RPM command example

Install

# rpm -ivh foo-2.0-4.i386.rpm
# rpm -i ftp://ftp.redhat.com/pub/redhat/RPMS/foo-1.0-1.i386.rpm
# rpm -i http://oss.oracle.com/projects/firewire/dist/files/kernel-2.4.20-18.10.1.i686.rpm

Erase
# rpm -e foo

Upgrade
# rpm -Uvh foo-1.0-2.i386.rpm
# rpm -Uvh ftp://ftp.redhat.com/pub/redhat/RPMS/foo-1.0-1.i386.rpm
# rpm -Uvh http://oss.oracle.com/projects/firewire/dist/files/kernel-2.4.20-18.10.1.i686.rpm

Query

# rpm -qa  <------To query all installed packages.

# rpm -q foo  <------To query a RPM package.

# rpm -qi foo  <------To display package information.

# rpm -ql foo  <------To list files in installed package

# rpm -qf /usr/bin/mysql  <------Which package owns a file?
mysql-3.23.52-3

# rpm -qpl kernel-2.4.20-18.10.1.i686.rpm
# rpm -qpl ftp://ftp.redhat.com/pub/redhat/RPMS/foo-1.0-1.i386.rpm
# rpm -qpl http://oss.oracle.com/projects/firewire/dist/files/kernel-2.4.20-18.10.1.i686.rpm

List files in RPM file.

Verify
# rpm --verify mysql

To verify an installed package. The output is listed using the following codes that signify what failed:

S File size
  M Mode (includes permissions and file type)
  5 MD5 sum
  L Symlink 
  D Device 
  U User 
  G Group 
  T Mtime

Take for example the following:

# rpm --verify mysql
  S.5....T c /etc/my.cnf

This example indicates that file /etc/my.cnf failed on:

File size 
  MD5 Sum 
  Modified Time 

However, the "c" tells us this is a configuration file so that explains the changes. It should still be looked at to determine what the changes were.