Managing software with the DNF tool (2024)

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RedHat EnterpriseLinux 9

Managing content in the RPM repositories by using the DNF software management tool

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Abstract

Find, install, and utilize content distributed through the RPM repositories by using the DNF tool. Learn how to work with packages, modules, streams, and profiles.

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In RedHat EnterpriseLinux (RHEL) 9, use the DNF utility to manage software. For compatibility reasons with previous major RHEL versions, you can still use the yum command. However, in RHEL 9, yum is an alias for dnf which provides a certain level of compatibility with yum.

Note

Although RHEL 8 and RHEL 9 are based on DNF, they are compatible with YUM used in RHEL 7.

In the following sections, learn how the software is distributed in RedHat EnterpriseLinux9.

2.1.Repositories

RedHat EnterpriseLinux (RHEL) distributes content through different repositories, for example:

BaseOS: Content in the BaseOS repository consists of the core set of the underlying operating system functionality that provides the foundation for all installations. This content is available in the RPM format and is subject to support terms similar to those in earlier releases of RHEL.
AppStream: Content in the AppStream repository includes additional user-space applications, runtime languages, and databases in support of the varied workloads and use cases.

Important

Both the BaseOS and AppStream content sets are required by RHEL and are available in all RHEL subscriptions.

CodeReady Linux Builder: The CodeReady Linux Builder repository is available with all RHEL subscriptions. It provides additional packages for use by developers. RedHat does not support packages included in the CodeReady Linux Builder repository.

Additional resources

Package manifest

2.2.Application Streams

RedHat provides multiple versions of user-space components as Application Streams, and they are updated more frequently than the core operating system packages. This provides more flexibility to customize RedHat EnterpriseLinux (RHEL) without impacting the underlying stability of the platform or specific deployments.

Application Streams are available in the following formats:

RPM format
Modules, which are an extension to the RPM format
Software Collections

RHEL 9 improves Application Streams experience by providing initial Application Stream versions as RPMs, which you can install by using the dnf install command.

Starting with RHEL 9.1, RedHat provides additional Application Stream versions as modules with a shorter life cycle.

Important

Each Application Stream has its own life cycle, and it can be the same or shorter than the life cycle of RHEL 9. See Red Hat Enterprise Linux Application Streams Life Cycle.

Always determine which version of an Application Stream you want to install, and make sure to review the RHEL Application Stream life cycle first.

Additional resources

Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9: Application Compatibility Guide
Package manifest
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Application Streams Life Cycle

2.3.Modules

A module is a set of RPM packages that represent a component. A typical module contains the following package types:

Packages with an application
Packages with the application-specific dependency libraries
Packages with documentation for the application
Packages with helper utilities

2.4.Module streams

Module streams are filters that can be imagined as virtual repositories in the AppStream physical repository. Module streams versions of the AppStream components. Each of the streams receives updates independently, and they can depend on other module streams.

Module streams can be active or inactive. Active streams give the system access to the RPM packages within the particular module stream, allowing the installation of the respective component version.

A stream is active in the following cases:

If an administrator explicitly enables it.
If the stream is a dependency of an enabled module.
If the stream is the default stream. Each module can have a default stream but in RedHat EnterpriseLinux 9, no default streams are defined. If required, you can configure default streams as described in Defining custom default module streams and profiles.

Only one stream of a particular module can be active at a given point in time. Therefore, only packages from a particular stream are available.

Prior to selecting a particular stream for a runtime user application or a developer application, consider the following:

Required functionality and which component versions support that functionality
Compatibility with your application or use case
The life cycle of the Application Stream and your update plan

For a list of all available modules and streams, see the Package manifest. For per-component changes, see the Release Notes.

Additional resources

Modular dependencies and stream changes

2.5.Module profiles

A module profile is a list of recommended packages to be installed together for a particular use case such as for a server, client, development, minimal install, or other. These package lists can contain packages outside the module stream, usually from the BaseOS repository or the dependencies of the stream.

Installing packages by using a profile is a one-time action provided for the user’s convenience. It is also possible to install packages by using multiple profiles of the same module stream without any further preparatory steps.

Each module stream can have any number of profiles, including none. For any given module stream, some of its profiles can be marked as default and are then used for profile installation actions if you did not explicitly specify a profile. However, the existence of a default profile for a module stream is not required.

Example2.1.nodejs module profiles

The nodejs module, which provides the Node.js runtime environment, offers the following profiles for installation:

# dnf module list nodejsName StreamProfiles Summarynodejs 18 common [d], development, minimal, s2i Javascript runtimeHint: [d]efault, [e]nabled, [x]disabled, [i]nstalled

In this example, the following profiles are available:

common: The production-ready packages. This is the default profile ([d]).
development: The production-ready packages, including the Node.js development headers.
minimal: The smallest set of packages that provides the Node.js runtime environment.
s2i: Packages necessary for creating Node.js Source-to-Image (S2I) Linux containers.

The configuration of DNF and related utilities is stored in the [main] section of the /etc/dnf/dnf.conf file.

3.1.Viewing the current DNF configurations

The [main] section in the /etc/dnf/dnf.conf file contains only the settings that have been explicitly set. However, you can display all settings of the [main] section, including the ones that have not been set and which, therefore, use their default values.

Procedure

Display the global DNF configuration:
```
# dnf config-manager --dump
```

Additional resources

dnf.conf(5) man page

3.2.Setting DNF main options

The /etc/dnf/dnf.conf file contains one [main] section. The key-value pairs in this section affect how DNF operates and treats repositories.

