Package Management in Linux - Day 16

Welcome back to #90DaysOfDevOps! Today, we're diving into the world of package management in Linux. Understanding package managers and how to use them is fundamental for efficiently installing and updating software on your Linux system. We'll explore two common package managers: apt for Debian/Ubuntu and yum for CentOS/RHEL, and we'll also install a few packages to get hands-on experience.

What is Package Management?

Package management is the process of handling software packages, which are bundles of files that make up an application or piece of software. A package manager automates the process of installing, upgrading, configuring, and removing software packages.

Debian/Ubuntu: Using apt

APT (Advanced Package Tool) is the package manager used in Debian and its derivatives like Ubuntu.

Installing Software with apt

To install software using apt, open your terminal and use the following command:

sudo apt install package_name

Replace package_name with the name of the package you want to install. For example, to install the text editor nano, you'd use:

sudo apt install nano

You'll be prompted to enter your password to confirm the installation.

Updating Software with apt

To update the package list and upgrade installed packages, use:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade

CentOS/RHEL: Using yum

YUM (Yellowdog Updater Modified) is the package manager used in CentOS and Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL).

Installing Software with yum

To install software using yum, open your terminal and use the following command:

sudo yum install package_name

Replace package_name with the name of the package you want to install. For example, to install the text editor nano, you'd use:

sudo yum install nano

You'll be prompted to confirm the installation.

Updating Software with yum

To update the package list and upgrade installed packages, use:

sudo yum check-update
sudo yum update

Hands-On Practice

Let's get some hands-on practice. Choose a Linux system with either apt or yum based on your preference (Debian/Ubuntu or CentOS/RHEL). Try installing a few packages using your chosen package manager.

For example, you can install a web server like Apache:

• On Debian/Ubuntu:

sudo apt install apache2

• On CentOS/RHEL:

sudo yum install httpd

Once installed, you can start and enable the Apache service and check its status:

sudo systemctl start apache2  # Debian/Ubuntu
# or
sudo systemctl start httpd    # CentOS/RHEL

sudo systemctl enable apache2 # Debian/Ubuntu
# or
sudo systemctl enable httpd   # CentOS/RHEL

sudo systemctl status apache2 # Debian/Ubuntu
# or
sudo systemctl status httpd   # CentOS/RHEL

Package management is a fundamental concept in Linux. Whether you're a developer or a system administrator, knowing how to use package managers like apt and yum is essential for maintaining a well-functioning and up-to-date Linux system.

As we continue our journey in #90DaysOfDevOps, remember that package management is a key skill that will serve you well in various DevOps tasks, from setting up servers to configuring development environments.

*** Explore | Share | Grow ***