Teach you how to install application software in Linux

The new operating system is installed, and it is inevitable to install some new software. But in Linux, installing application software is somewhat different from Windows. And for Linux beginners, installing software is a real headache. Since many Linux applications are distributed in the form of source code, this requires users to configure and compile the source program according to the actual situation of the system and its own needs before using the software.

Most Linux beginners often don't know how to configure and compile. Below I will briefly introduce how to install Linux application software. Before installing the application software, you must also ensure the compilation environment of the software installation, such as the compiler GCC, the necessary library files, and so on. However, users do not need to worry about these issues, as most Linux distributions have GCC compilers installed by default.

There are two common forms of popular software packages, one is a smart package represented by RPM and deb package, and the other is compression in the form of file.tar.gz. This article will discuss the installation method of file.tar.gz and the installation method of the smart package in the text environment and graphical environment.

First, the source code installation

The source code of the application software is generally file.tar.gz or file.tgz format, that is, packaged with tar, and then compressed with gzip.

Take the application software xfce-3.8.7.tar.gz as an example, first enter the current directory of the software, and then use gzip to extract: #gzip -d xfce-3.8.7.tar.gz (Note:- d stands for decompression). Then use tar to unpack: #tar -xvf xfce-3.8.7.tar. Since tar and gzip are often used together, tar also provides a parameter that can be automatically decompressed by calling gzip, namely: # tar -xzvf xfce-3.8.7.tar.gz.

After entering the newly created directory after decompression is completed, the general application software has an executable file ——configure for configuring the software. It has many parameters and is very flexible in usage. Of course, the installation of different software parameters are not the same, specific parameters, you can use the command: #./configure help to get detailed help. For example, ./configure --prefix=/usr/local/mysql (meaning the installation directory of the setup software is: /usr/local/mysql)

After running the #./configure [options] configuration software, it An installation configuration file Makefile will be generated based on your current system, compilation, and installation information. The Makefile is usually used to compile and install the software. When you run the make command, the system will automatically compile and install the software according to the settings in the Makefile. If the compilation can pass successfully, run the #make install command to install it.

Second, smart package installation

Now, there are many software provided in the form of smart packages, such as RedHat Linux RPM, Debian Linux DEB, KISS, BSD and Slackware. RPM and Debian dominate the Linux package management world, and they are the first applications widely adopted by most commercial Linux distributions. Below I will introduce how to install software packaged in RPM and Deb format.

RPM is an acronym for RedHat Package Manager. It can only be used on systems with RPM software installed, but it seems that most Chinese Linux distributions currently support RPM packages.

1.Manage with commands

#rpm [options] abc.rpm

For example, when installing python-1.5.2-35.i386.rpm software, you can use the following Command: #rpm –ivh python-1.5.2-35.i386.rpm.

If you want to know the relevant information in the RPM package, you can use the command: #rpm ivh python-1.5.2-35.i386.rpm.

If you want to know which files python-1.5.2-35.i386.rpm will install on your system, you can use the following command: rpm -qpl python-1.5.2-35.i386.rpm.

Because of the many parameters of RPM, we will not list them one by one. If you want to get more information about RPM, you can use the command: #man rpm to get detailed help information.

2.Graphic interface tool management

Relative to the command mode, in the graphical environment, installing, upgrading, uninstalling and querying the RPM package is a very simple and easy thing, because Linux Several powerful RPM package management tools are available. We recommend using Linux's graphical management tools to maintain RPM packages. GnoRPM in GNOME and Kpackage in KDE are powerful RPM package management tools. Since the most common window manager in Chinese Linux distributions used by domestic users is KDE, I will use Kpack in KDE as an example to introduce how to use RPM package management tools.

Click Start → System tools → Kpackage, the Kpackage interface appears, and analyze the RPM database in the Linux system. It installs the software in the form of RPM package according to functions in several tree directories such as Amusements, Application, Development, Document, Extension, Extentions, Networking, System Environment, User Interface and X11, each directory has corresponding File icon and name. To install or upgrade the software, just click the corresponding button on the toolbar and the dialog box for opening the file will pop up. Select the RPM file to be installed and click the OK button. If the necessary runtime is not missing, the software will be installed. When uninstalling the software, use the mouse to select the corresponding software and click the Uninstall button on the right.