Procedure

Edit the /etc/dnf/dnf.conf file.
Update the [main] section according to your requirements.
Save the changes.

Additional resources

The [main] OPTIONS and OPTIONS FOR BOTH [main] AND REPO sections in the dnf.conf(5) man page.

3.3.Managing DNF plug-ins

Every installed plug-in can have its own configuration file in the /etc/dnf/plugins/ directory. Name plug-in configuration files in this directory <plug-in_name>.conf. By default, plug-ins are typically enabled. To disable a plug-in in one of these configuration files, add the following to the file:

[main]enabled=False

3.4.Enabling and disabling DNF plug-ins

In the DNF tool, plug-ins are loaded by default. However, you can influence which plug-ins DNF loads.

Warning

Disable all plug-ins only for diagnosing a potential problem. DNF requires certain plug-ins, such as product-id and subscription-manager, and disabling them causes RedHat EnterpriseLinux to not be able to install or update software from the Content Delivery Network (CDN).

Procedure

Use one of the following methods to influence how DNF uses plug-ins:
- To enable or disable loading of DNF plug-ins globally, add the plugins parameter to the [main] section of the /etc/dnf/dnf.conf file.
  - Set plugins=1 (default) to enable loading of all DNF plug-ins.
  - Set plugins=0 to disable loading of all DNF plug-ins.
- To disable a particular plug-in, add enabled=False to the [main] section in the /etc/dnf/plugins/<plug-in_name>.conf file.
- To disable all DNF plug-ins for a particular command, append the --noplugins option to the command. For example, to disable DNF plug-ins for a single update command, enter:
```
# dnf --noplugins update
```
- To disable certain DNF plug-ins for a single command, append the --disableplugin=plugin-name option to the command. For example, to disable a certain DNF plug-in for a single update command, enter:
```
# dnf update --disableplugin=<plugin_name>
```
- To enable certain DNF plug-ins for a single command, append the --enableplugin=plugin-name option to the command. For example, to enable a certain DNF plug-in for a single update command, enter:
```
# dnf update --enableplugin=<plugin_name>
```

In the following sections, learn how to locate and examine content in the AppStream and BaseOS repositories in RedHat EnterpriseLinux9 by using DNF.

4.1.Searching for software packages

To identify which package provides the software you require, you can use DNF to search the repositories.

Procedure

Depending on your scenario, use one of the following options to search the repository:
- To search for a term in the name or summary of packages, enter:
```
$ dnf search <term>
```
- To search for a term in the name, summary, or description of packages, enter:
```
$ dnf search --all <term>
```
  Note that searching additionally in the description by using the --all option is slower than a normal search operation.
- To search for a package name and list the package name and its version in the output, enter:
```
$ dnf repoquery <package_name>
```
- To search for which package provides a file, specify the file name or the path to the file:
```
$ dnf provides <file_name>
```

4.2.Listing software packages

You can use DNF to display a list of packages and their versions that are available in the repositories. If required, you can filter this list and, for example, only list packages for which updates are available.

Procedure

List the latest versions of all available packages, including architectures, version numbers, and the repository they where installed from:
```
$ dnf list --all...zlib.x86_64 1.2.11-39.el9 @rhel-9-for-x86_64-baseos-rpmszlib.i686 1.2.11-39.el9 rhel-9-for-x86_64-baseos-rpmszlib-devel.i686 2.11-39.el9 rhel-9-for-x86_64-appstream-rpmszlib-devel.x86_64 1.2.11-39.el9 rhel-9-for-x86_64-appstream-rpms...
```
The @ sign in front of a repository indicates that the package in this line is currently installed.
Alternatively, to display all available packages, including version numbers and architectures, enter:
```
$ dnf repoquery...zlib-0:1.2.11-35.el9_1.i686zlib-0:1.2.11-35.el9_1.x86_64zlib-0:1.2.11-39.el9.i686zlib-0:1.2.11-39.el9.x86_64zlib-devel-0:1.2.11-39.el9.i686zlib-devel-0:1.2.11-39.el9.x86_64...
```
Optionally, you can filter the output by using other options instead of --all, for example:
- Use --installed to list only installed packages.
- Use --available to list all available packages.
- Use --upgrades to list packages for which newer versions are available.
Note
You can filter the results by appending global expressions as arguments. For more details, see Specifying global expressions in DNF input.

4.3.Listing repositories

To get an overview of repositories that are enabled and disabled on your system, you can list them.

Procedure

List all enabled repositories on your system:
```
$ dnf repolist
```
To display only certain repositories, append one of the following options to the command:
- Append --disabled to list only disabled repositories.
- Append --all to list both enabled and disabled repositories.
See Also
Passkey is the Future, and the Future is Now with Red Hat Enterprise Linux Red Cross says at least 22 killed as strike hits displaced civilians in Gaza | CNN How to get the Red9 in the Resident Evil 4 Remake Hot Off the Presses: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
Optional: List additional information about the repositories:
```
$ dnf repoinfo <repository_name>
```
Note
You can filter the results by using global expressions. For details, see Specifying global expressions in DNF input.

4.4.Displaying package information

You can query DNF repositories to display further details about a package, such as the following:

Version
Release
Architecture
Package size
Description

Procedure

Display information about one or more available packages:
```
$ dnf info <package_name>
```
This command displays the information for the currently installed package and, if available, its newer versions that are in the repository. Alternatively, use the following command to display the information for all packages with the specified name in the repository:
```
$ dnf repoquery --info <package_name>
```
Note
You can filter the results by appending global expressions as arguments. For details, see Specifying global expressions in DNF input.

