dnf / pacman / zypper Cheat Sheet

Package managers for the other big Linux families: dnf (Fedora, RHEL, Rocky, Alma), pacman (Arch, Manjaro, EndeavourOS), zypper (openSUSE). All need sudo for changes. For Debian/Ubuntu see the apt sheet.

31 entries
5 sections
Updated 1 Oct 2026
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31 entries

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Side by Side #

Task	dnf	pacman	zypper
Refresh repos		(only together with `-u`)	(`ref`)
Update everything			(`up`)
Distro upgrade / rolling			(Tumbleweed)
Install			(`in`)
Install local file
Remove			()
Remove + unused deps + config	then
Search			(`se`)
Package info		(repo) / `-Qi` (installed)
List installed
Explicitly installed			—
Files in a package
Who owns a file
Remove orphans
Clean cache			(`cc`)
List repos			(`lr`)
Add a repo		edit `/etc/pacman.conf`	(`ar`)
History / undo	/	`/var/log/pacman.log`	`/var/log/zypp/history`

dnf Extras #

Command	Action
	Package groups
	Install a group
	Go back one version
	Enable RPM Fusion (codecs, drivers) on Fedora

pacman / Arch Extras #

Command	Action
/	Install from the AUR (community helpers)
	Update repo + AUR packages
	List orphans
	Fix key errors

Avoid pacman -Sy pkg on its own (a partial upgrade can break the system). Use pacman -Syu pkg.

zypper Extras #

Command	Action
/	List / apply security patches (Leap)
/	Lock / unlock a package
	Install from OBS community repos (with the tool)

Universal Formats #

Command	Action
	Flatpak (works on every distro)
	Snap

Command / option	What it does
`install pkg`	Install (also local `./file.rpm`)
`remove pkg`	Remove
`upgrade`	Update everything (`upgrade pkg` for one)
`check-update`	List available updates
`search word`	Search
`info pkg`	Details
`list --installed`	Installed packages
`provides /path/file`	Which package provides a file
`autoremove`	Remove unneeded dependencies
`history` / `history undo N`	Transaction history / undo one
`downgrade pkg` / `reinstall pkg`	Go back one version / reinstall
`group list` / `group install "Name"`	Package groups
`repolist`	Enabled repositories
`clean all` / `makecache`	Clear / rebuild the cache
`-y`	Assume yes
`--refresh`	Refresh metadata first
`--enablerepo=name` / `--disablerepo=name`	Use / skip a repository for this command
`--allowerasing`	Allow removing conflicting packages

Operation	What it does
`-S pkg`	Install from the repositories
`-Syu`	Refresh and upgrade everything (always upgrade fully)
`-Syu pkg`	Upgrade everything and install a package
`-Ss word`	Search the repositories
`-Si pkg`	Info from the repository
`-R pkg`	Remove
`-Rs pkg`	Remove with its unneeded dependencies
`-Rns pkg`	…and its config files
`-Q`	List installed packages
`-Qe`	Explicitly installed packages
`-Qi pkg` / `-Ql pkg`	Info / files of an installed package
`-Qo /path/file`	Which package owns a file
`-Qdt` (`-Qdtq`)	Orphans (unneeded dependencies)
`-Qm`	Foreign packages (AUR)
`-U file.pkg.tar.zst`	Install a local package file
`-F file` / `-Fy`	Which package contains a file (sync the file database with `-Fy`)
`-Sc` / `-Scc`	Clean old / all cached packages
`--needed`	Don't reinstall up-to-date packages
`--noconfirm`	Don't ask questions

Command (short)	What it does
`refresh` (`ref`)	Refresh repositories
`update` (`up`)	Update packages (Leap)
`dist-upgrade` (`dup`)	Full upgrade (Tumbleweed)
`install` (`in`) pkg	Install
`remove` (`rm`) pkg	Remove (`-u` / `--clean-deps` removes unneeded dependencies)
`search` (`se`) word	Search (`-i` installed only, `-s` with versions)
`info` pkg	Details
`what-provides` (`wp`) file	Which package provides a file
`repos` (`lr`)	List repositories
`addrepo` (`ar`) URL name	Add a repository (`-f` = auto-refresh)
`removerepo` (`rr`) name	Remove a repository
`clean` (`cc`)	Clear the cache
`patches` / `patch`	List / apply patches
`addlock` (`al`) / `removelock` (`rl`) pkg	Lock / unlock a package
`packages --unneeded`	Packages nothing needs
`ps -s`	Programs still using deleted (updated) files
`-n`	Non-interactive (assume yes)
`--gpg-auto-import-keys`	Accept new repository keys

Option	What it does
`-r`, `-R`	Delete folders and everything in them
`-f`	Force: no questions, no error if the file is missing
`-i`	Ask before every file
`-I`	Ask once (when deleting more than 3 files or recursively)
`-v`	Show what is deleted
`-d`	Delete empty folders
`--preserve-root`	Refuse to delete `/` (on by default)
`--one-file-system`	Don't cross into other mounted drives

Option	What it does
`-qa`	List all installed packages
`-qi pkg`	Info about an installed package
`-ql pkg`	Files of a package
`-qf /path/file`	Which package owns a file
`-qp file.rpm -l`	Files inside an `.rpm` file
`-ivh file.rpm`	Install with progress (no dependency resolving, prefer `dnf`/`zypper`)
`-Uvh file.rpm`	Upgrade or install
`-e pkg`	Remove
`-V pkg`	Verify the installed files
`--import key.asc`	Import a signing key

Option	What it does
`-n`	Number every line
`-b`	Number non-empty lines only
`-s`	Squeeze multiple empty lines into one
`-A`	Show invisible characters: tabs as `^I`, line ends as `$`
`-E`	Show `$` at every line end (spot trailing spaces)
`-T`	Show tabs as `^I`
`cat a b > ab`	Join files into a new one
`cat >> notes.txt`	Type text and append it (end with `Ctrl + D`)

Option	What it does
`--init`	Create the local keyring
`--populate archlinux`	Load the official Arch keys
`--refresh-keys`	Update all keys from the keyservers
`--recv-keys ID`	Fetch a specific key
`--lsign-key ID`	Trust a key locally
`-l`	List keys

Usage / option	What it does
`opi name`	Search OBS and pick a package and repository to install
`opi codecs`	Install multimedia codecs (Packman)
`opi vscode`, `opi chrome`…	Built-in shortcuts for popular third-party software
`-n`	Non-interactive: pick the first option

Command / option	What it does
`remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://dl.flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo`	Add the Flathub store
`install flathub app.id`	Install an app
`run app.id`	Start an app
`update`	Update everything
`list --app`	Installed apps
`search word`	Search
`info app.id`	Details
`uninstall app.id`	Remove (`--delete-data` removes its data too)
`uninstall --unused`	Remove runtimes nothing uses any more
`override --filesystem=home app.id`	Give an app extra permissions
`--user` / `--system`	Install for you only / for everyone