Module Streams

RHEL 8.0 introduces the concept of Application Streams. Multiple versions of user-space components shipped with the distribution are available. They may be updated more frequently than the core operating system packages.

Modularity allows a single repository to host multiple versions of an application's package and its dependencies.

Content distributed through two main software repositories: BaseOS and Application Stream (AppStream).

A module is a set of RPM packages that are a consistent set that belongs together, organized around a specific version of a software application or programming language.

dnf module list

Install a module.

dnf module install nodejs

Switching module streams generally requires upgrading or downgrading different version. Remove the modules provided by the module stream first, which removes all the packages installed by the profiles of the module.

dnf module remove nodejs
dnf module disable nodejs
dnf module install nodejs:12
dnf module list nodejs

Summary

RHEL 8 uses Application Streams to provide a single repository to host multiple versions of an application's packages and its dependencies.

Command References:

dnf module or yum module.