Fetch RPMs from configured repositories without installing them, useful for offline systems and audits. 16.11.2025 | reading time: 2 min Want the RPM files instead of installing them? Use `yumdownloader` from the `yum-utils` package to fetch RPMs straight from your enabled repositories so files can be inspected, archived or moved to an air-gapped host. Grab a package and its dependencies Try a real download: run `yumdownloader --resolve --destdir=/tmp htop` and you will see `Downloading Packages` messages and the tool will save files like `/tmp/htop-<version>.rpm` plus the dependent `*.rpm` files in that directory, ready for transfer. Options that matter in daily work `--resolve` pulls dependencies, `--destdir` sets the target folder, `--source` downloads SRPMs and `--urls` prints repository URLs without saving files; enable or disable repos with `--enablerepo` and `--disablerepo` to control sources. When yumdownloader meets modern systems On newer distributions `dnf download` (from `dnf-plugins-core`) is the modern counterpart and `repoquery` helps locate package names or file lists; install `yum-utils` to get `yumdownloader` on yum-based systems and prefer `dnf` tooling where available. Practical tips for offline workflows Collect packages into a directory, verify signatures with `rpm --checksig` after transfer and use `createrepo` to build a local repository from the downloaded RPMs so `yum` or `dnf` on the offline host can install from it. Keep exploring Mastering package retrieval is a small but powerful skill in system administration; learn the adjacent tools, practice on test systems and consider formalizing knowledge with a certificate like CompTIA Linux+ or LPIC-1 using intensive exam prep at bitsandbytes.academy to accelerate progress. Join Bits & Bytes Academy First class LINUX exam preparation. utilities network infrastructure scripting
