CentOS 8 Package Management with DNF on the Command Line
DNF stands for Dandified YUM is a software package manager for RPM-based Linux distributions. It is used to install, update and remove packages in the Fedora/RHEL/CentOS operating system. It is the default package manager of Fedora 22, CentOS8 and RHEL8. DNF is the next generation version of YUM and intended to be the replacement for YUM in RPM-based systems. DNF is powerful and has robust features than you'll find in yum. DNF makes it easy to maintain groups of packages and capable of automatically resolving dependency issues.
In this tutorial, we will explain how to manage package with DNF on CentOS 8.
Requirements
- A server running CentOS 8.
- A root password is setup to your server.
Install DNF
By default, DNF is pre-installed in CentOS 8 operating system. If not installed, you can install it by running the following command:
yum install dnf
Next, you can check the version of DNF with the following command:
dnf --version
You should see the following output:
4.0.9 Installed: dnf-0:4.0.9.2-5.el8.noarch at Friday 04 October 2019 05:27:09 AM GMT Built : CentOS Buildsys <[email protected]> at Monday 13 May 2019 07:35:13 PM GMT Installed: rpm-0:4.14.2-9.el8.x86_64 at Friday 04 October 2019 05:20:17 AM GMT Built : CentOS Buildsys <[email protected]> at Saturday 11 May 2019 02:04:19 AM GMT
List Installed and Available Packages
You can list all the installed packages on your system with the following command:
dnf list installed
You should see all the installed packages in the following output:
Installed Packages NetworkManager.x86_64 1:1.14.0-14.el8 @anaconda NetworkManager-config-server.noarch 1:1.14.0-14.el8 @anaconda NetworkManager-libnm.x86_64 1:1.14.0-14.el8 @anaconda NetworkManager-team.x86_64 1:1.14.0-14.el8 @anaconda NetworkManager-tui.x86_64 1:1.14.0-14.el8 @anaconda PackageKit.x86_64 1.1.12-2.el8 @AppStream PackageKit-glib.x86_64 1.1.12-2.el8 @AppStream acl.x86_64 2.2.53-1.el8 @anaconda adcli.x86_64 0.8.2-2.el8 @anaconda at.x86_64 3.1.20-11.el8 @anaconda attr.x86_64 2.4.48-3.el8 @anaconda audit.x86_64 3.0-0.10.20180831git0047a6c.el8 @anaconda audit-libs.x86_64 3.0-0.10.20180831git0047a6c.el8 @anaconda authselect.x86_64 1.0-13.el8 @anaconda authselect-compat.x86_64 1.0-13.el8 @AppStream authselect-libs.x86_64 1.0-13.el8 @anaconda avahi-libs.x86_64 0.7-19.el8 @anaconda basesystem.noarch 11-5.el8 @anaconda
You can also list all installed and available packages with the following command:
dnf list
You should see the following output:
Last metadata expiration check: 4 days, 22:47:10 ago on Friday 04 October 2019 02:14:39 AM EDT. Installed Packages NetworkManager.x86_64 1:1.14.0-14.el8 @anaconda NetworkManager-config-server.noarch 1:1.14.0-14.el8 @anaconda NetworkManager-libnm.x86_64 1:1.14.0-14.el8 @anaconda NetworkManager-team.x86_64 1:1.14.0-14.el8 @anaconda NetworkManager-tui.x86_64 1:1.14.0-14.el8 @anaconda PackageKit.x86_64 1.1.12-2.el8 @AppStream PackageKit-glib.x86_64 1.1.12-2.el8 @AppStream acl.x86_64 2.2.53-1.el8 @anaconda adcli.x86_64 0.8.2-2.el8 @anaconda at.x86_64 3.1.20-11.el8 @anaconda attr.x86_64 2.4.48-3.el8 @anaconda audit.x86_64 3.0-0.10.20180831git0047a6c.el8 @anaconda audit-libs.x86_64 3.0-0.10.20180831git0047a6c.el8 @anaconda authselect.x86_64 1.0-13.el8 @anaconda authselect-compat.x86_64 1.0-13.el8 @AppStream authselect-libs.x86_64 1.0-13.el8 @anaconda avahi-libs.x86_64 0.7-19.el8 @anaconda : :
