~/package-manager-comparison

Package Manager Comparison

Compare commands across apt, yum, dnf, pacman, and apk. Toggle managers, search operations, and translate commands between distributions.

Operation	apt	yum	dnf	pacman	apk
Install / Remove
Install a package	`sudo apt install <pkg>`	`sudo yum install <pkg>`	`sudo dnf install <pkg>`	`sudo pacman -S <pkg>`	`sudo apk add <pkg>`
Remove a package	`sudo apt remove <pkg>`	`sudo yum remove <pkg>`	`sudo dnf remove <pkg>`	`sudo pacman -R <pkg>`	`sudo apk del <pkg>`
Remove with dependencies	`sudo apt autoremove <pkg>`	`sudo yum autoremove <pkg>`	`sudo dnf autoremove <pkg>`	`sudo pacman -Rns <pkg>`	`sudo apk del <pkg> && sudo apk fix`
Install from local file	`sudo dpkg -i <file.deb>`	`sudo yum localinstall <file.rpm>`	`sudo dnf install <file.rpm>`	`sudo pacman -U <file.pkg.tar.zst>`	`sudo apk add --allow-untrusted <file.apk>`
Downgrade a package	`sudo apt install <pkg>=<version>`	`sudo yum downgrade <pkg>`	`sudo dnf downgrade <pkg>`	`sudo pacman -U <older-pkg-file>`	`sudo apk add <pkg>=<version>`
Update / Upgrade
Update package list	`sudo apt update`	`sudo yum check-update`	`sudo dnf check-update`	`sudo pacman -Sy`	`sudo apk update`
Upgrade all packages	`sudo apt upgrade`	`sudo yum update`	`sudo dnf upgrade`	`sudo pacman -Syu`	`sudo apk upgrade`
List available updates	`apt list --upgradable`	`yum check-update`	`dnf check-update`	`pacman -Qu`	`apk version -l '<'`
Query / Info
Search for a package	`apt search <keyword>`	`yum search <keyword>`	`dnf search <keyword>`	`pacman -Ss <keyword>`	`apk search <keyword>`
Show package info	`apt show <pkg>`	`yum info <pkg>`	`dnf info <pkg>`	`pacman -Si <pkg>`	`apk info -a <pkg>`
List installed packages	`apt list --installed`	`yum list installed`	`dnf list installed`	`pacman -Q`	`apk list -I`
Show package dependencies	`apt depends <pkg>`	`yum deplist <pkg>`	`dnf repoquery --requires <pkg>`	`pacman -Si <pkg> \| grep Depends`	`apk info -R <pkg>`
Show which package owns a file	`dpkg -S <file>`	`yum provides <file>`	`dnf provides <file>`	`pacman -Qo <file>`	`apk info --who-owns <file>`
List files in a package	`dpkg -L <pkg>`	`rpm -ql <pkg>`	`dnf repoquery -l <pkg>`	`pacman -Ql <pkg>`	`apk info -L <pkg>`
Download package without installing	`apt download <pkg>`	`yumdownloader <pkg>`	`dnf download <pkg>`	`pacman -Sw <pkg>`	`apk fetch <pkg>`
Show package changelog	`apt changelog <pkg>`	`yum changelog <pkg>`	`dnf changelog <pkg>`	`pacman -Qc <pkg>`	`N/A`
Maintenance
Clean cache	`sudo apt clean`	`sudo yum clean all`	`sudo dnf clean all`	`sudo pacman -Sc`	`sudo apk cache clean`
Hold / pin a package version	`sudo apt-mark hold <pkg>`	`echo "exclude=<pkg>" >> /etc/yum.conf`	`sudo dnf versionlock add <pkg>`	`Edit IgnorePkg in /etc/pacman.conf`	`apk add <pkg>=<version>`
Repository
Add a repository	`sudo add-apt-repository <repo>`	`sudo yum-config-manager --add-repo <url>`	`sudo dnf config-manager --add-repo <url>`	`Edit /etc/pacman.conf`	`echo "<url>" >> /etc/apk/repositories`
Remove a repository	`sudo add-apt-repository --remove <repo>`	`sudo rm /etc/yum.repos.d/<repo>.repo`	`sudo rm /etc/yum.repos.d/<repo>.repo`	`Edit /etc/pacman.conf`	`Edit /etc/apk/repositories`
List repositories	`apt-cache policy`	`yum repolist`	`dnf repolist`	`cat /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist`	`cat /etc/apk/repositories`

