api: YAML JSON TOON Database
version: 1.0.0
format: toon
dataset:
  id: 2922
  slug: unix-package-management
  title: "Unix/Linux Package Management (apt, yum, dnf, brew, pacman)"
  description: "Package managers across distributions: Debian/Ubuntu (apt), RHEL/Fedora (yum/dnf), macOS (brew), Arch (pacman). Installation, removal, repository management."
  summary: "Package managers by platform with description, common commands, configuration files and notes: apt, yum, dnf, Homebrew, pacman and dpkg."
  use_when[2]: "You need the install, update or search command for a Linux or macOS package manager.",You are writing cross-distribution setup instructions.
  caveats[2]: Command names and defaults differ by distribution and version; yum is replaced by dnf on current Fedora and RHEL.,Installing packages needs privileges (sudo) and trust in the repository.
  related[4]: file-operations,shell-scripting-guide,infrastructure-as-code-tools,containerization
  entry_count: 6
  fields[6]{section,field,type,example}:
    managers,name,string,apt (Advanced Package Tool)
    managers,platform,string,"Debian, Ubuntu, Linux Mint"
    managers,description,string,High-level package manager for Debian-based sys…
    managers,common_commands,array,"[8 items]"
    managers,config_files,array,"[3 items]"
    managers,notes,string,"Use apt-get for scripts (stable output), apt fo…"
  category: Unix Commands
  category_slug: unix-commands
  tags: "unix,linux,package-manager,apt,yum,dnf,brew,pacman"
  view_count: 37
  created_at: 1777673262
  updated_at: 1777673262
data:
  managers[6]:
    - name: apt (Advanced Package Tool)
      platform: "Debian, Ubuntu, Linux Mint"
      description: "High-level package manager for Debian-based systems. Handles dependency resolution, repository management, and package installation/removal."
      common_commands[8]:
        - "apt update": Update package index from repositories
        - "apt upgrade": Upgrade all upgradable packages
        - "apt install <pkg>": Install package and dependencies
        - "apt remove <pkg>": "Remove package, keep config files"
        - "apt purge <pkg>": Remove package and config files
        - "apt search <term>": Search package descriptions
        - "apt list --installed": List all installed packages
        - "apt show <pkg>": Show package details
      config_files[3]: /etc/apt/sources.list,/etc/apt/sources.list.d/,/etc/apt/apt.conf.d/
      notes: "Use apt-get for scripts (stable output), apt for interactive use. sudo apt update before install/upgrade. apt full-upgrade handles distribution upgrades. .deb files can be installed via dpkg -i but dependencies aren't resolved automatically."
    - name: yum (Yellowdog Updater Modified)
      platform: "RHEL, CentOS, Fedora (legacy)"
      description: Legacy package manager for RHEL-based systems. Being replaced by dnf but still widely used on older systems.
      common_commands[8]:
        - "yum check-update": Check for available updates
        - "yum update": Update all packages
        - "yum install <pkg>": Install package
        - "yum remove <pkg>": Remove package
        - "yum search <term>": Search packages
        - "yum info <pkg>": Show package info
        - "yum list installed": List installed packages
        - "yum clean all": Clean package cache
      config_files[2]: /etc/yum.conf,/etc/yum.repos.d/
      notes: "yum is deprecated in favor of dnf (Yum's successor). Still present on CentOS 7, RHEL 7, and older Fedora. Uses RPM packages. Transactions are logged in /var/log/yum.log."
    - name: dnf (Dandified Yum)
      platform: "Fedora, RHEL 8+, CentOS Stream, AlmaLinux, Rocky Linux"
      description: "Next-generation package manager for RPM-based distributions. Faster dependency resolution, cleaner API, better performance than yum."
      common_commands[8]:
        - "dnf check-update": Check for updates
        - "dnf update": Update all packages
        - "dnf install <pkg>": Install package
        - "dnf remove <pkg>": Remove package
        - "dnf search <term>": Search packages
        - "dnf info <pkg>": Show package details
        - "dnf autoremove": Remove orphaned dependencies
        - "dnf module list": List module streams (Fedora/RHEL)
      config_files[3]: /etc/dnf/dnf.conf,/etc/yum.repos.d/,/etc/dnf/modules.d/
      notes: "dnf is backward-compatible with yum commands. Uses libsolv for dependency resolution (faster). Module streams enable multiple versions of same software (e.g., nodejs:14, nodejs:16)."
    - name: Homebrew (brew)
      platform: "macOS, Linux (via Linuxbrew)"
      description: Missing package manager for macOS. Installs packages to /usr/local (or ~/.linuxbrew on Linux). Simple formula-based system. Community-maintained.
      common_commands[8]:
        - "brew update": Update Homebrew and formulae
        - "brew upgrade": Upgrade all installed packages
        - "brew install <pkg>": Install package
        - "brew uninstall <pkg>": Remove package
        - "brew search <term>": Search formulae
        - "brew info <pkg>": Show package info
        - "brew list": List installed packages
        - "brew tap <repo>": Add additional repository
      config_files[3]: /usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Taps/,~/.brew/ (Linuxbrew),/usr/local/etc/brew.git
      notes: "Installs from source by default (can use bottles = pre-built binaries). macOS GUI apps via brew install --cask. Linuxbrew requires build tools (gcc, make). Doesn't manage macOS system packages (use apt/dpkg in Linux subsystem)."
    - name: pacman
      platform: "Arch Linux, Manjaro"
      description: "Simple, fast package manager for Arch Linux. Binary packages, minimal dependency handling, rolling release model."
      common_commands[8]:
        - "pacman -Sy": Sync package databases
        - "pacman -Syu": Full system upgrade
        - "pacman -S <pkg>": Install package(s)
        - "pacman -R <pkg>": Remove package
        - "pacman -Rns <pkg>": Remove package and deps
        - "pacman -Ss <term>": Search packages
        - "pacman -Qi <pkg>": Show package info
        - "pacman -Ql <pkg>": List package files
      config_files[3]: /etc/pacman.conf,/etc/pacman.d/,/etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist
      notes: "Arch is rolling release: pacman -Syu updates everything. -Syy forces refresh. Use pacman -Q to query local DB. AUR (Arch User Repository) accessed via helpers like yay or paru (not official pacman)."
    - name: dpkg
      platform: "Debian, Ubuntu (low-level)"
      description: Low-level Debian package manager. Used by apt underneath. Handles .deb files directly without dependency resolution.
      common_commands[8]:
        - "dpkg -i <file.deb>": Install .deb package
        - "dpkg -r <pkg>": Remove package (keep config)
        - "dpkg -P <pkg>": Purge package and config
        - "dpkg -l": List all installed packages
        - "dpkg -L <pkg>": List files installed by package
        - "dpkg -S <file>": Find which package owns file
        - "dpkg -c <file.deb>": List contents of .deb file
        - "dpkg-reconfigure <pkg>": Re-run package config
      config_files[3]: /var/lib/dpkg/status,/var/lib/dpkg/available,/etc/apt/sources.list (for apt integration)
      notes: Use dpkg --force-all carefully. dpkg -i doesn't resolve dependencies (apt-get -f install fixes). dpkg-query provides more advanced querying. Configuration files stored in /etc and preserved on remove unless purged.