How to use the command 'pkginfo' on a CRUX System (with examples)

The pkginfo command is an integral part of managing packages on a CRUX system. It allows users to query the package database to extract valuable information regarding installed packages, their contents, and dependencies. By leveraging this command, users can efficiently manage their software installations, ensuring that they have detailed insights into the packages running on their systems.

Use case 1: List installed packages and their versions

Code:

pkginfo -i

Motivation:

Listing all installed packages and their versions is a fundamental task for system administrators who need to keep track of software versions for maintenance, security audits, or compatibility checks. Knowing what is installed and their respective versions can also help when planning to upgrade, troubleshoot, or migrate systems.

Explanation:

• pkginfo: Invokes the command to query the package database.
• -i: Stands for “installed,” instructing pkginfo to list all packages that are currently installed on the system along with their version information.

Example Output:

gcc 9.3.0
nginx 1.18.0
python 3.8.5

Use case 2: List files owned by a package

Code:

pkginfo -l nginx

Motivation:

Knowing which files are part of a package is crucial, especially when you want to determine which configurations, executables, or libraries belong to a specific software. This command can verify whether traces of uninstalled packages are still present on the system or ensure clean installations by checking file integrity.

Explanation:

• pkginfo: Invokes the command to query the package database.
• -l: Stands for “list files,” directing pkginfo to output all files that belong to the specified package.
• nginx: The name of the package whose files you wish to list. In this example, we want to know all the files associated with the ’nginx’ package.

Example Output:

/usr/bin/nginx
/etc/nginx/nginx.conf
/var/log/nginx/error.log

Use case 3: List the owner(s) of files matching a pattern

Code:

pkginfo -o '*.conf'

Motivation:

System administrators often need to determine which package owns a specific configuration file, especially when editing, troubleshooting, or documenting system configurations. By matching filename patterns, you can quickly find related packages and understand file dependencies.

Explanation:

• pkginfo: Invokes the command to query the package database.
• -o: Stands for “owner,” prompting pkginfo to list the packages which own files matching the pattern.
• '*.conf': A pattern using wildcard matching to find all configuration files with a .conf extension. The asterisk (*) is a common wildcard that represents any sequence of characters.

Example Output:

nginx /etc/nginx/nginx.conf
apache /etc/httpd/httpd.conf

Use case 4: Print the footprint of a file

Code:

pkginfo -f /usr/bin/python

Motivation:

Printing the footprint of a file can provide detailed metadata that helps verify its integrity against the package database. This is particularly important for diagnostics, ensuring that critical files like binaries have not been corrupted or improperly modified, usually for security audits or debugging.

Explanation:

• pkginfo: Invokes the command to query the package database.
• -f: Stands for “footprint,” instructing pkginfo to print detailed information about the specified file.
• /usr/bin/python: The specific file for which the footprint will be printed, in this case, the Python binary.

Example Output:

/usr/bin/python
  size: 123456 bytes
  md5sum: 9fd3e98ca34e4f3fda5f3d5bf67b
  owner: python3

Conclusion:

The pkginfo command offers a versatile set of functionalities that assist system administrators and users in managing their CRUX systems efficiently. Whether tracking installed packages, inspecting package contents, identifying file ownership, or verifying file integrity, pkginfo equips users with the necessary tools to maintain a robust and well-documented software environment. Understanding how to utilize its options effectively can enhance system management and operational security.