# Pacman Rosetta

This page pulls heavily from openSUSE's Software Management Command Line Comparison. It has been simplified and has added Arch to the comparison, as well as modified the order in which each distribution exists for the benefit of Arch users.

Users from other Linux distributions can benefit from pacman by using a simple wrapper: pacapt. The script could also be intended for Arch users having to temporarily deal with another distribution.

pacapt is a pacman shell script implementation for other linux distribution.

Note:

- Some of the tools described here are specific to a certain version of pacman. The -Qk option is new in pacman 4.1.
- The command `pkgfile` can be found in the pkgfile package.

Action | Arch | Red Hat/Fedora | Debian/Ubuntu | SUSE/openSUSE | Gentoo
Install a package(s) by name | pacman -S | yum install | apt-get install | zypper install zypper in | emerge [-a]
Remove a package(s) by name | pacman -Rc | yum remove/erase | apt-get remove | zypper remove zypper rm | emerge -C
Search for package(s) by searching the expression in name, description, short description. What exact fields are being searched by default varies in each tool. Mostly options bring tools on par. | pacman -Ss | yum search | apt-cache search | zypper search zypper se [-s] | emerge -S
Upgrade Packages - Install packages which have an older version already installed | pacman -Syu | yum update | apt-get upgrade | zypper update zypper up | emerge -u world
Upgrade Packages - Another form of the update command, which can perform more complex updates -- like distribution upgrades. When the usual update command will omit package updates, which include changes in dependencies, this command can perform those updates. | pacman -Syu | yum distro-sync | apt-get dist-upgrade | zypper dup | emerge -uDN world
Reinstall given Package - Will reinstall the given package without dependency hassle. | pacman -S | yum reinstall | apt-get install --reinstall | zypper install --force | emerge [-a]
Installs local package file, e.g. app.rpm and uses the installation sources to resolve dependencies | pacman -U | yum localinstall | dpkg -i && apt-get install -f | zypper in /path/to/local.rpm | emerge
Updates package(s) with local packages and uses the installation sources to resolve dependencies | pacman -U | yum localupdate | n/a | emerge |
Use some magic to fix broken dependencies in a system | pacman dep level - testdb, shared lib level - findbrokenpkgs or lddd | package-cleanup --problems | apt-get --fix-broken / aptitude install | zypper verify | revdep-rebuild
Only downloads the given package(s) without unpacking or installing them | pacman -Sw | yumdownloader (found in yum-utils package) | apt-get --download-only / aptitude download | zypper --download-only | emerge --fetchonly
Remove dependencies that are no longer needed, because e.g. the package which needed the dependencies was removed. | pacman -Qdtq | pacman -Rs - | yum autoremove | apt-get autoremove | zypper rm -u | emerge --depclean
Downloads the corresponding source package(s) to the given package name(s) | Use ABS && makepkg -o | yumdownloader --source | apt-get source / debcheckout | zypper source-install | emerge --fetchonly
Remove packages no longer included in any repositories. |  | package-cleanup --orphans |  |  |
Install/Remove packages to satisfy build-dependencies. Uses information in the source package. | automatic | yum-builddep | apt-get build-dep | zypper si -d | emerge -o
Add a package lock rule to keep its current state from being changed | ${EDITOR} /etc/pacman.conf modify IgnorePkg array | yum.conf <--”exclude” option (add/amend) | echo "$PKGNAME hold" | dpkg --set-selections | Put package name in /etc/zypp/locks | /etc/portage/package.mask
Delete a package lock rule | remove package from IgnorePkg line in /etc/pacman.conf | yum.conf <--”exclude” option (remove/amend) | echo "$PKGNAME install" | dpkg --set-selections | Remove package name from /etc/zypp/locks | /etc/portage/package.mask (or package.unmask)
Show a listing of all lock rules | cat /etc/pacman.conf | yum.conf (research needed) | /etc/apt/preferences | View /etc/zypp/locks | cat /etc/portage/package.mask
Add a checkpoint to the package system for later rollback |  | (unnecessary, done on every transaction) |  | n/a |
Remove a checkpoint from the system | N/A | N/A |  | n/a |
Provide a list of all system checkpoints | N/A | yum history list |  | n/a |
Rolls entire packages back to a certain date or checkpoint. | N/A | yum history rollback |  | n/a |
Undo a single specified transaction. | N/A | yum history undo |  | n/a |  |