You can also list only available packages with the following command:
dnf list available
You should see the following output:
Last metadata expiration check: 4 days, 22:48:21 ago on Friday 04 October 2019 02:14:39 AM EDT. Available Packages BackupPC.src 4.3.1-2.el8 epel-source BackupPC.x86_64 4.3.1-2.el8 epel BackupPC-XS.src 0.59-3.el8 epel-source BackupPC-XS.x86_64 0.59-3.el8 epel BackupPC-XS-debuginfo.x86_64 0.59-3.el8 epel-debuginfo BackupPC-XS-debugsource.x86_64 0.59-3.el8 epel-debuginfo BackupPC-debuginfo.x86_64 4.3.1-2.el8 epel-debuginfo BackupPC-debugsource.x86_64 4.3.1-2.el8 epel-debuginfo CGSI-gSOAP.src 1.3.11-7.el8 epel-source CGSI-gSOAP.x86_64 1.3.11-7.el8 epel CGSI-gSOAP-debuginfo.x86_64 1.3.11-7.el8 epel-debuginfo CGSI-gSOAP-debugsource.x86_64 1.3.11-7.el8 epel-debuginfo CGSI-gSOAP-devel.x86_64 1.3.11-7.el8 epel
Search and Install Package
You can search any package you want to install with the following command:
dnf search httpd
You should see the following output:
========================================================= Name Exactly Matched: httpd ========================================================= httpd.x86_64 : Apache HTTP Server ======================================================== Name & Summary Matched: httpd ======================================================== centos-logos-httpd.noarch : CentOS-related icons and pictures used by httpd keycloak-httpd-client-install.noarch : Tools to configure Apache HTTPD as Keycloak client python3-keycloak-httpd-client-install.noarch : Tools to configure Apache HTTPD as Keycloak client ============================================================= Name Matched: httpd ============================================================= httpd-devel.x86_64 : Development interfaces for the Apache HTTP server httpd-tools.x86_64 : Tools for use with the Apache HTTP Server httpd-manual.noarch : Documentation for the Apache HTTP server libmicrohttpd.i686 : Lightweight library for embedding a webserver in applications libmicrohttpd.x86_64 : Lightweight library for embedding a webserver in applications httpd-filesystem.noarch : The basic directory layout for the Apache HTTP server =========================================================== Summary Matched: httpd ============================================================ mod_dav_svn.x86_64 : Apache httpd module for Subversion server mod_auth_mellon.x86_64 : A SAML 2.0 authentication module for the Apache Httpd Server
You can now install httpd package with the following command:
dnf install httpd
To reinstall the package httpd, run the following command:
dnf reinstall httpd
In some cases, you will require to download the packages without installing it. You can download a specific package with the following command:
dnf download httpd
You can also see details of package httpd with the following command:
dnf info httpd
You should get the following output:
Last metadata expiration check: 0:01:02 ago on Wednesday 09 October 2019 01:07:23 AM EDT.
Available Packages
Name : httpd
Version : 2.4.37
Release : 11.module_el8.0.0+172+85fc1f40
Arch : x86_64
Size : 1.7 M
Source : httpd-2.4.37-11.module_el8.0.0+172+85fc1f40.src.rpm
Repo : AppStream
Summary : Apache HTTP Server
URL : https://httpd.apache.org/
License : ASL 2.0
Description : The Apache HTTP Server is a powerful, efficient, and extensible
: web server.
