What is DNF?

DNF, short for Dandified YUM, is the next-generation version of the Yellowdog Updater, Modified (YUM) package manager for RPM-based distributions. It was designed to improve upon YUM in terms of performance, dependency resolution, and handling large numbers of packages.


Installing and Updating Packages

Installing a Package

To install a package using DNF, you use the install command followed by the package name. For example, to install nano:

sudo dnf install nano

Removing a Package

To remove a package, you use the remove command:

sudo dnf remove nano

Updating a Package

To update a specific package, you can use the update command:

sudo dnf update nano

Updating All Packages

To update all installed packages to their latest versions:

sudo dnf update

Searching for Packages

Searching by Name

You can search for packages by name using the search command:

dnf search nano

Searching by Description

If you’re not sure about the exact name of the package, you can search by description or other attributes:

dnf search editor

Managing Repositories

Adding a Repository

To add a new repository, you typically create a .repo file in the /etc/yum.repos.d/ directory. For example, to add a new repository:

sudo nano /etc/yum.repos.d/newrepo.repo

Then add the repository information to the file:

[newrepo]
name=New Repository
baseurl=http://repository.url/path/
enabled=1
gpgcheck=1
gpgkey=http://repository.url/path/RPM-GPG-KEY

Disabling a Repository

To disable a repository:

sudo dnf config-manager --set-disabled newrepo

Enabling a Repository

To enable a repository:

sudo dnf config-manager --set-enabled newrepo

Cleaning Up

Removing Unused Packages

Over time, you might accumulate packages that are no longer needed. To remove these orphaned packages:

sudo dnf autoremove

Cleaning Cache

DNF caches data for faster operations, but sometimes you need to clean this cache:

sudo dnf clean all

Additional Commands and Tips

Listing Installed Packages

To list all installed packages:

dnf list installed

Showing Package Information

To display detailed information about a package:

dnf info nano

Downloading Packages Without Installing

If you need to download a package without installing it (useful for offline installations):

dnf download nano

Group Installations

DNF supports installing groups of packages, which is handy for setting up environments. To list available groups:

dnf group list

To install a group:

sudo dnf group install "Development Tools"

History and Rollback

DNF keeps track of all transactions, making it possible to undo changes. To view the transaction history:

dnf history

To undo a specific transaction, use the transaction ID from the history:

sudo dnf history undo <transaction_id>

Best Practices

  1. Regular Updates: Keep your system updated regularly to ensure security and stability.
  2. Repository Management: Only enable repositories you trust and need.
  3. Cleanup: Regularly clean up unused packages and cache to free up space.
  4. Dependency Awareness: Be mindful of dependencies when installing or removing packages to avoid breaking your system.

Conclusion

DNF is a powerful and flexible package manager that makes managing software on RPM-based systems a breeze. With these commands and tips, you should be able to handle most of your package management needs efficiently. For more advanced usage, the man dnf command and the official DNF documentation are great resources. Happy package managing!

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Last updated 01 Sep 2024, 10:22 CEST . history