Linux Installation and Package Management
Linux Installation and Package Management
Expect two package worlds: Debian (dpkg low level, apt high level) and RPM (rpm low level, yum/dnf/zypper high level). Learn the split clearly. dpkg -i pkg.deb installs a local file but does not fetch dependencies; dpkg -l lists, dpkg -L lists files from an installed package, dpkg -S finds which package owns a file, dpkg -r removes, dpkg -P purges (including config files). On RPM: rpm -ivh, rpm -Uvh (upgrade), rpm -qa, rpm -ql, rpm -qf, rpm -qp --scripts.
Repository concepts matter: apt update refreshes metadata while apt upgrade installs; sources configured in /etc/apt/sources.list and /etc/apt/sources.list.d/. RPM repos live in /etc/yum.repos.d/*.repo. Know apt-get remove --purge, apt-mark hold, apt-cache search/show, and dnf provides.
Installation topics: partitioning during install (swap guidance, LVM basics), diskless/PXE concepts, and the difference between a distribution's ISO install and a network install. Also know Debian debconf preseed, Kickstart for RPM systems, and cloud-init at a conceptual level.
Trap: questions mix low-level and high-level tools - dpkg -i will not resolve dependencies, so the correct follow-up is apt-get install -f. Another trap: rpm -qa lists installed packages, not available ones; for available packages in a repo you need yum list available or dnf repoquery.
Worked example: Which package owns /usr/bin/passwd? On Debian: dpkg -S /usr/bin/passwd. On RPM: rpm -qf /usr/bin/passwd (or dnf provides /usr/bin/passwd).