SUSE Linux – Zypper Command Examples

Zypper is command line interface in SuSE Linux which is used to  install, update, remove software, manage repositories, perform various queries, and lot more. In this article we will discuss different examples of zypper command .

Syntax :

# zypper [--global-opts] <command> [--command-opts] [command-arguments]

The components mentioned in brackets are not required. The simplest way to execute zypper is to type its name followed by the command.

Example:1 List the available global options & commands.

Open the Terminal , type the Zypper command and press enter , it will display all the global options and command that can be used within zypper.

linux-xa3t:~ # zypper

Examples:2 Getting help for Specific zypper Command.

Syntax : zypper help [command]

linux-xa3t:~ # zypper help remove
remove (rm) [options] <capability> ...

Remove packages with specified capabilities.
A capability is NAME[.ARCH][OP<VERSION>], where OP is one of <, <=, =, >=, >.

Command options:
-r, --repo <alias|#|URI> Load only the specified repository.
-t, --type <type> Type of package (package, patch, pattern, product).

 Default: package.
-n, --name Select packages by plain name, not by capability.
-C, --capability Select packages by capability.
--debug-solver Create solver test case for debugging.
-R, --no-force-resolution Do not force the solver to find solution,let it ask.
--force-resolution Force the solver to find a solution (even an aggressive one).
-u, --clean-deps Automatically remove unneeded dependencies.
-U, --no-clean-deps No automatic removal of unneeded dependencies.
-D, --dry-run Test the removal, do not actually remove.

Example:3 Open Zypper Shell or session

linux-xa3t:~ # zypper sh
zypper>

or

linux-xa3t:~ # zypper shell
zypper>

Example:4 Listing defined Repositories

linux-xa3t:~ # zypper repos

or

linux-xa3t:~ # zypper lr

4.1) List Repos URI in Table.

4.2) List Repos by priority

linux-xa3t:~ # zypper lr -p

Example:5 Refreshing Repositories.

linux-xa3t:~ # zypper ref
Repository 'openSUSE-13.1-Non-Oss' is up to date.
Repository 'openSUSE-13.1-Oss' is up to date.
Repository 'openSUSE-13.1-Update' is up to date.
Repository 'openSUSE-13.1-Update-Non-Oss' is up to date.
All repositories have been refreshed.

Example:6 Modifying Zypper Repositories

zypper repositories can be modified by alias, number, or URI, or by the ‘–all, –remote, –local, –medium-type’ aggregate options.

linux-xa3t:~ # zypper mr -d 6                 #disable repo #6
linux-xa3t:~ # zypper mr -rk -p 70 upd #enable autorefresh and rpm files ‘caching’ for ‘upd’ repo and set its priority to 70
linux-xa3t:~ # zypper mr -Ka               #disable rpm files caching for all repos
linux-xa3t:~ # zypper mr -kt               #enable rpm files caching for remote repos

Example:7 Adding Repository

Syntax : zypper addrepo OR zypper ar <repo url and alias >

linux-xa3t:~ # zypper ar http://download.opensuse.org/update/13.1/ update
Adding repository 'update' .............................................[done]
Repository 'update' successfully added
Enabled: Yes
Autorefresh: No
GPG check: Yes
URI: http://download.opensuse.org/update/13.1/

Example:8 Removing Repository

Syntax : zypper removerepo <Repo Name> <Alias>

OR

zypper rr <Repo Name> <Alias>

linux-xa3t:~ # zypper rr openSUSE-13.1-1.10 openSUSE-13.1-1.10
Removing repository 'openSUSE-13.1-1.10' ............................[done]
Repository 'openSUSE-13.1-1.10' has been removed.

Example:9 Installing Package

syntax : zypper install <Package-Name>  OR  zypper in <Package Name>

linux-xa3t:~ # zypper install vlc

Example:10 Removing a Package

Syntax : zypper remove <Package-Name> OR zypper rm <Package-Name>

linux-xa3t:~ # zypper remove sqlite

Example:11 Exporting & importing Repository

Syntax of Exporting Repos : zypper repos –export or zypper lr -e

linux-xa3t:~ # zypper lr --export repo-backup/back.repo
Repositories have been successfully exported to repo-backup/back.repo.

Syntax of Importing Repos :

linux-xa3t:~ # zypper ar repo-backup/back.repo

Example:12 Updating a package

Syntax : zypper update <Package-Name> OR zypper up <Package-Name>

linux-xa3t:~ # zypper update bash

Example:13 Install source Package

Syntax : zypper source-install <source-package> OR zypper si <source-package>

linux-xa3t:~ # zypper source-install zypper

Example:14 Install only Build Dependency

command in example:13 will install & build dependencies of the specified package. If you want to install source package then use, the option -D.

# zypper source-install -D package_name

To install only the build dependencies use -d.

# zypper source-install -d package_name