4.5.Listing package groups and packages they provide

Package groups bundle multiple packages, and you can use package groups to install all packages assigned to a group in a single step. However, before the installation, you must identify the name of the required package group.

Procedure

List both installed and available groups:
```
$ dnf group list
```
Note that you can filter the results by appending the --installed and --available option to the dnf group list command. By using the --hidden option, you can display hidden groups in the output.
List mandatory, optional, and default packages contained in a particular group:
```
$ dnf group info "<group_name>"
```
Note
You can filter the results by appending global expressions as arguments. For more details, see Specifying global expressions in DNF input.
Optional: View the number of installed and available groups:
```
$ dnf group summary
```

4.6.Listing available modules and their contents

By searching for modules and displaying information about them with DNF, you can identify which modules are available in the repositories and select the appropriate stream before you install a module.

Procedure

List the module information in one of the following ways:

List all available modules:

$ dnf module listName Stream Profiles Summary...nodejs 18 common [d], development, minimal, s2i Javascript runtimepostgresql 15 client, server PostgreSQL server and client module...Hint: [d]efault, [e]nabled, [x]disabled, [i]nstalled

Use the dnf module list <module_name> command to list the same information but only for a specific module.

Search for which module provides a certain package:

$ dnf module provides <package_name>

For example, to display which module and profiles provide the npm package, enter:

# dnf module provides npmnpm-1:8.19.2-1.18.10.0.3.module+el9.1.0+16866+0fab0697.x86_64Module : nodejs:18:9010020221009220316:rhel9:x86_64Profiles : common development s2iRepo : rhel-9-for-x86_64-appstream-rpmsSummary : Javascript runtime...

Use one of these methods to list module details:

List all details about a module, including a description, list of all profiles, and a list of all packages the module provides:

$ dnf module info <module_name>

For example, to display details about the nodejs package, enter:

$ dnf module info nodejsName : nodejsStream : 18Version : 9010020221009220316Context : rhel9Architecture : x86_64Profiles : common [d], development, minimal, s2iDefault profiles : commonRepo : rhel-9-for-x86_64-appstream-rpmsSummary : Javascript runtimeDescription : Node.js is a platform built on Chrome's JavaScript runtime...Requires : platform:[el9]Artifacts : nodejs-1:18.10.0-3.module+el9.1.0+16866+0fab0697.src : nodejs-1:18.10.0-3.module+el9.1.0+16866+0fab0697.x86_64 : npm-1:8.19.2-1.18.10.0.3.module+el9.1.0+16866+0fab0697.x86_64...

List which packages each module profile installs:

$ dnf module info --profile <module_name>

For example, to display this information for the nodejs module, enter:

$ dnf module info --profile nodejsName : nodejs:18:9010020221009220316:rhel9:x86_64common : nodejs : npmdevelopment : nodejs : nodejs-devel : npmminimal : nodejss2i : nodejs : nodejs-nodemon : npm...

Additional resources

Modules
Module streams
Module profiles

4.7.Specifying global expressions in DNF input

You can filter the results of dnf commands by appending one or more global expressions as arguments.

Procedure

Use one of the following methods if you use global expressions in dnf commands:
- Enclose the entire global expression in single or double quotation marks:
```
# dnf provides "*/<file_name>"
```
  Note that you must precede <file_name> either by / for an absolute path or */ to use a wildcard if the full path is unknown.
- Escape the wildcard characters by preceding them with a backslash (\) character:
```
# dnf provides \*/<file_name>
```

4.8.Additional resources

Commands for listing content in RHEL 9

In the following sections, learn how to install content in RedHat EnterpriseLinux9 by using DNF.

5.1.Installing packages

If a software is not part of the default installation, you can manually install it. DNF automatically resolves and installs dependencies.

Prerequisites

Optional: You know the name of the package you want to install.
If the package you want to install is provided by a module stream, the respective module stream is enabled.

Procedure

Use one of the following methods to install packages:
- To install packages from the repositories, enter:
```
# dnf install <package_name_1> <package_name_2> ...
```
  If you install packages on a system that supports multiple architectures, such as i686 and x86_64, you can specify the architecture of the package by appending it to the package name:
```
# dnf install <package_name>.<architecture>
```
- To install a package if you only know the path to the file the package provides but not the package name, you can use this path to install the corresponding package:
```
# dnf install <path_to_file>
```
- To install a local RPM file, enter:
```
# dnf install <path_to_RPM_file>
```
  If the package has dependencies, specify the paths to these RPM files as well. Otherwise, DNF downloads the dependencies from the repositories or fails if they are not available in the repositories.

Additional resources

Installing modular content

5.2.Installing package groups

Package groups bundle multiple packages, and you can use package groups to install all packages assigned to a group in a single step.

Prerequisites

You know the name or ID of the group you want to install.

Procedure

Install a package group:
```
# dnf group install <group_name_or_ID>
```

5.3.Installing modular content

For certain software, RedHat provides modules. You can use modules to install a specific version (stream) and set of packages (profiles).

Procedure

List modules that provide the package you want to install:

# dnf module list <module_name>

For example, to list the details about the nodejs module, enter:

# dnf module list nodejsName Stream Profiles Summarynodejs 18 common [d], development, minimal, s2i Javascript runtimenodejs ... common [d], development, minimal, s2i Javascript runtimeHint: [d]efault, [e]nabled, [x]disabled, [i]nstalled

Install a module:

# dnf module install <module_name>:<stream>/<profile>

If a default profile for a stream is defined, you can omit /<profile> in the command to install this default profile of the stream.

