pkgutil - macOS

## Overview

pkgutil is a command-line tool for managing packages on macOS. It can be used to install, upgrade, remove, and list packages, as well as view and modify package properties.

## Syntax

pkgutil [options] command [--args]

## Options/Flags

-a, –all: Show all packages, including hidden ones.
-g, –global: Operate on the global package database.
-p, –pkgroot: Specify the root directory of the package database.
-v, –verbose: Print verbose output.

## Commands

–copy: Copy a package to a different location.
–create: Create a new package.
–delete: Delete a package.
–extract: Extract the contents of a package.
–install: Install a package.
–info: Display information about a package.
–list: List all packages.
–move: Move a package to a different location.
–sign: Sign a package.
–upgrade: Upgrade a package.
–verify: Verify the signature of a package.

## Examples

List all installed packages:

pkgutil --all list

Install a package from a file:

pkgutil --install /path/to/package.pkg

Remove a package:

pkgutil --delete com.example.package

Upgrade a package:

pkgutil --upgrade com.example.package

Extract the contents of a package:

pkgutil --extract /path/to/package.pkg /path/to/extract

## Common Issues

Permission denied: Make sure you have sufficient permissions to perform the desired operation.
Package not found: Check that the package exists and is in the correct location.
Invalid syntax: Double-check that you are using the correct syntax for the command and options.

## Integration

pkgutil can be used in conjunction with other macOS commands for advanced package management tasks. For example:

find /Applications -exec pkgutil --info {} \;

This command would print information about all packages installed in the Applications folder.

## Related Commands

install_pkg – A lower-level command for installing packages.
spctl – A command for managing the System Policy Configuration.
pkgsh – A graphical user interface for managing packages.