# The Zypper package manager
SUSE and openSUSE GNU/Linux's package management utility and command-line interface to the ZYpp system management library (`libzypp`).
## Table of contents
1. [TL;DR](#tldr)
1. [Concepts](#concepts)
1. [Repositories](#repositories)
1. [Gotchas](#gotchas)
1. [Further readings](#further-readings)
1. [Sources](#sources)
## TL;DR
Default files:
| Path | Description |
| -------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------- |
| `${HOME}/.zypper.conf` | User configuration file for Zypper |
| `/etc/zypp/zypper.conf` | Global configuration file for Zypper |
| `/etc/zypp/zypp.conf` | Configuration file for `libzypp` |
| `/etc/zypp/locks` | Package lock definitions |
| `/etc/zypp/repos.d` | Directory containing repository definition files (`*.repo`) |
| `/etc/zypp/services.d` | Directory containing service definition files (`*.service`) |
| `/usr/lib/zypp/commands` | Directory for zypper extensions |
| `/var/cache/zypp/raw` | Cache directory for downloaded, raw package metadata |
| `/var/cache/zypp/solv` | Cache directory for pre-parsed package metadata (`*.solv`) |
| `/var/cache/zypp/RPMS` | Cache directory for downloaded packages |
| `/var/cache/zypp/packages` | Cache directory for installed packages |
| `/var/log/zypper.log` | Zypper's log file |
| `/var/log/zypp/history` | Installation history log file |
Command examples:
```sh
# Update the package cache.
zypper refresh
zypper ref 'updates'
# Search for resolvables.
zypper search 'nmap'
zypper se 'mariadb'
# Display detailed information about resolvables.
zypper info 'workrave'
zypper if -t 'patch' 'libzypp'
zypper if -t 'pattern' 'lamp_server'
# Install resolvables.
zypper install 'parallel'
zypper in --no-confirm 'https://prerelease.keybase.io/keybase_amd64.rpm'
zypper in --no-recommends 'gv' 'virtualbox-ose=2.0.6' '/root/ansible.rpm'
# Install resolvables from source.
# The source packages *must* be available in the repositories one is using.
zypper source-install -d 'dbus-1'
zypper si 'dolphin-plugins'
# Check the dependencies of *installed* packages are satisfied.
zypper verify 'git-lfs'
zypper ve 'virtualbox'
# Uninstall resolvables.
zypper remove 'code'
zypper rm 'zfs'
zypper in '!Firefox' '-htop'
# List available updates.
# By default, it shows only *installable* ones.
zypper list-updates
zypper lu --all
# Update installed packages.
zypper update
zypper up 'vivaldi-stable'
# List available patches.
# By default, it shows only *applicable* ones.
zypper list-patches
zypper lp --all
# Check whether there are applicable patches.
zypper patch-check
zypper pchk --with-optional
# Apply patches.
zypper patch
# Perform a distribution upgrade.
zypper dist-upgrade
zypper dup --details --from 'factory' --from 'packman'
# List currently defined repositories.
zypper repos
zypper rl -d --sort-by-priority
# Add repositories.
zypper addrepo --check --refresh --priority '90' \
'https://repo.vivaldi.com/archive/vivaldi-suse.repo' 'vivaldi'
zypper ar -cf -p '89' …
# Remove repositories.
zypper removerepo 'mozilla'
zypper rr '3'
# Rename repositories.
zypper renamerepo 'firefox' 'mozilla'
zypper nr '5' 'packman'
# Modify repositories.
zypper modifyrepo -er 'updates'
zypper mr -da
# Clean caches.
zypper clean --metadata
zypper clean --all 'packman'
# Execute without user confirmation (non-interactively).
zypper --non-interactive …
# Clean up installed kernel packages.
zypper purge-kernels --dry-run
```
## Concepts
The set of packages installed on a system is denoted as the _@System_ repository or _System Packages_.
In contrast to normal repositories, @System provides packages that can only be deleted.
Installed packages which do not belong to any available repository are denoted as _unwanted_, _orphaned_ or _dropped_.
One can specify the location of packages or repositories using any type of URI supported by `libzypp` (e.g. local paths, ftp/https/other URI).
In addition, Zypper accepts openSUSE Build Service repositories in the `addrepo` command in the form of `obs://project/platform` URI.
Resource objects are called _resolvables_.
They might be **packages**, **patches**, **patterns**, **products**, or basically any kind of object with dependencies to other objects managed by `libzypp`.
If one does not request specific versions of resolvables during an action, Zypper's dependency solver will pick a _reasonable_ one automatically.
### Repositories
The **lower** the number given to their `priority` setting, the **higher** the precedence of that repository.
This means that a repository with priority 90 will have precedence on repositories with the default priority of 99.
[Default (distribution) repositories][package repositories], [additional repositories][additional package repositories].
Repositories of interest:
| Name | URL | Description |
| ------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Packman (all) |
| The largest external repository of openSUSE packages |
| Mozilla |
| Bleeding edge versions of Firefox, Thunderbird and all things Mozilla |
| Vivaldi | | A browser adapting to you, not the other way around. |
## Gotchas
Global options **must** be specified **before** the command name.
Command-specific options **must** be specified **after** the command name.
Zypper does not have for now a way to list **the content** of an **installed** package. Use [rpm] for this:
```sh
sudo rpm --query --list 'parallel'
```
## Further readings
- [rpm]
- [How can I list all files which have been installed by an ZYpp/Zypper package?]
## Sources
All the references in the [further readings] section, plus the following:
- [Package repositories]
- [Additional package repositories]
[additional package repositories]: https://en.opensuse.org/Additional_package_repositories
[package repositories]: https://en.opensuse.org/Package_repositories
[further readings]: #further-readings
[rpm]: rpm.md
[how can i list all files which have been installed by an zypp/zypper package?]: https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/162092/how-can-i-list-all-files-which-have-been-installed-by-an-zypp-zypper-package#239944