Note

In RedHat EnterpriseLinux 9, no default module streams are predefined. However, if you specify the stream during the module installation as shown, you do not have to manually enable the stream in advance.

For example, to install the default profile (common) from stream 18 of the nodejs module, enter:

# dnf module install nodejs:18===================================================================================================== Package Architecture Version Repository Size=====================================================================================================Installing group/module packages: nodejs x86_64 ... rhel-9-for-x86_64-appstream-rpms 12 M npm x86_64 ... rhel-9-for-x86_64-appstream-rpms 2.5 MInstalling weak dependencies: nodejs-docs noarch .. rhel-9-for-x86_64-appstream-rpms 7.6 M nodejs-full-i18n x86_64 .. rhel-9-for-x86_64-appstream-rpms 8.4 MInstalling module profiles: nodejs/commonEnabling module streams: nodejs 18

Verification

Verify that the correct module stream is enabled ([e]) and the required profile was installed ([i]):

# dnf module list nodejsUpdating Subscription Management repositories.Last metadata expiration check: 0:33:24 ago on Mon 24 Jul 2023 04:59:01 PM CEST.Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 for x86_64 - AppStream (RPMs)Name Stream Profiles Summarynodejs 18 [e] common [d] [i], development, minimal, s2i Javascript runtime...Hint: [d]efault, [e]nabled, [x]disabled, [i]nstalled

Additional resources

Modules
Module streams
Module profiles

5.4.Defining custom default module streams and profiles

RedHat EnterpriseLinux 9 does not define default streams in the AppStream repository. However, you can configure a default module stream and default module profile. In this case, you can omit this information when you install the default stream and profile of a module.

Procedure

Use the dnf module list <module_name> command to display the available streams and their profiles, for example:
```
# dnf module list nodejsName Stream Profiles Summarynodejs 18 common [d], development, minimal, s2i Javascript runtime
```
In this example, nodejs:18 is not set as the default stream, and the default profile in this stream is common.
Create a YAML file in the /etc/dnf/modules.defaults.d/ directory to define the default stream and profile for a module.
For example, create the /etc/dnf/modules.defaults.d/nodejs.yaml file with the following content to define 18 as the default stream and minimal as the default profile for the nodejs module:
```
document: modulemd-defaultsversion: 1data: module: nodejs stream: "18" profiles: '18': [minimal]
```

Verification

Use the dnf module list <module_name> command to verify the new default stream and profile settings, for example:

# dnf module list nodejsName Stream Profiles Summarynodejs 18 [d] common, development, minimal [d], s2i Javascript runtime

Additional resources

Modules
Module streams
Module profiles

5.5.Additional resources

Commands for installing content in RHEL 9

With DNF, you can check if your system has any pending updates. You can list packages that need updating and choose to update a single package, multiple packages, or all packages at once. If any of the packages you choose to update have dependencies, these dependencies are updated as well.

6.1.Checking for updates

To identify which packages installed on your system have available updates, you can list them.

Procedure

Check the available updates for installed packages:
```
# dnf check-update
```
The output returns the list of packages and their dependencies that have an update available.

6.2.Updating packages

You can use DNF to update a single package, a package group, or all packages and their dependencies at once.

Important

When applying updates to the kernel, dnf always installs a new kernel regardless of whether you are using the dnf upgrade or dnf install command. Note that this only applies to packages identified by using the installonlypkgs DNF configuration option. Such packages include, for example, the kernel, kernel-core, and kernel-modules packages.

Procedure

Depending on your scenario, use one of the following options to apply updates:
- To update all packages and their dependencies, enter:
```
# dnf upgrade
```
- To update a single package, enter:
```
# dnf upgrade <package_name>
```
- To update packages only from a specific package group, enter:
```
# dnf group upgrade <group_name>
```

Important

If you upgraded the GRUB boot loader packages on a BIOS or IBM Power system, reinstall GRUB. See Reinstalling GRUB.

6.3.Updating security-related packages

7.1.Installing DNF Automatic

To check and download package updates automatically and regularly, you can use the DNF Automatic tool that is provided by the dnf-automatic package.

Procedure

Install the dnf-automatic package:
```
# dnf install dnf-automatic
```

Verification

Verify the successful installation by confirming the presence of the dnf-automatic package:
```
# rpm -qi dnf-automatic
```

7.2.DNF Automatic configuration file

By default, DNF Automatic uses /etc/dnf/automatic.conf as its configuration file to define its behavior.

The configuration file is separated into the following topical sections:

[commands]
Sets the mode of operation of DNF Automatic.
Warning
Settings of the operation mode from the [commands] section are overridden by settings used by a systemd timer unit for all timer units except dnf-automatic.timer.
[emitters]
Defines how the results of DNF Automatic are reported.
[command]
Defines the command emitter configuration.
[command_email]
Provides the email emitter configuration for an external command used to send email.
[email]
Provides the email emitter configuration.
[base]
Overrides settings from the main configuration file of DNF.

With the default settings of the /etc/dnf/automatic.conf file, DNF Automatic checks for available updates, downloads them, and reports the results to standard output.

Additional resources

dnf-automatic(8) man page on your system
Overview of the systemd timer units included in the dnf-automatic package

7.3.Enabling DNF Automatic

To run DNF Automatic once, you must start a systemd timer unit. However, if you want to run DNF Automatic periodically, you must enable the timer unit. You can use one of the timer units provided in the dnf-automatic package, or you can create a drop-in file for the timer unit to adjust the execution time.

