How does cleaning package cache work internally in Linux?

Cleaning package cache in Linux is an important maintenance task that helps to reclaim disk space by removing unnecessary cached files associated with installed packages. Various package managers handle cached files differently.

For instance, in Debian-based systems (like Ubuntu), the apt-get command can be used to clean up the package cache. It does this by removing packages that were downloaded but are no longer needed, as well as cleaning the archives of .deb files. The command apt-get clean removes all downloaded package files, while apt-get autoclean only removes obsolete packages that can no longer be downloaded.

In Red Hat-based systems (like CentOS), the yum command provides a similar function with the yum clean all command, which clears all cached files related to packages.

This cache management is crucial because, over time, the accumulation of package files can consume significant disk space and potentially lead to issues with package management and system performance.