pkgdelta

Create deltas between package versions

SYNOPSIS

pkgdelta [options] old.rpm new.rpm delta.rpm

old.rpm
    The original RPM package.

new.rpm
    The updated RPM package.

delta.rpm
    The name of the output delta RPM package to be created.

-s, --nosource
    Do not include source package changes (if applicable).

-d, --nodeps
    Skip dependency checking.

-v, --verbose
    Be verbose.

-h, --help
    Display help message.

-V, --version
    Display program version.

DESCRIPTION

pkgdelta is a command-line tool used for creating and applying binary diffs, also known as deltas, between RPM packages. These deltas are significantly smaller than the full RPM package and are therefore useful for saving bandwidth and reducing download times during software updates.

The command is used to generate a delta package from two RPM packages. This delta contains only the differences between the two packages. These delta packages can then be applied to an older version of the package to upgrade it to the newer version. This reduces network traffic when upgrading packages in a Linux environment and reduces storage space required.

pkgdelta supports various diff algorithms and options for optimizing delta generation. The resulting delta packages are typically smaller than the full RPM packages, especially for incremental updates. Applying deltas is also usually faster than downloading and installing a completely new RPM package. However, delta creation and application requires significantly more CPU resources than traditional package downloads and installations.

CAVEATS

Creating and applying deltas can be resource intensive, especially on older hardware. Compatibility issues may arise if there are significant changes in the package structure between the old and new RPMs.

USE CASES

pkgdelta is commonly used in package management systems like yum and dnf to optimize updates by downloading only the necessary changes to packages instead of the entire package. This reduces bandwidth consumption and speeds up update processes.

It can also be useful in environments with limited bandwidth or storage space.