slackpkg

Free plan Linux

What slackpkg is

slackpkg is free software for installing and maintaining Slackware Linux packages over a network. It works with .txz and .tgz packages from a user-selected mirror and supports pattern matching during installation or upgrades. The search command finds official packages containing a specified file and reports whether they are installed. Users can install, upgrade, reinstall, remove, blacklist, download, and clean packages, as well as run upgrade-all and install-new. Download-only mode saves packages in /var/cache/packages without installing them. The clean-system command removes packages outside the standard Slackware set unless blacklisted, including third-party packages. Blacklisted packages cannot be installed, upgraded, or removed through slackpkg. Installation requires selecting one mirror, and the documentation lists FTP and HTTP support. The homepage lists version 16.0.0, while downloads include stable releases and a beta directory.

Who it suits

slackpkg suits Slackware Linux users who want command-line package installation, upgrades, searches, and cleanup through a network mirror. It is intended for systems using Slackware’s package formats and repositories.

What it does well

Installs and upgrades Slackware packages over a network
Supports .txz and .tgz package formats
Searches packages for files and installation status
Download-only mode saves packages without installing
Includes blacklist, cleanup, reinstall, and upgrade commands

What to know first

Requires selecting a package mirror
Only FTP and HTTP mirrors are documented
clean-system can remove third-party packages
New features are described as unlikely

Plans

Plan	Billed and limits	Price
slackpkg	Free software; package manager for Slackware Linux	Free

As slackpkg.org lists them, read 12 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.

Verdict

slackpkg provides a broad set of package-management and maintenance commands for Slackware Linux. Its mirror requirement and cleanup behavior are important considerations before use.

Facts from slackpkg's own pages

Author: The contact page identifies Piter Punk as the main developer and project author. · slackpkg.org, 12 Oct 2026
Blacklist: Blacklisted packages cannot be installed, upgraded, or removed using slackpkg. · slackpkg.org, 12 Oct 2026
Current version: The homepage identifies 16.0.0 as the latest version. · slackpkg.org, 12 Oct 2026
Distribution scope: clean-system removes packages outside the standard Slackware package set unless they are blacklisted. · slackpkg.org, 12 Oct 2026
Download channels: The download page offers stable releases and a beta directory for development versions. · slackpkg.org, 12 Oct 2026
Download only: The download command saves packages to /var/cache/packages without installing them. · slackpkg.org, 12 Oct 2026
Free plan: Yes · slackpkg.org, 22 Sept 2026
Install and upgrade: Slackpkg downloads and installs packages, supports pattern matching, and asks for confirmation before installation. · slackpkg.org, 12 Oct 2026
Latest version: The homepage lists version 16.0.0 as the latest release. · slackpkg.org, 12 Oct 2026
License: The project describes slackpkg as free software. · slackpkg.org, 12 Oct 2026
Maintainer: The contact page names Robby Workman as current maintainer and says new features are unlikely and probably unneeded. · slackpkg.org, 12 Oct 2026
Mirror requirement: Installation requires selecting one mirror; the documentation says FTP and HTTP mirrors are supported. · slackpkg.org, 12 Oct 2026
Mirror support: Users select one mirror, and the documentation says only FTP and HTTP mirrors are supported. · slackpkg.org, 12 Oct 2026
Network packages: It installs or upgrades packages through a network, including from Slackware mirrors. · slackpkg.org, 12 Oct 2026
Package formats: .txz,.tgz · slackpkg.org, 22 Sept 2026
Package removal: The remove command removes installed packages, including packages whose names match a supplied pattern. · slackpkg.org, 12 Oct 2026
Package search: The search command finds official Slackware packages containing a specified file and shows whether they are installed. · slackpkg.org, 12 Oct 2026
Project author: The contact page names Piter Punk as main developer and project author. · slackpkg.org, 12 Oct 2026
Purpose: Slackpkg installs or upgrades Slackware Linux packages over a network from a Slackware mirror. · slackpkg.org, 12 Oct 2026
Release channels: The download page offers stable releases and a beta directory for development builds. · slackpkg.org, 12 Oct 2026
Supported platforms: Slackware Linux · slackpkg.org, 22 Sept 2026
System cleanup: The clean-system command removes packages that are not part of the standard Slackware package set, including third-party packages. · slackpkg.org, 12 Oct 2026
System maintenance: Commands include reinstall, remove, blacklist, clean-system, upgrade-all, and install-new. · slackpkg.org, 12 Oct 2026

Where slackpkg stands on Freedom251

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