Prerequisites

You specified the behavior of DNF Automatic by modifying the /etc/dnf/automatic.conf configuration file.

Procedure

To enable and execute a systemd timer unit immediately, enter:
```
# systemctl enable --now <timer_name>
```
If you want to only enable the timer without executing it immediately, omit the --now option.
You can use the following timers:
- dnf-automatic-download.timer: Downloads available updates.
- dnf-automatic-install.timer: Downloads and installs available updates.
- dnf-automatic-notifyonly.timer: Reports available updates.
- dnf-automatic.timer: Downloads, downloads and installs, or reports available updates.

Verification

Verify that the timer is enabled:
```
# systemctl status <systemd timer unit>
```
Optional: Check when each of the timers on your system ran the last time:
```
# systemctl list-timers --all
```

Additional resources

dnf-automatic(8) man page
Overview of the systemd timer units included in the dnf-automatic package

7.4.Overview of the systemd timer units included in the dnf-automatic package

The systemd timer units take precedence and override the settings in the /etc/dnf/automatic.conf configuration file when downloading and applying updates.

For example if you set download_updates = yes in the /etc/dnf/automatic.conf configuration file, but you have activated the dnf-automatic-notifyonly.timer unit, the packages will not be downloaded.

Table7.1.systemd timers included in the dnf-automatic package
Timer unit	Function	Overrides the `apply_updates` and `download_updates` settings in the `[commands]` section of the `/etc/dnf/automatic.conf` file?
`dnf-automatic-download.timer`	Downloads packages to cache and makes them available for updating. This timer unit does not install the updated packages. To perform the installation, you must run the `dnf update` command.	Yes
`dnf-automatic-install.timer`	Downloads and installs updated packages.	Yes
`dnf-automatic-notifyonly.timer`	Downloads only repository data to keep the repository cache up-to-date and notifies you about available updates. This timer unit does not download or install the updated packages.	Yes
`dnf-automatic.timer`	The behavior of this timer when downloading and applying updates is specified by the settings in the `/etc/dnf/automatic.conf` configuration file. This timer downloads packages, but does not install them.	No

In the following sections, learn how to remove content in RedHat EnterpriseLinux9 by using DNF.

8.1.Removing installed packages

You can use DNF to remove a single package or multiple packages installed on your system. If any of the packages you choose to remove have unused dependencies, DNF uninstalls these dependencies as well.

Procedure

Remove particular packages:

# dnf remove <package_name_1> <package_name_2> ...

8.2.Removing package groups

Package groups bundle multiple packages. You can use package groups to remove all packages assigned to a group in a single step.

Procedure

Remove package groups by the group name or group ID:
```
# dnf group remove <group_name> <group_id>
```

8.3.Removing installed modular content

When removing installed modular content, you can remove packages from either a selected profile or the whole stream.

Important

DNF tries to remove all packages with a name corresponding to the packages installed with a profile or a stream, including their dependent packages. Always check the list of packages to be removed before you proceed, especially if you have enabled custom repositories on your system.

8.3.1.Removing packages from an installed profile

When you remove packages installed with a profile, all packages with a name corresponding to the packages installed by the profile are removed. This includes their dependencies, with the exception of packages required by a different profile.

To remove all packages from a selected stream, complete the steps in Removing all packages from a module stream.

Prerequisites

The selected profile is installed by using the dnf module install <module-name:stream/profile> command or as a default profile by using the dnf install <module-name:stream command>.

Procedure

Uninstall packages that belong to the selected profile:

# dnf module remove <module-name:stream/profile>

For example, to remove packages and their dependencies from the development profile of the nodejs:18 module stream, enter:

# dnf module remove nodejs:18/development(...)Dependencies resolved.========================================================================Package Architecture Version Repository Size========================================================================Removing:nodejs-devel x86_64 1:18.7.0-1.module+el9.1.0+16284+4fdefb2f @rhel-AppStream 950 kRemoving unused dependencies:brotli x86_64 1.0.9-6.el9 @rhel-AppStream 754 kbrotli-devel x86_64 1.0.9-6.el9 @rhel-AppStream 55 k...Disabling module profiles:nodejs/developmentTransaction Summary========================================================================Remove 26 PackagesFreed space: 8.3 MIs this ok [y/N]: y

Warning

Check the list of packages under Removing: and Removing unused dependencies: before you proceed with the removal transaction. This transaction removes requested packages, unused dependencies, and dependent packages, which might result in the system failure.

Alternatively, uninstall packages from all installed profiles within a stream:

# dnf module remove module-name:stream

Note

These operations will not remove packages from the stream that do not belong to any of the profiles.

Verification

Verify that the correct profile was removed:

$ dnf module info nodejs...Name : nodejsStream : 18 [e] [a]Version : 9010020221009220316Context : rhel9Architecture : x86_64Profiles : common [d] [i], development, minimal [i], s2i [i]Default profiles : commonRepo : rhel-AppStreamSummary : Javascript runtime...Hint: [d]efault, [e]nabled, [x]disabled, [i]nstalled, [a]ctive

All profiles except development are currently installed ([i]).

Additional resources

Modular dependencies and stream changes

8.3.2.Removing all packages from a module stream

When you remove packages installed with a module stream, all packages with a name corresponding to the packages installed by the stream are removed. This includes their dependencies, with the exception of packages required by other modules.

To remove only packages from a selected profile, complete the steps in Removing packages from an installed profile.

