Chapter 5. Installing RHEL 9 content

In the following sections, learn how to install content in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 by using DNF.

5.1. Installing packages

If a software is not part of the default installation, you can manually install it. DNF automatically resolves and installs dependencies.

Prerequisites

Procedure

  • Use one of the following methods to install packages:

    • To install packages from the repositories, enter: 

      # dnf install <package_name_1> <package_name_2> ...

      If you install packages on a system that supports multiple architectures, such as i686 and x86_64, you can specify the architecture of the package by appending it to the package name: 

      # dnf install <package_name>.<architecture>

    • To install a package if you only know the path to the file the package provides but not the package name, you can use this path to install the corresponding package: 

      # dnf install <path_to_file>

    • To install a local RPM file, enter: 

      # dnf install <path_to_RPM_file>

      If the package has dependencies, specify the paths to these RPM files as well. Otherwise, DNF downloads the dependencies from the repositories or fails if they are not available in the repositories.

Additional resources

5.2. Installing package groups

Package groups bundle multiple packages, and you can use package groups to install all packages assigned to a group in a single step.

Prerequisites

Procedure

  • Install a package group: 

    # dnf group install <group_name_or_ID>

5.3. Installing modular content

For certain software, Red Hat provides modules. You can use modules to install a specific version (stream) and set of packages (profiles).

Procedure

  1. List modules that provide the package you want to install: 

    # dnf module list <module_name>

    For example, to list the details about the nodejs module, enter: 

    # dnf module list nodejs
Name     Stream   Profiles                                Summary
nodejs   18       common [d], development, minimal, s2i   Javascript runtime
nodejs   ...      common [d], development, minimal, s2i   Javascript runtime

Hint: [d]efault, [e]nabled, [x]disabled, [i]nstalled

  2. Install a module: 

    # dnf module install <module_name>:<stream>/<profile>

    If a default profile for a stream is defined, you can omit /<profile> in the command to install this default profile of the stream.

    Note

    In Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9, no default module streams are predefined. However, if you specify the stream during the module installation as shown, you do not have to manually enable the stream in advance.

    For example, to install the default profile (common) from stream 18 of the nodejs module, enter: 

    # dnf module install nodejs:18
=====================================================================================================
 Package                            Architecture   Version   Repository                          Size
=====================================================================================================
Installing group/module packages:
 nodejs                             x86_64         ...       rhel-9-for-x86_64-appstream-rpms    12 M
 npm                                x86_64         ...       rhel-9-for-x86_64-appstream-rpms   2.5 M
Installing weak dependencies:
 nodejs-docs                        noarch         ..        rhel-9-for-x86_64-appstream-rpms   7.6 M
 nodejs-full-i18n                   x86_64         ..        rhel-9-for-x86_64-appstream-rpms   8.4 M
Installing module profiles:
 nodejs/common
Enabling module streams:
 nodejs                                            18

Verification

  • Verify that the correct module stream is enabled ([e]) and the required profile was installed ([i]): 

    # dnf module list nodejs
Updating Subscription Management repositories.
Last metadata expiration check: 0:33:24 ago on Mon 24 Jul 2023 04:59:01 PM CEST.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 for x86_64 - AppStream (RPMs)
Name     Stream   Profiles                                    Summary
nodejs   18 [e]   common [d] [i], development, minimal, s2i   Javascript runtime
...

Hint: [d]efault, [e]nabled, [x]disabled, [i]nstalled

Additional resources

5.4. Defining custom default module streams and profiles

Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 does not define default streams in the AppStream repository. However, you can configure a default module stream and default module profile. In this case, you can omit this information when you install the default stream and profile of a module.

Procedure

  1. Use the dnf module list <module_name> command to display the available streams and their profiles, for example: 

    # dnf module list nodejs
Name     Stream   Profiles                                Summary
nodejs   18       common [d], development, minimal, s2i   Javascript runtime

    In this example, nodejs:18 is not set as the default stream, and the default profile in this stream is common.

  2. Create a YAML file in the /etc/dnf/modules.defaults.d/ directory to define the default stream and profile for a module.

    For example, create the /etc/dnf/modules.defaults.d/nodejs.yaml file with the following content to define 18 as the default stream and minimal as the default profile for the nodejs module: 

    document: modulemd-defaults
version: 1
data:
  module: nodejs
  stream: "18"
  profiles:
      '18': [minimal]

Verification

  • Use the dnf module list <module_name> command to verify the new default stream and profile settings, for example: 

    # dnf module list nodejs
Name     Stream   Profiles                                Summary
nodejs   18 [d]   common, development, minimal [d], s2i   Javascript runtime

Additional resources

5.5. Additional resources