Update System Packages
First, you can check updates for all the system packages on your system with the following command:
dnf check-update
You should get the following output:
Last metadata expiration check: 0:00:10 ago on Wednesday 09 October 2019 01:10:16 AM EDT. bind-export-libs.x86_64 32:9.11.4-17.P2.el8_0.1 BaseOS bind-libs.x86_64 32:9.11.4-17.P2.el8_0.1 AppStream bind-libs-lite.x86_64 32:9.11.4-17.P2.el8_0.1 AppStream bind-license.noarch 32:9.11.4-17.P2.el8_0.1 AppStream bind-utils.x86_64 32:9.11.4-17.P2.el8_0.1 AppStream bpftool.x86_64 4.18.0-80.7.1.el8_0 BaseOS cockpit.x86_64 185.1-1.el8_0 BaseOS cockpit-bridge.x86_64 185.1-1.el8_0 BaseOS cockpit-system.noarch 185.1-1.el8_0 BaseOS cockpit-ws.x86_64 185.1-1.el8_0 BaseOS epel-release.noarch 8-6.el8 epel epel-release.src 8-6.el8 epel-source iptables.x86_64 1.8.2-9.el8_0.1 BaseOS iptables-ebtables.x86_64 1.8.2-9.el8_0.1 BaseOS iptables-libs.x86_64 1.8.2-9.el8_0.1 BaseOS kernel.x86_64 4.18.0-80.7.1.el8_0 BaseOS kernel-core.x86_64 4.18.0-80.7.1.el8_0 BaseOS kernel-modules.x86_64 4.18.0-80.7.1.el8_0 BaseOS kernel-tools.x86_64 4.18.0-80.7.1.el8_0 BaseOS kernel-tools-libs.x86_64 4.18.0-80.7.1.el8_0 BaseOS
You can now update all the packages installed in your system with the following command:
dnf update
To update the specific package, run the following command:
dnf update httpd
List and Install Group Packages
You can list all group packages with the following command:
dnf grouplist
You should get the following list:
Last metadata expiration check: 0:03:42 ago on Wednesday 09 October 2019 01:10:16 AM EDT. Available Environment Groups: Server with GUI Minimal Install Workstation KDE Plasma Workspaces Virtualization Host Custom Operating System Installed Environment Groups: Server Installed Groups: Container Management Headless Management Available Groups: .NET Core Development RPM Development Tools Smart Card Support Development Tools Graphical Administration Tools Legacy UNIX Compatibility Network Servers Scientific Support Security Tools System Tools Fedora Packager
Now, install specific Group package with the following command:
dnf groupinstall 'System Tools'
You can also update a Group package with the following command:
dnf groupupdate 'System Tools'
List Repositories
You can list all repositories with the following command:
dnf repolist all
You should see the following output:
Last metadata expiration check: 0:10:39 ago on Wednesday 09 October 2019 01:10:16 AM EDT. repo id repo name status AppStream CentOS-8 - AppStream enabled: 4,928 AppStream-source CentOS-8 - AppStream Sources disabled BaseOS CentOS-8 - Base enabled: 2,713 BaseOS-source CentOS-8 - BaseOS Sources disabled PowerTools CentOS-8 - PowerTools disabled base-debuginfo CentOS-8 - Debuginfo disabled c8-media-AppStream CentOS-AppStream-8 - Media disabled c8-media-BaseOS CentOS-BaseOS-8 - Media disabled centosplus CentOS-8 - Plus disabled centosplus-source CentOS-8 - Plus Sources disabled cr CentOS-8 - cr disabled *epel Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux 8 - x86_64 enabled: 1,816 *epel-debuginfo Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux 8 - x86_64 - Debug enabled: 1,187 epel-playground Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux 8 - Playground - x86_64 disabled epel-playground-debuginfo Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux 8 - Playground - x86_64 - Debug disabled epel-playground-source Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux 8 - Playground - x86_64 - Source disabled *epel-source Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux 8 - x86_64 - Source enabled: 792 *epel-testing Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux 8 - Testing - x86_64 enabled: 538 *epel-testing-debuginfo Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux 8 - Testing - x86_64 - Debug enabled: 347 *epel-testing-source Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux 8 - Testing - x86_64 - Source enabled: 216 extras CentOS-8 - Extras enabled: 3 extras-source CentOS-8 - Extras Sources disabled fasttrack CentOS-8 - fasttrack disabled
Now, list only enabled repositories on the system with the following command:
dnf repolist
You should see the following output:
Last metadata expiration check: 0:12:14 ago on Wednesday 09 October 2019 01:10:16 AM EDT. repo id repo name status AppStream CentOS-8 - AppStream 4,928 BaseOS CentOS-8 - Base 2,713 *epel Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux 8 - x86_64 1,816 *epel-debuginfo Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux 8 - x86_64 - Debug 1,187 *epel-source Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux 8 - x86_64 - Source 792 *epel-testing Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux 8 - Testing - x86_64 538 *epel-testing-debuginfo Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux 8 - Testing - x86_64 - Debug 347 *epel-testing-source Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux 8 - Testing - x86_64 - Source 216 extras CentOS-8 - Extras 3
Remove Packages
You can remove any unwanted package from your system with the following command:
dnf remove httpd
Next, remove unwanted dependencies installed with the package httpd by running the following command:
dnf autoremove
You can clean all the cached packages with the following command:
dnf clean all
You can also remove the group package with the following command:
dnf groupremove 'System Tools'
Conclusion
In the above tutorial, we learned how to manage packages with DNF command on CentOS 8. Feel free to ask me if you have any questions.
