Backing Up Fedora Packages

Mon, Jun 26, 2023
2-minute read

If you’re running a Fedora system, it’s wise to maintain backups of your installed packages. This makes system restoration much smoother in case of unforeseen hiccups. Below is a quick guide on how to achieve this.

Backing up

Backup using dnf:

Command: dnf list --installed > $HOME/dnf-installed.txt
Note: dnf lacks a feature to filter dependencies automatically, so you’d have to sift through the dnf-installed.txt file to retain only necessary packages.

Backup using Flatpak:

Command: flatpak list > $HOME/flatpak-installed.txt

Store Your Backup List on a Private Gist

For those who might be hearing this term for the first time Gists are a neat feature provided by GitHub. They come in handy for storing code snippets, notes, and in our case, backup lists. Here’s how to push your backup to a private Gist:

SSH Setup:
- Ensure you have an SSH key associated with your GitHub account. If not, follow GitHub’s official guide.
Use GitHub’s CLI tool:
- Command for dnf:
```
cat $HOME/dnf-installed.txt | gh gist create -d "My dnf packages" -f dnf-installed.txt -p -
```
- Adjust the command for Flatpak, replacing filenames where necessary.
Private Gist:
- Gists are public by default. Use the --private or -p flag to ensure privacy.
- Once your backup is pushed, gh provides a URL to your Gist. Bookmark or save it!

Restoring Your Packages

Here’s how you can restore packages using the lists you’ve backed up:

Restore dnf packages:

Extract package names, omitting version numbers.
Use sed to extract names, then xargs to install via dnf.

Sample script:

#!/bin/bash
sed -E 's/([a-zA-Z\-]+).*/\1/' dnf-installed.txt | xargs sudo dnf install

This script avoids using -y to let users verify the installation list.

Restore Flatpak apps:

The following script reads from stdin, ensures Flatpak and its repositories are set up, and then installs apps:

#!/bin/bash
# Ensure Flatpak installation
if ! command -v flatpak &>/dev/null; then
    echo "Flatpak not found. Installing Flatpak..."
    sudo dnf install flatpak
fi
# Add Flathub repository
flatpak remote-add --user --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo
# Install apps from stdin
while IFS=$'\t' read -r app_name app_id app_version app_channel app_origin; do
    echo "Installing $app_name..."
    flatpak install --user flathub "$app_id" -y
done
echo "All apps installed successfully!"

To use the above script:

cat flatpak-list.txt | ./install_apps.sh

Wrap Up

Maintaining and restoring Fedora packages is straightforward once you’re equipped with the right commands and scripts. The method described ensures a seamless backup on GitHub Gists and a hassle-free restoration process. Always remember to review your backups periodically to keep them current and relevant.

Stay safe, and keep your data backed up!

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