpm** Install *kernel-6.15.4-200.x86\_64.rpm* package quietly. On some Linux distributions, different kernel versions are intended to be installed in parallel like this, *without* erasing older ones to ensure there's a bootable kernel in case of problems. It's one of the few cases where **-i** is the right thing to use. **rpm -evh --allmatches libhello** Erase all versions of package **libhello** on the system, with verbose output and progress meters. Typically there is only one version of a package installed at a time, but in some cases it's possible to have different versions or different architectures of a package installed in parallel, in which case **--allmatches** can be handy. **rpm -vh --reinstall hello-2.0-1.noarch.rpm** Reinstall previously installed *hello-2.0-1.noarch.rpm* package, with verbose output and progress labels. Useful if eg. the files of a package get corrupted or erased accidentally. **rpm -v --restore --all** Restore permissions of files in all installed packages to their packaged specifications, with verbose output. **rpm --verify --noconfig openssh-server** Verify the integrity of the installed **openssh-server** package, ignoring changes in configuration. **rpm -qa** List all installed packages, using the default formatting. **rpm -qlv --noartifact glibc** List the files of the **glibc** package in style similar to [**ls**(1)](/ls/1.md) command output with **ls -l**, omitting "artifact" files such as build-id's which are not usually the main interest. **rpm -q --qf "\[%{filenames} %{filedigests}\\n\]" openssh-server** List filenames and their corresponding digests of installed **openssh-server** package. **rpm -qp --scripts --triggers --filetriggers myserver-1.0-1.x86\_64.rpm** Show all scriptlets and triggers from the *myserver-1.0-1.x86\_64.rpm* package file. Before installing unknown packages, at least do this! **rpm --target ppc64le --eval "%optflags"** Print the expansion of the **%optflags** macro for the **ppc64le** architecture. ## FILES See [**rpm-common**(8)](/rpm-common/8.md), [**rpm-config**(5)](/rpm-config/5.md) and [**rpm-rpmrc**(5)](/rpm-rpmrc/5.md). ## SEE ALSO [**rpm-common**(8)](/rpm-common/8.md), [**popt**(3)](/popt/3.md), [**rpm2cpio**(1)](/rpm2cpio/1.md), [**rpmbuild**(1)](/rpmbuild/1.md), [**rpmdb**(8)](/rpmdb/8.md), [**rpmkeys**(8)](/rpmkeys/8.md), [**rpmsign**(1)](/rpmsign/1.md), [**rpmspec**(1)](/rpmspec/1.md), [**rpm-queryformat**(7)](/rpm-queryformat/7.md) [**rpm-manifest**(5)](/rpm-manifest/5.md) [**rpm-version**(7)](/rpm-version/7.md) [**rpm-plugins**(8)](/rpm-plugins/8.md) **rpm --help** - as **rpm** supports customizing the options via popt aliases it's impossible to guarantee that what's described in the manual matches what's available. **http://www.rpm.org/**