Using dnf - A Comprehensive Tutorial
Introduction
DNF, short for Dandified YUM, is a package manager for RPM-based distributions such as Fedora, CentOS, and RHEL. It is the next-generation version of the Yellowdog Updater, Modified (YUM). This tutorial will guide you through the basics of using DNF, from installing packages to managing repositories.
Installing Packages
One of the primary functions of DNF is to install packages. To install a package, use the dnf install command followed by the package name.
Example:
sudo dnf install package_name
For instance, to install the 'nano' text editor:
sudo dnf install nano
Last metadata expiration check: 0:24:44 ago on Sun 17 Oct 2021 12:00:00 PM UTC.
Dependencies resolved.
=======================================================================
Package Arch Version Repository Size
=======================================================================
Installing:
nano x86_64 2.9.8-1.fc28 updates 542 k
Transaction Summary
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Install 1 Package
Total download size: 542 k
Installed size: 1.8 M
Is this ok [y/N]:
Updating Packages
To update a specific package, you can use the dnf update command followed by the package name. If you want to update all installed packages to their latest versions, simply use dnf update without any arguments.
Example:
sudo dnf update package_name
To update all packages:
sudo dnf update
Removing Packages
If you need to remove an installed package, use the dnf remove command followed by the package name.
Example:
sudo dnf remove package_name
For example, to remove the 'nano' text editor:
sudo dnf remove nano
Searching for Packages
To search for a specific package or a keyword within the package descriptions, use the dnf search command followed by the keyword.
Example:
dnf search keyword
For instance, to search for packages related to 'editor':
dnf search editor
Listing Installed Packages
DNF allows you to list all installed packages on your system using the dnf list installed command.
Example:
dnf list installed
Managing Repositories
Repositories are collections of packages. DNF uses repository files located in the /etc/yum.repos.d/ directory. You can add, enable, or disable repositories as needed.
Adding a Repository
To add a repository, you can create a new file with a .repo extension in the /etc/yum.repos.d/ directory.
Example:
sudo nano /etc/yum.repos.d/newrepo.repo
Add the following content:
[newrepo]
name=New Repository
baseurl=http://example.com/repo
enabled=1
gpgcheck=1
gpgkey=http://example.com/repo/RPM-GPG-KEY
Enabling/Disabling a Repository
To enable a repository, use:
sudo dnf config-manager --set-enabled repo_name
To disable a repository, use:
sudo dnf config-manager --set-disabled repo_name
Cleaning Up
Over time, the cache can grow and take up a lot of space. You can clean up the cache using the dnf clean command.
Cleaning Metadata
To clean the metadata cache:
sudo dnf clean metadata
Cleaning All Cached Files
To clean all cached files:
sudo dnf clean all
Conclusion
This tutorial covered the basic usage of DNF, including installing, updating, and removing packages, searching for packages, listing installed packages, managing repositories, and cleaning up the cache. With these commands, you should be able to effectively manage software on your RPM-based Linux distribution.