Mark a package previously installed as a dependency as explicitly required. | pacman -D --asexplicit |  | aptitude unmarkauto |  | emerge --select
Install package(s) as dependency / without marking as explicitly required. | pacman -S --asdeps |  |  |  | emerge -1 |  |  |  |  |  |
Package information management |  |  |  |  |
Get a dump of the whole system information - Prints, Saves or similar the current state of the package management system. Preferred output is text or XML. (Note: Why either-or here? No tool offers the option to choose the output format.) | (see /var/lib/pacman/local) | (see /var/lib/rpm/Packages) | apt-cache stats | n/a | emerge --info
Show all or most information about a package. The tools' verbosity for the default command vary. But with options, the tools are on par with each other. | pacman -[S|Q]i | yum list or info | apt-cache show / apt-cache policy | zypper info zypper if | emerge -S; emerge -pv; eix
Search for package(s) by searching the expression in name, description, short description. What exact fields are being searched by default varies in each tool. Mostly options bring tools on par. | pacman -Ss | yum search | apt-cache search | zypper search zypper se [-s] | emerge -S
Lists packages which have an update available. Note: Some provide special commands to limit the output to certain installation sources, others use options. | pacman -Qu | yum list updates yum check-update | apt-get upgrade -> n | zypper list-updates zypper patch-check (just for patches) | emerge -uDNp world
Display a list of all packages in all installation sources that are handled by the packages management. Some tools provide options or additional commands to limit the output to a specific installation source. | pacman -Sl | yum list available | apt-cache dumpavail apt-cache dump (Cache only) apt-cache pkgnames | zypper packages | emerge -ep world
Displays packages which provide the given exp. aka reverse provides. Mainly a shortcut to search a specific field. Other tools might offer this functionality through the search command. | pkgfile <filename> | yum whatprovides yum provides | apt-file search <filename> | zypper what-provides zypper wp | equery belongs (only installed packages); pfl
Display packages which require X to be installed, aka show reverse/ dependencies. | pacman -Sii | yum resolvedep | apt-cache rdepends / aptitude search ~Dpattern | IN PROGRESS | equery depends
Display packages which conflict with given expression (often package). Search can be used as well to mimic this function. | (none) | repoquery --whatconflicts | aptitude search '~Cpattern' | IN PROGRESS |
List all packages which are required for the given package, aka show dependencies. | pacman -[S|Q]i | yum deplist | apt-cache depends / apt-cache show | IN PROGRESS | emerge -ep
List what the current package provides |  | yum provides |  | IN PROGRESS | equery files
List the files that the package holds. Again, this functionality can be mimicked by other more complex commands. | pacman -Ql $pkgname pkgfile -l | repoquery -l $pkgname | dpkg-query -L $pkgname | IN PROGRESS | equery files
List all packages that require a particular package |  | repoquery --whatrequires [--recursive] |  |  | equery depends -a
Search all packages to find the one which holds the specified file. auto-apt is using this functionality. | pkgfile -s | yum provides yum whatprovides | apt-file search | IN PROGRESS | equery belongs
Display all packages that the specified packages obsoletes. |  | yum list obsoletes | apt-cache show | IN PROGRESS |
Verify dependencies of the complete system. Used if installation process was forcefully killed. | testdb | yum deplist | apt-get check | n/a | emerge -uDN world
Generates a list of installed packages | pacman -Q | yum list installed | dpkg --get-selections | zypper | emerge -ep world
List packages that are installed but are not available in any installation source (anymore). | pacman -Qm | yum list extras | deborphan | zypper se -si | grep 'System Packages' | eix-test-obsolete
List packages that were recently added to one of the installation sources, i.e. which are new to it. | (none) | yum list recent | aptitude search '~N' / aptitude forget-new | n/a | eix-diff
Show a log of actions taken by the software management. | cat /var/log/pacman.log | yum history cat /var/log/yum.log | cat /var/log/dpkg.log | cat /var/log/zypp/history | located in /var/log/portage
Clean up all local caches. Options might limit what is actually cleaned. Autoclean removes only unneeded, obsolete information. | pacman -Sc pacman -Scc | yum clean | apt-get clean / apt-get autoclean / aptitude clean | zypper clean | eclean distfiles
