YUM Package Manager for RPM-Based Linux Systems.

 YUM (Yellowdog Updater, Modified)

YUM (Yellowdog Updater, Modified) is a package management tool used in RPM-based Linux distributions like Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), CentOS, and Fedora. It simplifies installing, updating, and managing software packages by automatically resolving dependencies.

Key Features of YUM Package Manager

• Dependency Resolution: YUM ensures that all required dependencies for a package are installed automatically.
• Repository Management: It uses repositories and collections of software packages to fetch and install software.
• Package Management: You can install, update, remove, or search for packages using simple commands.
• Group Management: YUM allows you to install or remove groups of packages, such as "Development Tools."
• Plugin Support: Extend YUM's functionality with plugins for tasks like version locking or metadata synchronization.

How YUM Handles Dependency Resolution

• Repositories: YUM accesses repositories defined in .repo files located in /etc/yum.repos.d/. These files contain information like the repository's name, base URL, and GPG key for package verification.
• Metadata: YUM downloads metadata from repositories to understand available packages, dependencies, and updates.
• Transaction Management: YUM ensures that package installations or updates are completed successfully, rolling back changes if errors occur.

Common YUM Commands

Here are some frequently used commands:

• Install a package: yum install <package-name>
• Update all packages: yum update
• Remove a package: yum remove <package-name>
• Search for a package: yum search <keyword>
• List installed packages: yum list installed
• Clean metadata cache: yum clean all

Advantages of YUM

• Ease of Use: Simplifies package management with straightforward commands.
• Automatic Updates: Keeps your system up-to-date with minimal effort.
• Scalability: Handles large-scale deployments efficiently.
• Customizable: Configure repositories and plugins to suit your needs.

Transition to DNF

YUM has been replaced by DNF (Dandified YUM) in newer versions of RHEL and Fedora. DNF offers improved performance, better dependency management, and a more robust API.

Conclusion

In conclusion, YUM simplifies software management in RPM-based distributions like RHEL and Fedora by automating dependency resolution.

This is covered in A+, Server+, and SecurityX (formerly known as CASP+)