rpm / dpkg (Low-Level Package Management)

# ===============================================
#  rpm (RHEL / AlmaLinux / CentOS)
# ===============================================

# -----------------------------------------------
#  Installing and upgrading packages
# -----------------------------------------------

# rpm -ivh {package.rpm}
#   → Installs the specified .rpm file
#   → -i: install  -v: verbose  -h: show progress bar
#   Example: sudo rpm -ivh gojo-satoru-1.0-1.x86_64.rpm

# rpm -Uvh {package.rpm}
#   → Upgrades a package (installs it if not already installed)
#   → -U: upgrade
#   Example: sudo rpm -Uvh gojo-satoru-2.0-1.x86_64.rpm

# rpm -Fvh {package.rpm}
#   → Upgrades a package only if it is already installed
#   → Does nothing if the package is not installed (-F: freshen)

# -----------------------------------------------
#  Removing packages
# -----------------------------------------------

# rpm -e {package-name}
#   → Removes a package (specify the package name, not the file name)
#   Example: sudo rpm -e gojo-satoru

# rpm -e --nodeps {package-name}
#   → Removes a package while skipping dependency checks
#   → Use with caution — this may break other packages that depend on it

# -----------------------------------------------
#  Querying installed packages
# -----------------------------------------------

# rpm -q {package-name}
#   → Checks whether a package is installed
#   Example: rpm -q nginx

# rpm -qa
#   → Lists all installed packages

# rpm -qi {package-name}
#   → Displays detailed information about a package (version, summary, install date, etc.)

# rpm -ql {package-name}
#   → Lists the files included in an installed package

# rpm -qf {file-path}
#   → Shows which package owns the specified file
#   Example: rpm -qf /usr/bin/nginx

# -----------------------------------------------
#  Querying .rpm files (not yet installed)
# -----------------------------------------------

# rpm -qip {package.rpm}
#   → Displays detailed information from a .rpm file (-p: package file)

# rpm -qlp {package.rpm}
#   → Lists the files contained in a .rpm file

# -----------------------------------------------
#  Verifying packages
# -----------------------------------------------

# rpm -V {package-name}
#   → Verifies that the installed files have not been modified
#   → Changed files are flagged (S: size, M: permissions, 5: MD5, etc.)

# rpm -Va
#   → Verifies all installed packages

# rpm --checksig {package.rpm}
#   → Verifies the GPG signature of a .rpm file

# -----------------------------------------------
#  Managing GPG keys
# -----------------------------------------------

# rpm --import {key-file-or-URL}
#   → Imports a GPG public key
#   → Required for verifying the signature of .rpm files
#   Example: sudo rpm --import https://example.com/RPM-GPG-KEY


# ===============================================
#  dpkg (Debian / Ubuntu)
# ===============================================

# -----------------------------------------------
#  Installing and upgrading packages
# -----------------------------------------------

# dpkg -i {package.deb}
#   → Installs or upgrades a .deb file
#   → Fails with an error if required dependencies are missing
#   Example: sudo dpkg -i ryomen-sukuna_1.0_amd64.deb

# dpkg -i --force-overwrite {package.deb}
#   → Installs the package, overwriting any existing files

# -----------------------------------------------
#  Removing packages
# -----------------------------------------------

# dpkg -r {package-name}
#   → Removes a package but keeps its configuration files
#   Example: sudo dpkg -r ryomen-sukuna

# dpkg -P {package-name}
#   → Removes a package along with its configuration files (purge)

# -----------------------------------------------
#  Querying installed packages
# -----------------------------------------------

# dpkg -l
#   → Lists all installed packages

# dpkg -l {pattern}
#   → Lists packages matching the given pattern
#   Example: dpkg -l "nginx*"

# dpkg -s {package-name}
#   → Displays detailed information about a package (status, version, dependencies, etc.)
#   Example: dpkg -s nginx

# dpkg -L {package-name}
#   → Lists the files installed by a package

# dpkg -S {file-path}
#   → Shows which package owns the specified file
#   Example: dpkg -S /usr/sbin/nginx

# -----------------------------------------------
#  Querying .deb files (not yet installed)
# -----------------------------------------------

# dpkg -I {package.deb}
#   → Displays metadata from a .deb file

# dpkg -c {package.deb}
#   → Lists the files contained in a .deb file

# -----------------------------------------------
#  Extracting .deb files
# -----------------------------------------------

# dpkg-deb -x {package.deb} {target-directory}
#   → Extracts the contents of a .deb file into the specified directory

# dpkg-deb -e {package.deb} {control-directory}
#   → Extracts the control information (DEBIAN/) from a .deb file

# -----------------------------------------------
#  Fixing broken dependencies
# -----------------------------------------------