Add a local package to the local package cache mostly for debugging purposes. | cp $pkgname /var/cache/pacman/pkg/ |  | apt-cache add | n/a | cp $srcfile /usr/portage/distfiles
Display the source package to the given package name(s) |  | repoquery -s | apt-cache showsrc | n/a |
Generates an output suitable for processing with dotty for the given package(s). |  |  | apt-cache dotty | n/a |
Set the priority of the given package to avoid upgrade, force downgrade or to overwrite any default behavior. Can also be used to prefer a package version from a certain installation source. | ${EDITOR} /etc/pacman.conf Modify HoldPkg and/or IgnorePkg arrays | yum-plugin-priorities and yum-plugin-protect-packages | /etc/apt/preferences, apt-cache policy | zypper mr -p | ${EDITOR} /etc/portage/package.keywords Add a line with =category/package-version
Remove a previously set priority |  |  | /etc/apt/preferences | zypper mr -p | ${EDITOR} /etc/portage/package.keywords remove offending line
Show a list of set priorities. |  |  | apt-cache policy /etc/apt/preferences | n/a | cat /etc/portage/package.keywords
Ignores problems that priorities may trigger. |  |  |  | n/a |
Installation sources management | ${EDITOR} /etc/pacman.conf | ${EDITOR} /etc/yum.repos.d/${REPO}.repo | ${EDITOR} /etc/apt/sources.list |  | layman
Add an installation source to the system. Some tools provide additional commands for certain sources, others allow all types of source URI for the add command. Again others, like apt and yum force editing a sources list. apt-cdrom is a special command, which offers special options design for CDs/DVDs as source. | ${EDITOR} /etc/pacman.conf | ${EDITOR} /etc/yum.repos.d/${REPO}.repo | apt-cdrom add | zypper service-add | layman, overlays
Refresh the information about the specified installation source(s) or all installation sources. | pacman -Sy | yum clean expire-cache && yum check-update | apt-get update | zypper refresh zypper ref | layman -f
Prints a list of all installation sources including important information like URI, alias etc. | cat /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist | cat /etc/yum.repos.d/* |  | zypper service-list | layman -l
Disable an installation source for an operation |  | yum --disablerepo=${REPO} |  |  | emerge package::repo-to-use
Download packages from a different version of the distribution than the one installed. |  | yum --releasever=${VERSION} | apt-get install -t release package/ apt-get install package/release (deps not covered) |  | echo "category/package ~amd64" >> /etc/portage/package.keywords && emerge package
Other commands |  |  |  |  |
Start a shell to enter multiple commands in one session |  | yum shell | apt-config shell | zypper shell |
Package Verification |  |  |  |  |
Single package | pacman -Qk[k] <package> | rpm -V <package> | debsums | rpm -V <package> | equery check
All packages | pacman -Qk[k] | rpm -Va | debsums | rpm -Va | equery check
Package Querying |  |  |  |  |
List installed local packages along with version | pacman -Q | rpm -qa | dpkg -l |  | emerge -e world
Display local package information: Name, version, description, etc. | pacman -Qi | rpm -qi | dpkg -s |  | emerge -pv and emerge -S
Display remote package information: Name, version, description, etc. | pacman -Si | yum info | apt-cache show / aptitude show |  | emerge -pv and emerge -S
Display files provided by local package | pacman -Ql | rpm -ql | dpkg -L |  | equery files
Display files provided by a remote package | pkgfile -l | repoquery -l |  |  | pfl
Query the package which provides FILE | pacman -Qo | rpm -qf (installed only) or yum whatprovides (everything) | dpkg -S/dlocate |  | equery belongs
Query a package supplied on the command line rather than an entry in the package management database | pacman -Qp | rpm -qp | dpkg -I |  |
Show the changelog of a package | pacman -Qc | rpm -q --changelog | apt-get changelog |  | equery changes -f
Search locally installed package for names or descriptions | pacman -Qs |  | aptitude search '~i(~nexpr|~dexpr)' |  | eix -S -I
Building Packages |  |  |  |  |
Build a package | makepkg -s | rpmbuild -ba (normal) mock (in chroot) | debuild | rpmbuild -ba | ebuild; quickpkg
Check for possible packaging issues |  | rpmlint | lintian |  | repoman
List the contents of a package file | pacman -Qpl <file> | rpmls rpm -qpl | dpkg -L | rpm -qpl |
Extract a package | tar -Jxvf | rpm2cpio | cpio -vid | ar vx | tar -zxvf data.tar.gz | rpm2cpio | cpio -vid | tar -jxvf
Query a package supplied on the command line rather than an entry in the package management database | pacman -Qp | rpm -qp | dpkg -I |  |
Action | Arch | Red Hat/Fedora | Debian/Ubuntu | SUSE/openSUSE | Gentoo

Category:

- Package management