Yum And Dnf

MIster jashon

6 min read

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Oct 10, 2024

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Understanding yum and dnf: Your Package Managers in Linux

When working with Linux distributions like Red Hat, Fedora, CentOS, and their derivatives, you'll encounter two powerful tools for managing software packages: yum (Yellowdog Updater Modified) and dnf (Dandified Yum). Both tools serve the same purpose: to install, update, remove, and query packages, but they differ in their origins, functionalities, and implementation.

What is yum?

yum is the package manager that was initially popularized by Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and its community-driven counterpart, CentOS. It's a robust command-line tool that simplifies the process of managing software packages. With yum, you can easily:

• Install software: yum install <package-name>
• Update software: yum update
• Remove software: yum remove <package-name>
• Search for packages: yum search <keyword>
• List installed packages: yum list installed
• View package information: yum info <package-name>

yum works by accessing package repositories, which are online databases containing various software packages. These repositories can be local or remote, and they provide a centralized source for managing your system's software.

What is dnf?

dnf is the successor to yum and is primarily used in Fedora and its derivatives. It's a modernized version of yum with several improvements, including:

• Improved speed and efficiency: dnf is generally faster and more efficient than yum due to its optimized internal algorithms.
• Enhanced dependency resolution: dnf handles package dependencies more effectively, reducing the chances of conflicts during installation or updates.
• More user-friendly interface: dnf provides a more intuitive interface with better error messages and progress indicators.

Despite these improvements, dnf maintains backward compatibility with yum. This means that you can use dnf to manage packages that were installed using yum.

When Should You Use yum or dnf?

So, which package manager should you use?

• Use yum if you're working with older RHEL or CentOS systems. yum is still a reliable option for these distributions.
• Use dnf if you're working with Fedora, CentOS Stream, or newer RHEL versions. dnf offers improved performance and functionality.

Common Commands

Here are some common commands for both yum and dnf:

Installation:

• yum install <package-name> or dnf install <package-name> : Installs the specified package.
• yum groupinstall <group-name> or dnf groupinstall <group-name> : Installs a group of related packages.

Updating:

• yum update or dnf update : Updates all installed packages to their latest versions.

Removal:

• yum remove <package-name> or dnf remove <package-name> : Removes the specified package.

Searching:

• yum search <keyword> or dnf search <keyword> : Searches for packages that match the given keyword.

Listing:

• yum list installed or dnf list installed : Lists all installed packages.
• yum list available or dnf list available : Lists all available packages in the repository.

Information:

• yum info <package-name> or dnf info <package-name> : Provides information about the specified package.

Examples

Installing a package:

sudo yum install httpd  # Install Apache web server using yum
sudo dnf install httpd  # Install Apache web server using dnf

Updating the system:

sudo yum update    # Update all packages using yum
sudo dnf update   # Update all packages using dnf

Removing a package:

sudo yum remove firefox  # Remove Firefox using yum
sudo dnf remove firefox # Remove Firefox using dnf

Conclusion

yum and dnf are powerful tools for managing software packages in Linux systems. While they both fulfill the same purpose, dnf offers improvements in terms of speed, efficiency, and user experience. If you're using Fedora, CentOS Stream, or newer RHEL versions, dnf is the recommended choice. However, yum remains a reliable option for older systems. Familiarizing yourself with both tools will enhance your Linux administration skills.