Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux (EPEL) is a package repository that provides additional packages that are not included in standard Rocky Linux / RHEL / CentOS repositories.
Fedora community maintains the EPEL repository.
This guide helps you how to enable EPEL repository on Rocky Linux 8 / CentOS 8 / RHEL 8.
Enable EPEL Repository
The EPEL repository can be enabled by installing EPEL repository configuration rpm.
Rocky Linux 8 / CentOS 8
dnf install -y epel-release
The output will look like below
Last metadata expiration check: 0:17:48 ago on Sat 26 Jun 2021 05:46:56 AM UTC. Dependencies resolved. =================================================================================================================== Package Arch Version Repository Size =================================================================================================================== Installing: epel-release noarch 8-10.el8 extras 22 k Transaction Summary =================================================================================================================== Install 1 Package Total download size: 22 k Installed size: 30 k Downloading Packages: epel-release-8-10.el8.noarch.rpm 195 kB/s | 22 kB 00:00 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total 16 kB/s | 22 kB 00:01 Running transaction check Transaction check succeeded. Running transaction test Transaction test succeeded. Running transaction Preparing : 1/1 Installing : epel-release-8-10.el8.noarch 1/1 Running scriptlet: epel-release-8-10.el8.noarch 1/1 Verifying : epel-release-8-10.el8.noarch 1/1 Installed: epel-release-8-10.el8.noarch Complete!
Additionally, enable the PowerTools repository since EPEL packages may depend on packages from it.
dnf config-manager --set-enabled PowerTools
RHEL 8
dnf install -y https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/epel/epel-release-latest-8.noarch.rpm
The output will look like below
Last metadata expiration check: 0:17:48 ago on Sat 26 Jun 2021 05:46:56 AM UTC. epel-release-latest-8.noarch.rpm 15 kB/s | 21 kB 00:01 Dependencies resolved. =================================================================================================================== Package Arch Version Repository Size =================================================================================================================== Installing: epel-release noarch 8-10.el8 @commandline 21 k Transaction Summary =================================================================================================================== Install 1 Package Total size: 21 k Installed size: 30 k Downloading Packages: Running transaction check Transaction check succeeded. Running transaction test Transaction test succeeded. Running transaction Preparing : 1/1 Installing : epel-release-8-10.el8.noarch 1/1 Running scriptlet: epel-release-8-10.el8.noarch 1/1 Verifying : epel-release-8-10.el8.noarch 1/1 Installed: epel-release-8-10.el8.noarch Complete!
Additionally, enable Code ready builder repository on RHEL 8 since EPEL packages may depend on packages from it.
ARCH=$( /bin/arch )
subscription-manager repos --enable "codeready-builder-for-rhel-8-${ARCH}-rpms"List Repositories
You can find the EPEL repository in the list.
dnf repolist
The output will look like below
repo id repo name appstream Rocky Linux 8 - AppStream baseos Rocky Linux 8 - BaseOS docker-ce-stable Docker CE Stable - x86_64 epel Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux 8 - x86_64 epel-modular Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux Modular 8 - x86_64 extras Rocky Linux 8 - Extras
List Available Packages On EPEL repository
dnf list available --disablerepo=* --enablerepo=epel
The packages list will look like below.
. . . . . . zork.x86_64 1.0.3-1.el8 epel zsh-syntax-highlighting.noarch 0.7.1-1.el8 epel zswap-cli.x86_64 0.5.0-1.el8 epel zvbi.x86_64 0.2.35-9.el8 epel zvbi-devel.x86_64 0.2.35-9.el8 epel zvbi-fonts.noarch 0.2.35-9.el8 epel
Search Packages On EPE Repository
You can use the search or list option with the dnf command to find packages.
dnf search xrdp
OR
dnf list xrdp
Output:
Available Packages
xrdp.x86_64 1:0.9.16-1.el8 epel
Install Packages from EPEL Repository
Installing a package from the EPEL repository is a straightforward one. Use the dnf command to install a package.
dnf install xrdp
Conclusion
That’s All. I hoper you have learned how to enable EPEL repository on Rocky Linux 8 / CentOS 8 / RHEL 8. Please share your feedback in the comments section.