Software Installation And Package Management

Ankita Lunawat's photo
Ankita Lunawat
·

7 min read

  • The fundamentals of package management in Linux and its importance in software development.

  • Key concepts such as packages, dependencies, repositories, in package management.

  • A comparison of popular package managers like APT, YUM,DNF

  • How to install, update, and remove software packages using package managers.

  • Best practices to avoid dependency conflicts and ensure smooth software installations.

  • Troubleshoot common issues for package management, and tips for effectively managing software installation in Linux.

What is a Package Management System in Linux?

Linux package management systems are tools that make it easier to install, update, set up, and remove software packages on Linux-based systems. They are crucial for handling the dependencies and settings needed for software to work properly on Linux.

Linux distributions use package management systems to offer a unified and standard method for distributing software. Each distribution usually has its own package manager designed for its specific needs.

Main Parts of Linux Package Management Systems

  • Package: A compressed file that includes the software, information about it, and how to install it.

  • Repository: A central place where packages are kept and accessed by the package manager.

  • Dependency Resolution: Makes sure all necessary libraries and tools for a package are installed automatically.

Different Types of Package Managers in Linux

1.APT (Advanced package Tool)

  • Used in Debian-based Linux distributions like Ubuntu.

  • Automatically handles dependencies when installing, updating, or removing software.

  • Example commands:

    • Install: sudo apt install package_name

    • Remove: sudo apt remove package_name

    • Update: sudo apt update

2. YUM (Yellow Dog Updater, Modified):

  • Used in Red Hat-based distributions.

  • Resolves dependencies automatically and simplifies package management.

  • Example commands:

    • Install: sudo yum install package_name

    • Remove: sudo yum remove package_name

    • Update: sudo yum update

3.DNF (Dandified YUM):

  • Successor to YUM, used in Fedora, RHEL, and CentOS.

  • Faster, better at handling dependencies, and improved performance.

4.DPKG (Debian Package):

  • Low-level tool for managing packages on Debian-based systems.

  • Works directly with .deb files but does not automatically handle dependencies.

5. RPM (Red Hat Package Manager):

  • Used in RPM-based distributions like RHEL, Fedora, and CentOS.

  • Similar to DPKG but for .rpm files.

6. Other Popular Tools

  • Pacman: Used in Arch Linux for .pkg.tar.gz packages.

  • Zypper: Used in openSUSE to manage RPM packages.

Installing, Updating, and Removing Packages in Linux

Linux distributions offer different ways to manage software.

  1. Using Package Managers: Examples include apt, yum, dnf.

  2. Binary Package Management: Installing ready-made software packages.

  3. Source-Based Package Management: Building software from its source code.

  4. Universal Formats: Tools like Flatpak and Snap are used for software that works across different Linux distributions.

Here are some popular package managers in Linux

APT: Advanced package tool for Ubuntu, Debian OS

APT, or the Advanced Package Tool, is a strong package management system used by Debian-based Linux distributions, like Ubuntu. It offers an easy way to manage .deb packages, automating tasks such as installing, removing, and updating software while efficiently handling dependencies.

  • To install a package with apt, use this command:

       sudo apt install package_name
  • To remove a package with apt, use the command: sudo apt remove package_name.
 sudo apt remove package_name

To update a package with apt, use this command:

 sudo apt update package_name

2. YUM (Yellow Dog Updater, Modified)

This package manager is mainly used in Red Hat Enterprise Linux. It is a high-level package manager that handles tasks like dependency resolution. As Yum downloads and installs packages, it doesn't need any pre-downloaded files.

  • To install a package with yum, use this command:
 yum install package_name
  • To remove a package with yum, use this command:
yum remove package_name

To update a package with yum, use this command:

yum update package_name

Pacman: Used in Arch Linux. It manages .pkg.tar.gz packages.

Zypper: Used in openSUSE.