Prerequisites

The module stream is enabled and at least some packages from the stream have been installed.

Procedure

Remove all packages from a selected stream:

# dnf module remove --all <module_name:stream>

For example, to remove all packages from the nodejs:18 module stream, enter:

# dnf module remove --all nodejs:18(...)Dependencies resolved.===================================================================================Package Architecture Version Repository Size===================================================================================Removing:nodejs x86_64 1:18.10.0-3.module+el9.1.0+16866+0fab0697 @rhel-AppStream 43 Mnodejs-devel x86_64 1:18.10.0-3.module+el9.1.0+16866+0fab0697 @rhel-AppStream 953 knodejs-docs noarch 1:18.10.0-3.module+el9.1.0+16866+0fab0697 @rhel-AppStream 78 Mnodejs-full-i18n x86_64 1:18.10.0-3.module+el9.1.0+16866+0fab0697 @rhel-AppStream 29 Mnodejs-nodemon noarch 2.0.15-1.module+el9.1.0+15718+e52ec601 @rhel-AppStream 2.0 Mnodejs-packaging noarch 2021.06-4.module+el9.1.0+15718+e52ec601 @rhel-AppStream 41 knpm x86_64 1:8.19.2-1.18.10.0.3.module+el9.1.0+16866+0fab0697 @rhel-AppStream 6.9 MRemoving unused dependencies:brotli x86_64 1.0.9-6.el9 @rhel-AppStream 754 kbrotli-devel x86_64 1.0.9-6.el9 @rhel-AppStream 55 k...Disabling module profiles:nodejs/commonnodejs/developmentnodejs/minimalnodejs/s2iTransaction Summary===================================================================================Remove 31 PackagesFreed space: 167 MIs this ok [y/N]: y

Warning

Optional: Reset or disable the stream by entering one of the following commands:
```
# dnf module reset <module_name># dnf module disable <module_name>
```

Verification

Verify that all packages from the selected module stream were removed:

$ dnf module info nodejs...Name : nodejsStream : 18 [e] [a]Version : 9010020221009220316Context : rhel9Architecture : x86_64Profiles : common [d], development, minimal, s2iDefault profiles : common...Hint: [d]efault, [e]nabled, [x]disabled, [i]nstalled, [a]ctive

Additional resources

Modular dependencies and stream changes
Resetting module streams
Disabling all streams of a module

8.4.Additional resources

Commands for removing content in RHEL 9

With the dnf history command, you can review the following information:

Timeline of DNF transactions.
Dates and times the transactions occurred.
Number of packages affected by the transactions.
Whether the transactions succeeded or were aborted.
If the RPM database was changed between the transactions.

You can also use the dnf history command to undo the transactions.

9.1.Listing transactions

You can use DNF to perform the following tasks:

List the latest transactions.
List the latest operations for a selected package.
Display details of a particular transaction.

Procedure

Depending on your scenario, use one of the following options to display transaction information:
- To display a list of all the latest DNF transactions, enter:
```
# dnf history
```
  The output contains the following information:
  - The Action(s) column displays which type of action was performed during a transaction, for example, Install (I), Upgrade (U), Remove (E), and other actions.
  - The Altered column displays the number of actions performed during the transaction. The number of actions can also be followed by the result of the transaction.
    For more information about the values of the Action(s) and Altered columns, see the dnf(8) man page.
- To display a list of all the latest operations for a selected package, enter:
```
# dnf history list <package_name>
```
- To display details of a particular transaction, enter:
```
# dnf history info <transaction_id>
```

Note

You can filter the results by appending global expressions as arguments. For more details, see Specifying global expressions in dnf input.

Additional resources

dnf(8) man page

9.2.Reverting DNF transactions

Reverting a DNF transaction can be useful if you want to undo operations performed during the transaction. For example, if you installed several packages by using the dnf install command, you can uninstall these packages at once by reverting an installation transaction.

You can revert DNF transactions the following ways:

Revert a single DNF transaction by using the dnf history undo command.
Revert all DNF transactions performed between the specified transaction and the last transaction by using the dnf history rollback command.

Important

Downgrading RHEL system packages to an older version by using the dnf history undo and dnf history rollback command is not supported. This concerns especially the selinux, selinux-policy-*, kernel, and glibc packages, and dependencies of glibc such as gcc. Therefore, downgrading a system to a minor version (for example, from RHEL 9.1 to RHEL 9.0) is not recommended because it might leave the system in an incorrect state.

9.2.1.Reverting a single DNF transaction

You can revert steps performed within a single transaction by using the dnf history undo command:

If the transaction installed a new package, dnf history undo uninstalls the package.
If the transaction uninstalled a package, dnf history undo reinstalls the package.
The dnf history undo command also attempts to downgrade all updated packages to their previous versions if the older packages are still available.
Note
If an older package version is not available, the downgrade by using the dnf history undo command fails.

Procedure

Identify the ID of a transaction you want to revert:

# dnf historyID | Command line | Date and time | Action(s) | Altered--------------------------------------------------------------------13 | install zip | 2022-11-03 10:49 | Install | 112 | install unzip | 2022-11-03 10:49 | Install | 1

Optional: Verify that this is the transaction you want to revert by displaying its details:
```
# dnf history info <transaction_id>
```
Revert the transaction:
```
# dnf history undo <transaction_id>
```
For example, if you want to uninstall the previously installed unzip package, enter:
```
# dnf history undo 12
```

9.2.2.Reverting multiple DNF transactions

You can revert all DNF transactions performed between a specified transaction and the last transaction by using the dnf history rollback command. Note that the transaction specified by the transaction ID remains unchanged.

