createrepo: Initialize an RPM repository

createrepo: Initialize an RPM repository

Overview

  • createrepo scans a directory and builds the metadata (XML and SQLite) so yum/dnf can serve packages from it.
  • Useful for local mirrors, testing, or offline installations.

Quick start

  • Basic initialization in a directory:
createrepo /path/to/directory
  • Initialize a repository while excluding certain RPMs and showing verbose logs:
createrepo -v -x test_*.rpm /path/to/directory
  • Initialize with a specific checksum algorithm (SHA1) and skip symbolic links:
createrepo -S sha1 --skip-symlinks /path/to/directory

What happens when you run it

  • createrepo reads the RPMs present in the target directory and generates metadata files under that directory (typically repodata/ with primary.xml, filelists.xml, other.xml and a sqlite backend).
  • The result is a self-contained repository that your package manager can consume.

Common pitfalls

  • Running in the wrong directory: If you point to an empty or unrelated directory, you’ll get an empty repodata/ and packages won’t be usable.
    • Tip: Run from the actual repository root and verify with ls and ls repodata/ after execution.
  • Relying on default checksums: If you need compatibility with older clients, consider explicitly choosing a checksum (e.g., -S sha1). Some newer environments default to different algorithms.
  • Not updating after changes: After adding/removing packages, re-run createrepo to refresh metadata so clients see the changes.

Tips and options at a glance

  • Basic usage uses a single path:
    • createrepo /path/to/directory
  • Exclude patterns and verbose output:
    • createrepo -v -x pattern1 -x pattern2 /path/to/directory
  • Checksum and symlink behavior:
    • createrepo -S sha1 —skip-symlinks /path/to/directory

Common workflow example

  1. Create a local repo from an existing directory with default metadata:
createrepo /var/www/html/repos/myrepo
  1. Rebuild metadata after adding new RPMs:
createrepo /var/www/html/repos/myrepo
  1. If you’re testing exclusions and verbose output:
createrepo -v -x test_*.rpm /var/www/html/repos/myrepo

Where to look for help

Summary

  • createrepo is a practical tool for turning a directory of RPMs into a usable repository with metadata.
  • Start simple, then layer in exclusions and specific checksums as your use case requires.

See Also