rpm Command in Linux: Syntax, Options & Practical Examples (RPM-Based Distros)

On an RPM-based server, the first check is whether the package name is in the local database and which version is installed.

Run the command (replace bash with a package your host actually installed via RPM):

rpm -q bash

Sample output when the package is installed:

bash-5.2.15-3.fc41.x86_64

When the name is not in the RPM database (common on Debian/Ubuntu hosts where dpkg owns packages):

package bash is not installed

List a few installed RPM names to see what your database contains:

rpm -qa | head -5

On a fresh Ubuntu install the RPM database is often empty — that is normal. On RHEL or Fedora you will see many lines.

When you downloaded a vendor .rpm manually, read its metadata and dependency list before rpm -i.

Run the commands (use your package file path):

rpm -qip /tmp/rpmbuild-test/RPMS/noarch/rpmdemo-1.0-1.noarch.rpm
rpm -qpR /tmp/rpmbuild-test/RPMS/noarch/rpmdemo-1.0-1.noarch.rpm

Sample output:

Name        : rpmdemo
Version     : 1.0
Release     : 1
Architecture: noarch
Install Date: (not installed)
Group       : Unspecified
Size        : 23
License     : MIT
Signature   : (none)
Source RPM  : rpmdemo-1.0-1.src.rpm
Build Date  : Wed 01 Jul 2026 03:37:32 PM IST
Build Host  : localhost
Packager    : <@localhost>
Summary     : Test package for cheatsheet
Description :
Minimal test RPM for article verification.
/bin/sh
rpmlib(CompressedFileNames) <= 3.0.4-1
rpmlib(FileDigests) <= 4.6.0-1
rpmlib(PayloadFilesHavePrefix) <= 4.0-1

The Requires lines tell you what must already be on the system. If anything is missing, install dependencies first or use dnf instead of raw rpm -i.

Install a package archive when you already have the file and accept responsibility for dependencies. On Debian/Ubuntu the RPM database is often empty, so a test package may need --nodeps (see the advanced example); on RHEL or Fedora omit that when dependencies are already installed.

Run the command:

sudo rpm -ivh --nodeps /tmp/rpmbuild-test/RPMS/noarch/rpmdemo-1.0-1.noarch.rpm

Sample output:

Verifying...                          ########################################
Preparing...                          ########################################
Updating / installing...
rpmdemo-1.0-1                         ########################################

Confirm it landed in the database and see which file it owns:

rpm -q rpmdemo
rpm -ql rpmdemo

Sample output:

rpmdemo-1.0-1.noarch
/usr/local/bin/rpmdemo

Clean up the test package when you are done:

sudo rpm -e rpmdemo

When a binary appears on disk and you need its package name for updates or support cases.

Run the command:

rpm -qf /usr/local/bin/rpmdemo

Sample output (after installing the test package):

rpmdemo-1.0-1.noarch

If the file was not installed by any RPM package:

file /usr/local/bin/rpmdemo is not owned by any package

Uninstall by package name when reverse dependencies allow it.

Run the command:

sudo rpm -e rpmdemo

Sample output on success — rpm is silent when erase succeeds.

Verify removal:

rpm -q rpmdemo

Sample output:

package rpmdemo is not installed

If erase fails with dependency errors, remove dependents first or use dnf remove on hosts where dnf manages the stack.

Audit what changed on a shared admin host — newest installs appear first.

Run the command:

rpm -qa --last | head -5

Sample output (only when the RPM database has entries):

rpmdemo-1.0-1.noarch                Wed 01 Jul 2026 03:37:39 PM IST

An empty database prints nothing — expected on Debian/Ubuntu unless you installed RPM packages locally.

Before installing a vendor RPM from the internet, confirm digests are intact.

Run the command:

rpm --checksig /tmp/rpmbuild-test/RPMS/noarch/rpmdemo-1.0-1.noarch.rpm

Sample output:

/tmp/rpmbuild-test/RPMS/noarch/rpmdemo-1.0-1.noarch.rpm: digests OK

Unsigned local builds show digests OK without a GPG signature line — that is normal for packages you built yourself.

--nodeps skips dependency checks. Use only in disposable lab VMs when you understand the risk.

Try a normal install when a dependency is missing:

sudo rpm -ivh /tmp/rpmbuild-test/RPMS/noarch/rpmdemo-1.0-1.noarch.rpm

Sample output when /bin/sh is not registered as an RPM dependency on the host:

error: Failed dependencies:
	/bin/sh is needed by rpmdemo-1.0-1.noarch

Force the install anyway:

sudo rpm -ivh --nodeps /tmp/rpmbuild-test/RPMS/noarch/rpmdemo-1.0-1.noarch.rpm

The install proceeds, but later rpm -e rpmdemo may warn about unsatisfied dependencies — remove with sudo rpm -e --nodeps rpmdemo and prefer dnf on production RPM distros.

-V compares on-disk files with the hashes and metadata RPM recorded at install time — useful after suspected tampering.

Run the command:

sudo rpm -Va 2>&1 | head -10

Sample output uses single-letter codes per file (for example S size changed, M mode changed). An empty result means every checked file still matches.

Verify one package only:

sudo rpm -V rpmdemo

No output means the package files match the database.