Procedure

Identify the transaction ID of the state you want to revert to:

# dnf historyID | Command line | Date and time | Action(s) | Altered------------------------------------------------------------------14 | install wget | 2022-11-03 10:49 | Install | 113 | install unzip | 2022-11-03 10:49 | Install | 112 | install vim-X11 | 2022-11-03 10:20 | Install | 171 EE

Revert specified transactions:
```
# dnf history rollback <transaction_id>
```
For example, to revert to the state before the wget and unzip packages were installed, enter:
```
# dnf history rollback 12
```
Alternatively, to revert all transactions in the transaction history, use the transaction ID 1:
```
# dnf history rollback 1
```

You can configure a repository in the /etc/dnf/dnf.conf file or in a .repo file in the /etc/yum.repos.d/ directory.

Important

Define your repositories in the .repo file instead of /etc/dnf/dnf.conf.

The /etc/dnf/dnf.conf file contains the [main] section and can contain one or more repository sections ([<repository-ID>]) that you can use to set repository-specific options. The values you define in individual repository sections of the /etc/dnf/dnf.conf file override values set in the [main] section.

10.1.DNF repository options

The /etc/dnf/dnf.conf configuration file contains repository sections with a unique repository ID in brackets ([]). You can use such sections to define individual DNF repositories.

Important

Repository IDs in [] must be unique.

For a complete list of available repository ID options, see the [<repository-ID>] OPTIONS section of the dnf.conf(5) man page.

10.2.Adding a DNF repository

You can add a DNF repository to your system by using the dnf config-manager --add-repo command.

Procedure

Add a repository to your system:
```
# dnf config-manager --add-repo <repository_URL>
```
Note that repositories added by this command are enabled by default.
Review and, optionally, update the repository settings that the previous command has created in the /etc/yum.repos.d/<repository_URL>.repo file:
```
# cat /etc/yum.repos.d/<repository_URL>.repo
```

Warning

Obtaining and installing software packages from unverified or untrusted sources other than Red Hat certificate-based Content Delivery Network (CDN) is a potential security risk, and can lead to security, stability, compatibility, and maintainability issues.

10.3.Enabling a DNF repository

You can enable a DNF repository added to your system by using the dnf config-manager command.

Procedure

Enable a repository:

# dnf config-manager --enable <repository_id>

10.4.Disabling a DNF repository

You can disable a DNF repository added to your system by using the dnf config-manager command.

Procedure

Disable a repository:

# dnf config-manager --disable <repository_id>

Content in the AppStream repository can be available in multiple versions, corresponding to module streams.

11.1.Modular dependencies and stream changes

Traditionally, packages providing content depend on further packages, and usually specify the desired dependency versions. For packages contained in modules, this mechanism applies as well, but the grouping of packages and their particular versions into modules and streams provides further constraints. Additionally, module streams can declare dependencies on streams of other modules, independent of the packages contained and provided by them.

After any operations with packages or modules, the whole dependency tree of all underlying installed packages must satisfy all the conditions that the packages declare. Additionally, all module stream dependencies must be satisfied. For example, disabling a module stream can require disabling other module streams. No packages will be removed automatically.

Note that the following actions can cause subsequent automatic operations:

Enabling a module stream can result in enabling further module streams.
Installing a module stream profile or installing packages from a stream can result in enabling further module streams and installing further packages.
Removing a package can result in removing further packages. If these packages were provided by modules, the module streams remain enabled in preparation for further installation, even if no packages from these streams are installed any more. This mirrors the behavior of an unused DNF repository.

11.2.Interaction of modular and non-modular dependencies

Modular dependencies are an additional layer on top of regular RPM dependencies. Modular dependencies behave similarly to hypothetical dependencies between repositories. This means that installing different packages requires resolution of both the RPM dependencies and the modular dependencies.

The system will always retain the module and stream choices, unless explicitly instructed to change them. A modular package will receive updates contained in the currently enabled stream of the module that provides this package, but will not upgrade to a version contained in a different stream.

11.3.Resetting module streams

Resetting a module is an action that returns this module to its initial state - neither enabled nor disabled. If the module has a configured default stream, this stream becomes active as a result of resetting the module.

Resetting the module is useful, for example, if you want to only extract the RPM content from the module without keeping the module enabled. You can use the dnf module reset command after enabling the module and extracting its contents to reset this module to its initial state.

Procedure

Reset the module state:
```
# dnf module reset <module-name>
```
The module is returned to the initial state. Information about an enabled stream and installed profiles is erased but no installed content is removed.

11.4.Disabling all streams of a module

Modules that have a default stream will always have one stream active. If you want to make the content from all module streams of the module inaccessible, you can disable the whole module.

Prerequisites

You understand the concept of an active module stream.

Procedure

Disable the module:
```
# dnf module disable <module-name>
```
The dnf command asks for confirmation and then disables the module with all its streams. All of the module streams become inactive. No installed content is removed.

11.5.Switching to a later stream

When you switch to a later module stream, all respective packages are replaced with their later versions.

Important

Back up your data and follow migration instructions specific to the component.

Prerequisites

The system is fully updated.

