Linux RPM Comamnd with 10 Useful Examples

Written by Rahul, Updated on April 23, 2013

RPM Stands for Redhat Package Manager. RPM command is used for managing rpm software packages in your linux machine. Using rpm command we can install, upgrade, remove, list packages.

1. Installing RPM in System.

Use below command to install and vsftpd RPM in system.

# rpm -ivh vsftpd-2.3.5-2.el6.i686.rpm

Sample output:

warning: vsftpd-2.3.5-2.el6.i686.rpm: Header V3 DSA/SHA1 Signature, key ID e9bc4ae1: NOKEY
Preparing...                ########################################### [100%]
   1:vsftpd                 ########################################### [100%]

2. Update the installed RPM Package.

If you already installed an RPM so you can simply upgrade it with new version.

# rpm -Uvh vsftpd-2.3.5-2.el6.i686.rpm

3. Check installed RPM Package.

After installation of a package to check for proper installation, Use -q to query to installed package.

# rpm -q vsftpd
vsftpd-2.3.5-2.el6.i686

4. List all installed RPM Package.

The below Example lists all installed package in your system.

# rpm -qa

Example 5: Remove installed RPM Package.

Below command will erase ( uninstall ) rpm package from your system.

# rpm -e vsftpd
vsftpd-2.3.5-2.el6.i686

6. Get more details of RPM Package.

This command will show you details about an RPM, like Name, version release and short descritpion.

# rpm -qip vsftpd-2.3.5-2.el6.i686.rpm

Sample output:

warning: vsftpd-2.3.5-2.el6.i686.rpm: Header V3 DSA/SHA1 Signature, key ID e9bc4ae1: NOKEY
Name        : vsftpd                       Relocations: (not relocatable)
Version     : 2.3.5                             Vendor: (none)
Release     : 2.el6                         Build Date: Thu 23 Feb 2012 07:38:59 AM IST
Install Date: (not installed)               Build Host: localhost
Group       : System Environment/Daemons    Source RPM: vsftpd-2.3.5-2.el6.src.rpm
Size        : 453460                           License: GPLv2 with exceptions
Signature   : DSA/SHA1, Fri 11 Jan 2013 06:48:45 PM IST, Key ID 8fbd1684e9bc4ae1
URL         : http://vsftpd.devnet.ru
Summary     : Very Secure Ftp Daemon
Description :
vsftpd is a Very Secure FTP daemon. It was written completely from
scratch.

7. List all files in RPM Package.

This command will list all files inside a RPM package. This is usefull for finding importent files of RPM.

# rpm -qlp vsftpd-2.3.5-2.el6.i686.rpm

Sample Output:

warning: vsftpd-2.3.5-2.el6.i686.rpm: Header V3 DSA/SHA1 Signature, key ID e9bc4ae1: NOKEY
/etc/logrotate.d/vsftpd
/etc/pam.d/vsftpd
/etc/rc.d/init.d/vsftpd
/etc/vsftpd
/etc/vsftpd/ftpusers
/etc/vsftpd/user_list
/etc/vsftpd/vsftpd-403-serv.html
/etc/vsftpd/vsftpd-403.html
/etc/vsftpd/vsftpd-404.html
/etc/vsftpd/vsftpd-browse.html
/etc/vsftpd/vsftpd-browse_line.html
/etc/vsftpd/vsftpd-site.conf.sample
/etc/vsftpd/vsftpd.conf
/etc/vsftpd/vsftpd.pasv_rules
/etc/vsftpd/vsftpd_conf_migrate.sh
/usr/sbin/vsftpd
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/AUDIT
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/BENCHMARKS
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/BUGS
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/COPYING
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/Changelog
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/Example
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/Example/HTTP_TEMPLATES
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/Example/HTTP_TEMPLATES/403-serv.html
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/Example/HTTP_TEMPLATES/403.html
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/Example/HTTP_TEMPLATES/404.html
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/Example/HTTP_TEMPLATES/browse.html
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/Example/HTTP_TEMPLATES/browse_line.html
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/Example/INTERNET_SITE
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/Example/INTERNET_SITE/README
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/Example/INTERNET_SITE/vsftpd.conf
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/Example/INTERNET_SITE/vsftpd.xinetd
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/Example/INTERNET_SITE_NOINETD
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/Example/INTERNET_SITE_NOINETD/README
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/Example/INTERNET_SITE_NOINETD/vsftpd.conf
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/Example/PER_IP_CONFIG
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/Example/PER_IP_CONFIG/README
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/Example/PER_IP_CONFIG/hosts.allow
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/Example/README
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/Example/VIRTUAL_HOSTS
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/Example/VIRTUAL_HOSTS/README
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/Example/VIRTUAL_USERS
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/Example/VIRTUAL_USERS/README
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/Example/VIRTUAL_USERS/logins.txt
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/Example/VIRTUAL_USERS/vsftpd.conf
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/Example/VIRTUAL_USERS/vsftpd.pam
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/Example/VIRTUAL_USERS_2
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/Example/VIRTUAL_USERS_2/README
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/FAQ
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/INSTALL
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/LICENSE
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/README
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/README.security
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/REWARD
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/SECURITY
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/SECURITY/DESIGN
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/SECURITY/IMPLEMENTATION
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/SECURITY/OVERVIEW
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/SECURITY/TRUST
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/SIZE
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/SPEED
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/TODO
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/TUNING
/usr/share/doc/vsftpd-2.3.5/vsftpd.xinetd
/usr/share/man/man5/vsftpd.conf.5.gz
/usr/share/man/man8/vsftpd.8.gz
/var/ftp
/var/ftp/pub

8. Search RPM to which a File Belongs.

Using below command you can find about file to which rpm its belongs.

# rpm -qf /etc/vsftpd/ftpusers
vsftpd-2.3.5-2.el6.i686

9. List the dependencies of RPM Package.

This command will list all dependencies of rpm.

# rpm -qpR vsftpd-2.3.5-2.el6.i686.rpm

10. Revert RPM Package to Older Version.

If you have accidentally upgraded your rpm to newer version, you can downgrade it again using below command.

rpm -Uvh --oldpackage vsftpd-<old-version>.el6.i686.rpm