To complete the circle, you can query for which package provides a certain capability. This knowledge allows you to trace a requirement back to the package that provides it.

The --whatprovides option tells the rpm command to list the capabilities a package provides. Use the --whatprovides option with the –q, or query, option to the rpm command. (There is no short form for the --whatrprovides option.)

The basic syntax follows:

rpm –q --whatprovides capability

For example, to query what package provides the capability webserver, use the following command:

$ rpm -q --whatprovides webserver

httpd-2.0.40-8

In this case, the capability is identified by an arbitrary string, webserver. This is a generic name for a given capability, serving Web pages.

You can also trace individual files using the --whatprovides option. For example:

$ rpm -q --whatprovides /etc/skel/.bashrc

bash-2.05-8

Note

The rpm –qf command, covered in the last chapter, is an easier way to get to the same information when tracking which package provides a particular file. For example:

rpm -qf /etc/skel/.bashrc

bash-2.05-8

If you are querying particular files, use rpm –qf. If you are querying capabilities, use --whatprovides.