pkgtool Command: Tutorial & Examples
The Slackware package manager
To manage software in a Linux system, you need a package manager. For Slackware Linux and its
derivatives, pkgtool is an interactive software management command. The pkgtool command allows you to install,
uninstall, and manage software packages with ease.
How pkgtool works and its Importance
The pkgtool command works by reading the package metadata from a Slackware package file, which is typically a .tgz or
.txz file. This metadata includes the list of files in the package, the version of the software, and any scripts that
need to be run before or after installation or removal.
The importance of pkgtool lies in its simplification of software management. Instead of manually keeping track of
which files belong to which software, pkgtool does this for you. This can prevent file conflicts and other issues that
might occur when manually managing software.
Common Problems Solved by pkgtool
One of the typical problems solved by pkgtool is the removal of orphaned files. When a package is removed, its files
are typically left behind unless you use a package manager like pkgtool to remove them.
Another problem that pkgtool can help solve is dependency resolution. While Slackware does not have automatic
dependency resolution as some other Linux distributions do, pkgtool will still inform you of any missing dependencies
when you try to install a package.
Examples of using pkgtool
Here are some examples of how to use the pkgtool command:
Installing a package:
pkgtool --install jdk-13.0.1.txz
Uninstalling a package:
pkgtool --remove jdk
Listing installed packages:
pkgtool --list
The output of the pkgtool --list command would look something like this:
aaa_base-14.2-x86_64-2
aaa_elflibs-14.2-x86_64-23
...
Common Parameters of pkgtool
There are several command parameters that you can use with pkgtool:
--install <package>: Install a package.--remove <package>: Remove a package.--list: List installed packages.--check <package>: Check if a package is installed.
Things to Be Careful About When Using pkgtool
While pkgtool is a very useful tool, there are some things you need to be careful about when using it. One of the main
things is that Slackware does not handle dependencies automatically, so you need to make sure that all dependencies are
installed before you install a package.
Another thing to be aware of is that pkgtool does not check for updates to packages. You need to do this manually or
use a tool like slackpkg to check for updates.
Conclusion
The pkgtool command is an essential part of managing software on a Slackware Linux system. It simplifies the process
of installing, removing, and managing software, making it a must-know command for anyone using Slackware or its
derivatives. While it does have some limitations, such as the lack of automatic dependency resolution and update
checking, it is still a very powerful and useful tool.
