# AlmaLinux Package Management for BigBoy

**Reference for dnf/rpm operations on AlmaLinux 10.2 (RHEL-compatible)**

---

## dnf Basics

**Update package lists and system:**
```bash
sudo dnf update                    # Update all installed packages
sudo dnf upgrade                   # Same as update (dnf alias)
sudo dnf check-update              # Check for available updates without installing
```

**Search and install:**
```bash
sudo dnf search <package>          # Search for a package
sudo dnf info <package>            # Show package details
sudo dnf install <package>         # Install a package
sudo dnf install -y <package>      # Install without confirmation prompt
```

**Remove packages:**
```bash
sudo dnf remove <package>          # Remove a package
sudo dnf autoremove                # Remove unused dependencies
```

**List installed packages:**
```bash
dnf list installed                 # All installed packages
dnf list installed | grep <name>   # Search installed packages
```

**Repository management:**
```bash
sudo dnf config-manager --enable <repo>   # Enable a repository
sudo dnf config-manager --disable <repo>  # Disable a repository
dnf repolist                               # List all enabled repos
```

---

## Common Packages for BigBoy

**Build essentials (for compiling NVIDIA driver):**
```bash
sudo dnf groupinstall "Development Tools"
sudo dnf install kernel-headers kernel-devel gcc make
```

**Utilities:**
```bash
sudo dnf install vim git htop tmux curl wget
sudo dnf install btrfs-progs smartmontools
```

**Network/firewall:**
```bash
sudo dnf install firewalld           # Firewall daemon
sudo dnf install bind-utils          # dig, nslookup for DNS testing
```

---

## rpm Direct Operations

**Query installed packages:**
```bash
rpm -qa | grep <package>            # List all matching installed packages
rpm -qi <package>                   # Show detailed info on an installed package
rpm -ql <package>                   # List files in an installed package
```

**Install from .rpm file:**
```bash
sudo dnf install ./package-file.rpm # Install local .rpm using dnf
sudo rpm -ivh ./package-file.rpm    # Install using rpm directly (older method)
```

---

## Key Differences from Debian

| Task | Debian/Ubuntu | AlmaLinux/RHEL |
|------|---|---|
| Update system | `apt update && apt upgrade` | `dnf update` |
| Install package | `apt install <pkg>` | `dnf install <pkg>` |
| Search package | `apt-cache search <pkg>` | `dnf search <pkg>` |
| Remove package | `apt remove <pkg>` | `dnf remove <pkg>` |
| Build tools | `build-essential` | `Development Tools` group |
| Kernel headers | `linux-headers-generic` | `kernel-headers` + `kernel-devel` |
| Clean cache | `apt clean` | `dnf clean all` |

---

## Troubleshooting

**dnf is slow:**
- First run may cache metadata. Subsequent runs are faster.
- Check `/var/cache/dnf/` for stale cache: `sudo dnf clean all` then retry.

**Broken dependencies:**
```bash
sudo dnf check              # Check for dependency issues
sudo dnf distro-sync        # Resolve dependency conflicts
```

**Downgrade a package:**
```bash
sudo dnf downgrade <package>
```

---

## For BigBoy Specifically

**One-time setup after fresh AlmaLinux install:**
```bash
sudo dnf update -y                                    # Update all packages
sudo dnf groupinstall -y "Development Tools"         # Build essentials
sudo dnf install -y kernel-headers kernel-devel      # Kernel dev for NVIDIA driver
sudo dnf install -y vim git htop curl wget           # Utilities
sudo dnf install -y firewalld                        # Firewall
```

Then proceed to NVIDIA driver installation (see `alma-nvidia-driver.md`).