Install / Remove

Install a package

aptsudo apt install <pkg>

yumsudo yum install <pkg>

dnfsudo dnf install <pkg>

pacmansudo pacman -S <pkg>

apksudo apk add <pkg>

Remove a package

aptsudo apt remove <pkg>

yumsudo yum remove <pkg>

dnfsudo dnf remove <pkg>

pacmansudo pacman -R <pkg>

apksudo apk del <pkg>

Remove with dependencies

aptsudo apt autoremove <pkg>

yumsudo yum autoremove <pkg>

dnfsudo dnf autoremove <pkg>

pacmansudo pacman -Rns <pkg>

apksudo apk del <pkg> && sudo apk fix

Install from local file

aptsudo dpkg -i <file.deb>

yumsudo yum localinstall <file.rpm>

dnfsudo dnf install <file.rpm>

pacmansudo pacman -U <file.pkg.tar.zst>

apksudo apk add --allow-untrusted <file.apk>

Downgrade a package

aptsudo apt install <pkg>=<version>

yumsudo yum downgrade <pkg>

dnfsudo dnf downgrade <pkg>

pacmansudo pacman -U <older-pkg-file>

apksudo apk add <pkg>=<version>

Update / Upgrade

Update package list

aptsudo apt update

yumsudo yum check-update

dnfsudo dnf check-update

pacmansudo pacman -Sy

apksudo apk update

Upgrade all packages

aptsudo apt upgrade

yumsudo yum update

dnfsudo dnf upgrade

pacmansudo pacman -Syu

apksudo apk upgrade

List available updates

aptapt list --upgradable

yumyum check-update

dnfdnf check-update

pacmanpacman -Qu

apkapk version -l '<'

Query / Info

Search for a package

aptapt search <keyword>

yumyum search <keyword>

dnfdnf search <keyword>

pacmanpacman -Ss <keyword>

apkapk search <keyword>

Show package info

aptapt show <pkg>

yumyum info <pkg>

dnfdnf info <pkg>

pacmanpacman -Si <pkg>

apkapk info -a <pkg>

List installed packages

aptapt list --installed

yumyum list installed

dnfdnf list installed

pacmanpacman -Q

apkapk list -I

Show package dependencies

aptapt depends <pkg>

yumyum deplist <pkg>

dnfdnf repoquery --requires <pkg>

pacmanpacman -Si <pkg> | grep Depends

apkapk info -R <pkg>

Show which package owns a file

aptdpkg -S <file>

yumyum provides <file>

dnfdnf provides <file>

pacmanpacman -Qo <file>

apkapk info --who-owns <file>

List files in a package

aptdpkg -L <pkg>

yumrpm -ql <pkg>

dnfdnf repoquery -l <pkg>

pacmanpacman -Ql <pkg>

apkapk info -L <pkg>

Download package without installing

aptapt download <pkg>

yumyumdownloader <pkg>

dnfdnf download <pkg>

pacmanpacman -Sw <pkg>

apkapk fetch <pkg>

Show package changelog

aptapt changelog <pkg>

yumyum changelog <pkg>

dnfdnf changelog <pkg>

pacmanpacman -Qc <pkg>

apkN/A

Maintenance

Clean cache

aptsudo apt clean

yumsudo yum clean all

dnfsudo dnf clean all

pacmansudo pacman -Sc

apksudo apk cache clean

Hold / pin a package version

aptsudo apt-mark hold <pkg>

yumecho "exclude=<pkg>" >> /etc/yum.conf

dnfsudo dnf versionlock add <pkg>

pacmanEdit IgnorePkg in /etc/pacman.conf

apkapk add <pkg>=<version>

Repository

Add a repository

aptsudo add-apt-repository <repo>

yumsudo yum-config-manager --add-repo <url>

dnfsudo dnf config-manager --add-repo <url>

pacmanEdit /etc/pacman.conf

apkecho "<url>" >> /etc/apk/repositories

Remove a repository

aptsudo add-apt-repository --remove <repo>

yumsudo rm /etc/yum.repos.d/<repo>.repo

dnfsudo rm /etc/yum.repos.d/<repo>.repo

pacmanEdit /etc/pacman.conf

apkEdit /etc/apk/repositories

List repositories

aptapt-cache policy

yumyum repolist

dnfdnf repolist

pacmancat /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist

apkcat /etc/apk/repositories

What Are Linux Package Managers?

Package managers handle installing, updating, and removing software on Linux. Each distribution family uses its own — apt for Debian/Ubuntu, dnf for Fedora, yum for RHEL/CentOS, pacman for Arch, and apk for Alpine.

How to Use This Tool

Select the package managers you want to compare, then search for an operation like "install" or "update." The tool shows equivalent commands side by side so you can translate between distributions instantly.

When This Comes in Handy

If you manage servers across multiple distributions or write Dockerfiles that target different base images, knowing the equivalent package manager commands saves time and prevents errors.