RPM (Red Hat package)
Also known as: rpm file, red hat package, rpm package manager
An RPM is the software package format used by Red Hat, Fedora, and related Linux distributions. It bundles a program’s files along with version data, dependency information, and install scripts, managed by tools like dnf or rpm.
- Package format for Red Hat and Fedora
- Carries files, dependencies, and install scripts
- Installed with dnf or the rpm command
What an RPM holds
An `.rpm` package contains the program’s files plus a header describing the package name, version, the dependencies it requires, and scripts to run during installation. The system keeps a database of installed RPMs so it can track and remove them cleanly.
That dependency data lets a package manager work out everything a program needs and install it in one step, instead of leaving you to track down libraries by hand.
How RPMs are installed
On Fedora and Red Hat-based systems, software is usually installed with dnf, which fetches RPMs from repositories and resolves dependencies. A single file can also be installed directly with the low-level rpm command.
RPM plays the same role on Red Hat-family systems that DEB plays on Debian and Ubuntu; packages from one format do not install on the other.