RPM Command in Linux

Last Updated : 22 Jan, 2026

RPM is a software package management system used for installing, updating, querying, verifying, and removing software packages on Linux-based systems. It was originally developed by Red Hat and later adopted by many other Linux distributions.

RPM packages, usually identified by the .rpm file extension, contain all necessary files, metadata, and scripts required to install and manage software on a Linux system.

Basic Syntax of RPM in Linux

The basic syntax of the rpm command is as follows:

rpm [options] [package_name]

Here,

  • [options] represent various command-line options that control the behavior of the rpm command.
  • [package_name] refers to the name of the RPM package you want to work with.

Options Available in the `rpm` command in Linux

These options provide a wide range of functionalities and control when working with RPM packages on Linux systems. You can use them to install, upgrade, query, and manage packages effectively.

Options

Description

-i, --install

Install an RPM package.

-U, --upgrade

Upgrade an RPM package.

-q, --query

Query RPM package(s) or display information about installed packages.

-a, --all

Used with -q, lists all installed packages.

-V, --verify

Verify the integrity of installed packages.

-e, --erase

Uninstall or erase an RPM package

-F, --freshen

Upgrade packages but only if a package with the same name is already installed.

--nodes

Ignore package dependencies during installation or removal.

--test

Test mode; shows what the rpm command would do without making any changes.

-h, --hash

Display hash marks (#) to indicate progress during installation or removal.

--force

Force installation, even if it overwrites files from other packages or has other issues.

--reinstall

Reinstall an RPM package.

--import

Import a GPG key for package signature verification.

--resign

Resign an RPM package with a new GPG key.

-F, --file

Used with -q, queries which package owns a particular file.

--package

Used with -q, queries information about an RPM file or package.

--setperms

Set permissions of package files to their default values.

--setugids

Set user and group ownership of package files to their defaults.

--nodigest

Skip digest checks when installing or upgrading packages.

--rebuilddb

Rebuild the RPM database.

--testsig

Test the digital signature of an RPM package.

--showrc

Show RPM configuration settings.

-h, --help

Display help information.

--version

Display the RPM version.

Common RPM Commands and Options

1. Installing RPM Packages

To install an RPM package, you can use the `rpm` a command followed by the `-i` (or `--install`) option and the name of the RPM package file. For example:

rpm -i package.rpm

This command installs the specified package on your system.

Here we are installing Jenkins.

rpm -i /root/jenkins-2.282-1.1.noarch.rpm
Installing Packages
Installing Packages

2. Upgrading RPM Packages

To upgrade an installed package with a newer version, use the `-U` (or `--upgrade`) option:

rpm -U package.rpm

This command will replace the older version of the package with the new one if it's already installed

Upgrading Packages
Upgrading Packages

3. To list all installed packages in RPM

To list all installed packages on your system, use the -q (or --query) option with the -a (or --all) flag:

rpm -qa

This will display a list of installed packages along with their names and versions.

32
Listing Installed Packages

4. Querying RPM Package

To retrieve detailed information about a specific package, use the `-q` (or `--query`) option followed by the package name:

rpm -q package_name

This command will display information like the package name, version, architecture, and more.

Querying Package Information
Querying Package Information

5. Verifying RPM Package

You can verify the integrity and authenticity of an RPM package without installing it using the `-V` (or `--verify`) option. This checks if the package's files have been modified or deleted:

rpm -V package_name

This command checks whether the package's files on disk match the information in the RPM database.

Verifying Package Integrity
Verifying Package Integrity

6. Uninstalling RPM Packages

To remove an installed package, use the `-e` (or `--erase`) option followed by the package name:

rpm -e package_name

This command will uninstall the specified package from your system.

Uninstalling Packages
Uninstalling Packages

Real-World Examples of RPM Command in Linux

Let's explore some practical examples of using the rpm command:

1. Installing a Package using RPM Command in Linux

Suppose you want to install a package named example.rpm:

rpm -i example.rpm

This command will install the `example. , rpm` package on your system.

2. Upgrading a Package using RPM Command in Linux

If you have a newer version of the example.rpm package and want to upgrade it, you can use the following command:

rpm -U example.rpm

This will replace the older version with the newer one.

3. Checking if a Package is Installed using RPM Command in Linux

To retrieve information about the installed example package:

rpm -q example

This will display details like the package name, version, and architecture.

4. Verifying Package Integrity using RPM Command in Linux

Check the integrity of the example package:

rpm -V example

This command will report any file discrepancies in the package.

5. Uninstalling a Package using RPM Command in Linux

To remove the example package from your system:

rpm -e example

This will uninstall the package and its associated files.

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