# dpkg --configure -a
#   → Resumes configuration of any packages whose configuration was interrupted

# apt-get install -f
#   → Fixes broken dependencies left by a dpkg operation

Operation	Command	Description
rpm (RHEL / AlmaLinux / CentOS)
Install	rpm -ivh {package.rpm}	Installs a .rpm file with verbose output and a progress bar.
Upgrade	rpm -Uvh {package.rpm}	Upgrades a package. Installs it if not already present.
Remove	rpm -e {package-name}	Removes a package. Specify the package name, not the file name.
Check installation	rpm -q {package-name}	Checks whether a package is installed.
List all packages	rpm -qa	Lists all installed packages.
Show details	rpm -qi {package-name}	Displays detailed information such as version, summary, and install date.
List files	rpm -ql {package-name}	Lists the files included in an installed package.
Find file owner	rpm -qf {file-path}	Shows which package owns the specified file.
Inspect .rpm file	rpm -qip {package.rpm}	Displays metadata from a .rpm file without installing it.
Verify package	rpm -V {package-name}	Verifies that the installed files have not been tampered with.
Verify all packages	rpm -Va	Verifies the files of all installed packages at once.
Verify signature	rpm --checksig {package.rpm}	Verifies the GPG signature of a .rpm file.
Import GPG key	rpm --import {key-file}	Imports a GPG public key. Required for signature verification.
dpkg (Debian / Ubuntu)
Install	dpkg -i {package.deb}	Installs or upgrades a .deb file. Fails with an error if dependencies are missing.
Remove	dpkg -r {package-name}	Removes a package but leaves its configuration files on the system.
Purge	dpkg -P {package-name}	Removes a package along with its configuration files.
List all packages	dpkg -l	Lists all installed packages with their status flags.
Show details	dpkg -s {package-name}	Displays detailed information such as status, version, and dependencies.
List files	dpkg -L {package-name}	Lists the files installed by a package.
Find file owner	dpkg -S {file-path}	Shows which package owns the specified file.
Inspect .deb file	dpkg -I {package.deb}	Displays metadata from a .deb file without installing it.
List files in .deb	dpkg -c {package.deb}	Lists the files contained in a .deb file.
Extract .deb	dpkg-deb -x {package.deb} {directory}	Extracts the contents of a .deb file into the specified directory.
Resume configuration	dpkg --configure -a	Resumes configuration of packages whose configuration was interrupted.
Fix broken dependencies	apt-get install -f	Fixes broken dependencies left after a dpkg operation.

# -----------------------------------------------
#  rpm: Installing a .rpm file and verifying it
# -----------------------------------------------

# Install a downloaded .rpm file on AlmaLinux
sudo rpm -ivh gojo-satoru-tools-1.0-1.el9.x86_64.rpm

# Verify that the installation succeeded
rpm -q gojo-satoru-tools

# List the files installed by the package
rpm -ql gojo-satoru-tools

Run the following command:

$ sudo rpm -ivh gojo-satoru-tools-1.0-1.el9.x86_64.rpm
Verifying...                          ################################# [100%]
Preparing...                          ################################# [100%]
Updating / installing...
   1:gojo-satoru-tools-1.0-1.el9      ################################# [100%]
$ rpm -q gojo-satoru-tools
gojo-satoru-tools-1.0-1.el9.x86_64

rpm: Finding which package owns a file

# -----------------------------------------------
#  Find out which package provides a given command
# -----------------------------------------------

# Check which package owns /usr/bin/curl
rpm -qf /usr/bin/curl

# Display detailed information about that package
rpm -qi curl

Run the following command:

$ rpm -qf /usr/bin/curl
curl-7.76.1-29.el9.x86_64
$ rpm -qi curl
Name : curl
Version : 7.76.1
Release : 29.el9
Architecture: x86_64
Install Date: Mon 10 Mar 2025 09:00:00 AM JST
Group : Unspecified
Size : 695019
License : curl
Summary : A utility for getting files from remote servers (FTP, HTTP, and others)

rpm: Verifying package integrity

# -----------------------------------------------
#  Check whether installed files have been modified
# -----------------------------------------------

# Verify the files of the nginx package
rpm -V nginx

Run the following command:

$ rpm -V nginx
S.5....T.  c /etc/nginx/nginx.conf

The following example demonstrates this:

