Unpacking an RPM

Unpacking an RPM is achieved by using the rpm2cpio and cpio commands in concert as shown below. This will unpackage the RPM into the current directory following a localised structure which would otherwise be where this package would be installed conventionally.

i.e. ./usr/bin/gmake rather than /usr/bin/gmake

The output below has been truncated to save space as indicated by *SNIP*.

[user@node004 [stanage] yumpackages]$ rpm2cpio make-3.82-24.el7.x86_64.rpm | cpio -idmv
./usr/bin/gmake
./usr/bin/make
./usr/share/doc/make-3.82
./usr/share/doc/make-3.82/AUTHORS
./usr/share/doc/make-3.82/COPYING
./usr/share/doc/make-3.82/NEWS
./usr/share/doc/make-3.82/README
*SNIP*
./usr/share/info/make.info-1.gz
./usr/share/info/make.info-2.gz
./usr/share/info/make.info.gz
./usr/share/man/man1/gmake.1.gz
./usr/share/man/man1/make.1.gz
2278 blocks