Docs/Drafts/SoftwareManagementGuide/Introduction

= 1. Introduction =

1.1. Purpose
This document presents basic concepts of software management on Fedora systems. It outlines the major functions of, the recommended software management tool for Fedora, and various graphical interfaces to yum.

1.2. Audience
This document is intended for Fedora users of all levels of experience.

1.3. Using This Document
This document is a reference for managing software with Fedora. You may wish to read some or all of the sections, depending upon your needs and level of experience. If you are a new user, start with:
 * Section 2, “Software Management Concepts”
 * Managing Software With Pirut
 * Updating Software With Pup

These guides explain basic concepts of software management in Fedora, and introduce the various graphical interfaces for yum. Experienced Linux users should start with Section 4, “Managing Software with yum”.

Most of the examples in this document use the package, which is included with Fedora. The  package provides an application for remote desktop access. The example commands for Fedora package groups use the  group. To use the examples, substitute the name of the relevant package for.

Fedora includes a  configuration that is suitable for independent systems with Internet access. You may use  and related software on such systems without any additional configuration.

If your system is part of a managed network, consult your network administrators for advice. You may need to configure  to use a network proxy server. Section 11, “Using yum with a Proxy Server” explains how to configure   to use a proxy server. Administrators may also suggest or require that  clients use specific package repositories. Refer to Section 7, “Configuring Access to Software Repositories”  for instructions on how to configure access to repositories.

To improve performance and enable disconnected operations, activate the  caches on your system. Refer to Section 10, “Working with yum Caching”  for more information on the caching option.

1.4. Additional Resources
The  utility has features and options not discussed in this document. Read the  pages for   and   to learn more, using the following commands:

Other useful  resources on the Internet include:

Project Web site

http://linux.duke.edu/projects/yum/

Users mailing list

https://lists.dulug.duke.edu/mailman/listinfo/yum/

Development mailing list

https://lists.dulug.duke.edu/mailman/listinfo/yum-devel/