# Reading the output (meaning of each flag)
# S: File size has changed
# 5: MD5 checksum has changed (file contents were modified)
# T: Modification timestamp has changed
# c: Indicates a configuration file
# → /etc/nginx/nginx.conf shows changes because it was configured — this is expected
# → No output means the files have not been modified

dpkg: Installing a .deb file and fixing broken dependencies

# -----------------------------------------------
#  Install a downloaded .deb file on Ubuntu
# -----------------------------------------------

# Install megumi-fushiguro-tools_1.0_amd64.deb
sudo dpkg -i megumi-fushiguro-tools_1.0_amd64.deb

Run the following command:

$ sudo dpkg -i megumi-fushiguro-tools_1.0_amd64.deb
Selecting previously unselected package megumi-fushiguro-tools.
(Reading database ... 85432 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack megumi-fushiguro-tools_1.0_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking megumi-fushiguro-tools (1.0) ...
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of megumi-fushiguro-tools:
 megumi-fushiguro-tools depends on libshadow-style (>= 2.0); however:
  Package libshadow-style is not installed.

dpkg: error processing package megumi-fushiguro-tools (--install):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Errors were encountered while processing:
 megumi-fushiguro-tools

The following example demonstrates this:

# A missing dependency error occurred
# Use apt-get install -f to resolve dependencies automatically
sudo apt-get install -f

Run the following command:

$ sudo apt-get install -f
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
The following additional packages will be installed:
  libshadow-style
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  libshadow-style
0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
1 not fully installed or removed.
After this operation, 512 kB of disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y
(The missing dependency is installed and configuration completes.)

dpkg: Inspecting installed packages

# -----------------------------------------------
#  Check installation status and display package details
# -----------------------------------------------

# List installed packages and filter for nginx
# Output format: ii = installed, rc = removed but config files remain
dpkg -l | grep nginx

# Display detailed information about nginx
dpkg -s nginx

# List the files installed by nginx
dpkg -L nginx | head -20

Run the following command:

$ dpkg -l | grep nginx
ii  nginx          1.24.0-1ubuntu1  amd64  high performance web server
$ dpkg -s nginx
Package: nginx
Status: install ok installed
Priority: optional
Section: httpd
Installed-Size: 126
Maintainer: Ubuntu Developers
Architecture: amd64
Version: 1.24.0-1ubuntu1
Depends: libpcre3, libssl3 (>= 3.0.0), zlib1g (>= 1:1.1.4)
Description: high performance web server
$ dpkg -L nginx | head -20
/.
/etc
/etc/nginx
/etc/nginx/sites-available
/etc/nginx/sites-available/default
/etc/nginx/sites-enabled
/usr
/usr/sbin
/usr/sbin/nginx

dpkg: Inspecting a .deb file without installing it

# -----------------------------------------------
#  Examine the contents of a .deb file before installing
# -----------------------------------------------

# Display metadata from nobara-kugisaki_2.0_amd64.deb
dpkg -I nobara-kugisaki_2.0_amd64.deb

# List the files contained in the .deb file
dpkg -c nobara-kugisaki_2.0_amd64.deb

Run the following command:

$ dpkg -I nobara-kugisaki_2.0_amd64.deb
 new Debian package, version 2.0.
 size 10485760 bytes: control archive=2048 bytes.
     512 bytes,    15 lines      control
 Package: nobara-kugisaki
 Version: 2.0
 Architecture: amd64
 Maintainer: Jujutsu <packages@jujutsu.example>
 Installed-Size: 40960
 Depends: libc6 (>= 2.35)
 Description: Nobara Kugisaki hammer tools
$ dpkg -c nobara-kugisaki_2.0_amd64.deb
drwxr-xr-x root/root   0 2025-01-01 00:00 ./
drwxr-xr-x root/root   0 2025-01-01 00:00 ./usr/
drwxr-xr-x root/root   0 2025-01-01 00:00 ./usr/bin/
-rwxr-xr-x root/root  40960 2025-01-01 00:00 ./usr/bin/kugisaki

rpm and dpkg are the low-level package management tools for RHEL-based and Debian-based Linux distributions, respectively. While higher-level tools such as dnf / yum and apt handle automatic dependency resolution and downloading from repositories, rpm and dpkg operate directly on .rpm or .deb files you already have on hand. They are particularly useful for installing packages in air-gapped environments, verifying package signatures, finding which package owns a specific file, and detecting tampering in installed files. When dpkg -i fails due to missing dependencies, running apt-get install -f to fix the dependency state is the standard follow-up procedure. In everyday use, dnf or apt is preferred; reach for rpm or dpkg when you need low-level inspection or verification. Some distributions, such as Arch Linux, use their own low-level tools like pacman.