Procedure

Switch the installed component to the new version and select the module (component) and stream (version):

# dnf module switch-to <module:stream>

For example, to switch from the nodejs:18 module stream to the nodejs:20 stream, enter:

# dnf module switch-to nodejs:20...Dependencies resolved.======================================================================================== Package Arch Version Repository Size========================================================================================Upgrading: nodejs x86_64 1:20.5.1-1.module+el9.3.0+19646+9a702805 rhel-AppStream 14 M nodejs-docs noarch 1:20.5.1-1.module+el9.3.0+19646+9a702805 rhel-AppStream 8.0 M nodejs-full-i18n x86_64 1:20.5.1-1.module+el9.3.0+19646+9a702805 rhel-AppStream 8.5 M npm x86_64 1:9.8.0-1.20.5.1.1.module+el9.3.0+19646+9a702805 rhel-AppStream 2.6 MSwitching module streams: nodejs 18 -> 20

You can also switch from non-modular content to a module stream. For example, to switch from non-modular PHP 8.0 to modular PHP 8.1, enter:

# dnf module switch-to php:8.1...Dependencies resolved.======================================================================================== Package Arch Version Repository Size========================================================================================Upgrading: php-common x86_64 8.1.14-1.module+el9.2.0+17911+b059dfc2 rhel-AppStream 687 kEnabling module streams: php 8.1

Optional: Switch the installed component to the new version and select also the profile to be installed or updated:
```
# dnf module switch-to <module:stream/profile>
```

Verification

Verify that the installed component was switched to the new version ([e]):

$ dnf module list nodejs...rhel-AppStreamName Stream Profiles Summarynodejs 18 common [d], development, minimal, s2i Javascript runtimenodejs 20 [e] common [d] [i], development, minimal, s2i Javascript runtimeHint: [d]efault, [e]nabled, [x]disabled, [i]nstalled

In the following sections, examine DNF commands for listing, installing, and removing content in RedHat EnterpriseLinux9.

A.1.Commands for listing content in RHEL 9

The following are the commonly used DNF commands for finding content and its details in RedHat EnterpriseLinux9:

Command	Description
`dnf search term`	Search for a package by using term related to the package.
`dnf repoquery package`	Search for enabled DNF repositories for a selected package and its version.
`dnf list`	List information about all installed and available packages.
`dnf list --installed` `dnf repoquery --installed`	List all packages installed on your system.
`dnf list --available` `dnf repoquery`	List all packages in all enabled repositories that are available to install.
`dnf repolist`	List all enabled repositories on your system.
`dnf repolist --disabled`	List all disabled repositories on your system.
`dnf repolist --all`	List both enabled and disabled repositories.
`dnf repoinfo`	List additional information about the repositories.
`dnf info package_name` `dnf repoquery --info package_name`	Display details of an available package.
`dnf repoquery --info --installed package_name`	Display details of a package installed on your system.
`dnf module list`	List modules and their current status.
`dnf module info module_name`	Display details of a module.
`dnf module list module_name`	Display the current status of a module.
`dnf module info --profile module_name`	Display packages associated with available profiles of a selected module.
`dnf module info --profile module_name:stream`	Display packages associated with available profiles of a module by using a specified stream.
`dnf module provides package`	Determine which modules, streams, and profiles provide a package. Note that if the package is available outside any modules, the output of this command is empty.
`dnf group summary`	View the number of installed and available groups.
`dnf group list`	List all installed and available groups.
`dnf group info group_name`	List mandatory and optional packages included in a particular group.

A.2.Commands for installing content in RHEL 9

The following are the commonly used DNF commands for installing content in RedHat EnterpriseLinux9:

Command	Description
`dnf install package_name`	Install a package. If the package is provided by a module stream, `dnf` resolves the required module stream and enables it automatically while installing this package. This also happens recursively for all package dependencies. If more module streams satisfy the requirement, the default ones are used.
`dnf install package_name_1 package_name_2`	Install multiple packages and their dependencies simultaneously.
`dnf install package_name.arch`	Specify the architecture of the package by appending it to the package name when installing packages on a multilib system (AMD64, Intel 64 machine).
`dnf install /usr/sbin/binary_file`	Install a binary by using the path to the binary as an argument.
`dnf install /path/`	Install a previously downloaded package from a local directory.
`dnf install package_url`	Install a remote package by using a package URL.
`dnf module enable module_name:stream`	Enable a module by using a specific stream. Note that running this command does not install any RPM packages.
`dnf module install module_name:stream` `dnf install @module_name:stream`	Install a default profile from a specific module stream. Note that running this command also enables the specified stream.
`dnf module install module_name:stream/profile` `dnf install @module_name:stream/profile`	Install a selected profile by using a specific stream.
`dnf group install group_name`	Install a package group by a group name.
`dnf group install group_ID`	Install a package group by the groupID.

A.3.Commands for removing content in RHEL 9

The following are the commonly used DNF commands for removing content in RedHat EnterpriseLinux9:

Command	Description
`dnf remove package_name`	Remove a particular package and all dependent packages.
`dnf remove package_name_1 package_name_2`	Remove multiple packages and their unused dependencies simultaneously.
`dnf group remove group_name`	Remove a package group by the group name.
`dnf group remove group_ID`	Remove a package group by the groupID.
`dnf module remove --all module_name:stream`	Remove all packages from the specified stream. Note that running this command can remove critical packages from your system.
`dnf module remove module_name:stream/profile`	Remove packages from an installed profile.
`dnf module remove module_name:stream`	Remove packages from all installed profiles within the specified stream.
`dnf module reset module_name`	Reset a module to the initial state. Note that running this command does not remove packages from the specified module.
`dnf module disable module_name`	Disable a module and all its streams. Note that running this command does not remove packages from the specified module.

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