---
name: "rpm2cpio"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "rpm-tools"
version: "6.0.1-2"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/rpm2cpio"
---

# rpm2cpio(1)

Extract cpio archive from RPM Package Manager (RPM) package

## NAME

rpm2cpio - Extract cpio archive from RPM Package Manager (RPM) package

## SYNOPSIS

**rpm2cpio** *PACKAGE\_FILE*

**rpm2cpio -**

## DESCRIPTION

**rpm2cpio** converts the specified **rpm** package to a [**cpio**(1)](/cpio/1.md) archive on the standard output.

**Note:** the [**cpio**(5)](/cpio/5.md) format cannot host individual files over 4GB in size, and so this tool is considered obsolete.  Use [**rpm2archive**(1)](/rpm2archive/1.md) instead.

## ARGUMENTS

*PACKAGE\_FILE*

A binary or source RPM package.

If dash (**-**) is given as the argument, data is read from the standard input.

## EXIT STATUS

On success, 0 is returned, a nonzero failure code otherwise.

## EXAMPLES

**rpm2cpio glint-1.0-1.i386.rpm \| cpio -dium**

Extract *glint-1.0-1.i386.rpm* contents relative to current directory.

**cat glint-1.0-1.i386.rpm \| rpm2cpio - \| cpio -tv**

View *glint-1.0-1.i386.rpm* file list with [**cpio**(1)](/cpio/1.md).

## SEE ALSO

[**cpio**(1)](/cpio/1.md), [**rpm**(8)](/rpm/8.md), [**rpm2archive**(1)](/rpm2archive/1.md)