How to use the command `pkg_delete` (with examples)

The pkg_delete command is used in OpenBSD to remove packages. It is typically used with the pkg_add and pkg_info commands to manage packages in the OpenBSD operating system.

Use case 1: Delete a package

Code:

pkg_delete package

Motivation: The motivation for using this example is to delete a specific package that is no longer needed in the system.

Explanation: The pkg_delete command with just the package name as an argument will remove the specified package from the system.

Example output:

Deleting package: package-1.0
Done.

Use case 2: Delete a package, including its unused dependencies

Code:

pkg_delete -a package

Motivation: Sometimes when a package is removed, there might be unused dependencies left behind. This example ensures that both the package and its unused dependencies are removed.

Explanation: The -a option is used in conjunction with the package name to delete the specified package and its unused dependencies.

Example output:

Deleting package: package-1.0
Deleting dependency: dependency-1.0
Deleting dependency: dependency-2.0
Done.

Use case 3: Dry-run deletion of a package

Code:

pkg_delete -n package

Motivation: The motivation for using this example is to simulate the deletion of a package without actually removing it. This can be useful to verify the impact of the deletion before performing it.

Explanation: The -n option is used to perform a dry-run deletion of the package. This means that the package is not actually removed, but the command displays information about what would be deleted.

Example output:

Dry-run deletion of package: package-1.0
Package: package-1.0
Dependencies:
- dependency-1.0
- dependency-2.0

Conclusion:

In this article, we covered three different use cases of the pkg_delete command in OpenBSD. This command is useful for removing packages from an OpenBSD system, either individually or with their unused dependencies. Additionally, the dry-run option allows users to preview the impact of the deletion before executing it.