opkg
What opkg is
opkg is a free, lightweight package manager for software on embedded OpenWrt devices. It manages packages in the root filesystem, including kernel modules and drivers, and handles .ipk and .deb formats. On OpenWrt 24.10 and older, commands can update package lists, install packages, configure unpacked packages, and remove software. Packages may come from configured repositories, a URL, or a local file, and offline installation is supported. opkg attempts dependency resolution through configured repositories and aborts an installation when dependencies cannot be resolved. OpenWrt users can work from the command line, typically over SSH, or through LuCI’s web interface. The environment targets limited resources, so opkg does not provide built-in ABI compatibility or kernel-version dependency verification. Development snapshots can have package and kernel mismatches that block installation or upgrades, and documentation warns that bulk upgrades can cause compatibility problems. opkg ended development; OpenWrt 25.12 and newer uses apk instead. The package listing identifies GPL-2.0 licensing and architectures including aarch64, ARM, MIPS, PowerPC, and x86_64.
Who it suits
It suits administrators of OpenWrt 24.10 and older systems who need command-line or LuCI package management. It is intended for embedded devices with limited resources.
What it does well
- Supports .ipk and .deb packages
- Installs from repositories, URLs, or local files
- Offers offline installation
- Resolves dependencies from configured repositories
- Works through SSH or LuCI
What to know first
- OpenWrt 25.12 and newer uses apk
- No built-in ABI compatibility verification
- Development snapshots may have version mismatches
- Bulk upgrades can cause compatibility problems
Verdict
opkg remains the package manager for OpenWrt 24.10 and older, with repository, URL, local-file, and offline installation paths. Check the OpenWrt release and upgrade cautions before using it on a device.
Facts from opkg's own pages
- Command line
- On OpenWrt 24.10 and older, packages can be managed from the command line with opkg. · openwrt.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Dependencies
- It can recursively follow dependencies and download the packages needed to install a selected package. · openwrt.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Dependency resolution
- Yes · github.com, 21 Sept 2026
- Development status
- OpenWrt documentation says opkg ended development and was replaced by apk in OpenWrt 25.12 and newer. · openwrt.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Free plan
- Yes · github.com, 21 Sept 2026
- Intended environment
- OpenWrt is optimized for systems with limited resources, and its package manager does not provide built-in ABI compatibility and kernel version dependency verification. · openwrt.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Offline installation
- Yes · github.com, 21 Sept 2026
- OpenWrt access
- OpenWrt package management is available through LuCI's web interface or the command line, typically over SSH. · openwrt.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Package architecture
- The listing includes architectures such as aarch64, ARM, MIPS, PowerPC, and x86_64. · openwrt.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Package formats
- The package page says opkg can install both .ipk and .deb packages. · openwrt.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Package license
- The package listing identifies opkg's license as GPL-2.0. · openwrt.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Package operations
- Its commands include updating package lists, installing packages, configuring unpacked packages, and removing packages. · openwrt.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Package scope
- It manages packages for the root filesystem, including kernel modules and drivers. · openwrt.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Package size
- The listing for OpenWrt 22.03.0 reports an installed size of 71 kB and a file size of 72 kB. · openwrt.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Package sources
- Packages can be installed from configured repositories, a URL, or a local package file. · openwrt.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- opkg is a lightweight package management system for installing and removing packages. · openwrt.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Supported platforms
- OpenWrt embedded Linux; OpenWrt 24.10 and older · github.com, 21 Sept 2026
- Supported releases
- OpenWrt 25.12 and newer uses apk instead of opkg. · openwrt.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Upgrade caution
- OpenWrt documentation warns that bulk package upgrades can cause compatibility problems and recommends avoiding them in almost all circumstances. · openwrt.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Upgrade limitation
- Development snapshots may have package and kernel version mismatches that prevent package installation or upgrades. · openwrt.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Version support
- OpenWrt 24.10 and older uses opkg; OpenWrt 25.12 and newer uses apk. · openwrt.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Web interface
- OpenWrt packages can also be searched, installed, and removed through the LuCI web interface. · openwrt.org, 11 Oct 2026
Where opkg stands on Freedom251
- Package Managers#86 of 93