Recipe 2.15. Installing and Upgrading Packages with Yum

2.15.1 Problem

You need to know how to install packages, how to upgrade packages, and how to do system upgrades.

2.15.2 Solution

First, update your package list:

# yum check-update

To install a new package, use:

# yum -y install tuxkart

The -y flag allows unattended installation, by answering yes to all questions.

To update a single package, use:

# yum update gltron

To update several packages, use:

# yum update gltron ktron tuxracer

To update all installed packages, use:

# yum update

To search for a package to install, use:

# yum search quake

Now say you need a particular library, but you don't know what package provides it. Yum will find it:

# yum provides libc6.1-1.so.2

2.15.3 Discussion

One of the nicest features of Yum is that you can add it to an existing system. It reads the existing RPM database and creates a new package list, so you can use it right away without missing anything.

2.15.4 See Also

• yum(8), yum.conf(5)

• Yum home page (http://linux.duke.edu/projects/yum/)

• Yum mirrors at FreshRPMs (http://ayo.freshrpms.net)

• Fedora mirror list (http://www.fedora.us/wiki/FedoraMirrorList)