Installing Git Software from Source on Ubuntu

Update System Packages

To begin, log in to your Ubuntu system. Once you're logged in, ensure that all the Ubuntu OS packages on the server are up to date.

sudo apt update -y

Install Git on Ubuntu From the Source

If you want to install a specific version of Git on Ubuntu, you can build it from the source. First, you need to install the necessary libraries by running this command.

sudo apt install build-essential libz-dev libssl-dev libcurl4-gnutls-dev libexpat1-dev gettext cmake gcc -y

Let’s download the source code for the latest Git version, 2.45.2.

curl -L https://mirrors.edge.kernel.org/pub/software/scm/git/git-2.45.2.tar.gz -o git-2.45.2.tar.gz

Output:

% Total         % Received    % Xferd     Average Speed    Time        Time        Time   Current
                                                                  Dload    Upload  Total         Spent       Left     Speed
100 10.6M     100 10.6M            0 0         240k        0    0:00:45     0:00:45    --:--:--       245K

Use this command to extract the downloaded file.

tar -zxf git-2.45.2.tar.gz

Go to the Git installation folder and use this command.

cd git-2.45.2/

make prefix=/usr/local all

sudo make prefix=/usr/local install

Output:

done && \
remote_curl_aliases="git-remote-https git-remote-ftp git-remote-ftps" && \
for p in $remote_curl_aliases; do \
        rm -f "$execdir/$p" && \
        test -n "" && \
        ln -s "git-remote-http" "$execdir/$p" || \
        { test -z "" && \
          ln "$execdir/git-remote-http" "$execdir/$p" 2>/dev/null || \
          ln -s "git-remote-http" "$execdir/$p" 2>/dev/null || \
          cp "$execdir/git-remote-http" "$execdir/$p" || exit; } \
done

Check the Git version with this command.

git --version

Output:

git version 2.45.2

Troubleshooting for Package Management and Software Installation

1. Package Manager Errors

Error/Issues:

  • Command errors like Unable to locate package, Package not found, or Failed to fetch.

Solution:

  1. Update the package index: sudo apt update

  2. Check Repository Configuration:

    • Ensure your /etc/apt/sources.list (or equivalent) has valid repositories.

    • Verify internet connectivity.

2. Dependency Issues

Error/Issues:

  • Errors like Dependency is not satisfiable or Broken packages.

Solutions:

  1. Fix Broken Dependencies: sudo apt --fix-broken install

  2. Use Alternate Versions:

    • sudo apt install <package>=<version>

3. Installation Failures

Error/Issues:

  • Errors such as Permission denied or No space left on device.

Solutions:

  1. Run with Sudo: sudo <package-manager> install <package>

  2. Check Disk Space: df -h

4. Conflicts with Existing Software

Error/Issues:

  • Errors like Package conflict or Version mismatch.

Solutions:

Remove Conflicting Packages: sudo apt remove package_name

5. Custom Software Installation Issues

Error/Issues:

  • Problems compiling from source or using third-party scripts.

Solutions:

  1. Check Dependencies: sudo apt install build-essential

  2. Verify Instructions:

    • Follow the official guide for the software.

  3. Use Checkinstall for Untracked Packages:

    • Replace make install with: sudo checkinstall

QA

1. What is a Linux package manager? Why is it important?

  • A Linux package manager is a tool that helps you install, update, set up, and remove software on a Linux system automatically.

  • Importance: It makes software management easier by handling dependencies and making sure packages work well together.

2. What is the difference between apt and yum?

  • apt (Advanced Package Tool) is used in Debian-based distributions like Ubuntu. It manages .deb packages.

  • yum (Yellowdog Updater, Modified) is used in Red Hat-based distributions like CentOS or Fedora. It manages .rpm packages.

3. What is the difference between dpkg and apt?

  • dpkg is a basic package manager for .deb files. It is used to install, set up, and remove individual packages but does not manage dependencies.

  • apt is a high-level tool that works with dpkg and automatically handles dependencies.

4. How do you remove a package in Linux?

  • Debian-based system:

  • Syntax : sudo apt remove <package-name\>

  • Red Hat-based systems:

  • Syntax :sudo yum remove <package-name>

5. What is the difference between yum and dnf?

  • yum is the older package manager for Red Hat-based systems.

  • dnf is the newer version, providing improved dependency management, faster performance, and support for newer metadata formats.

6. What are dependencies, and how are they managed in Linux?

  • Dependencies are other packages or libraries that a software package needs to work.

  • Package managers like apt, yum, or dnf automatically handle dependencies when installing software.

  • If dependencies are not handled, it can cause dependency hell, where software can't run because of missing or conflicting dependencies.

7. What is the zypper package manager?

  • zypper is a command-line package manager used in openSUSE and SUSE Linux Enterprise. It handles .rpm packages and supports tasks like installing, updating, and managing dependencies.

8. How do you install multiple packages at the same time?

  • Debian-based systems:

    • Syntax: sudo apt install <package1> <package2> <package3>

  • Red Hat-based systems:

    • Syntax: sudo yum install <package1> <package2> <package3>
package manager