One Command. Every Package Source.
TinyPM v3 is powered by Parcel, a unified package resolution engine. Native support for every major distro's package manager, plus Flatpak and Snap. Licensed under GPLv3.
Just grab install <package> and let Parcel figure out the rest.
Quick Start
Install TinyPM
$ git clone https://github.com/AnimatedGTVR/TinyPM.git
$ cd TinyPM
$ chmod +x install.sh && ./install.sh
Reference
Core Commands (grab CLI)
Simple, unified interface. One command for every package backend.
grab install <package>Install a package. Parcel resolves the best source automatically.
Unified resolution across all configured backends
grab search <query>Search for packages across all backends via Parcel
Returns results ranked by availability
grab remove <package>Remove an installed package
Detects source and removes correctly
grab listList all managed packages
Shows package source (native/flatpak/snap)
grab updateUpdate all packages to latest versions
Parcel-coordinated updates across backends
grab doctorDiagnose your TinyPM and Parcel setup
--fix to auto-repair issues
Speed
Shortcut Commands
Shell aliases for lightning-fast access.
giexpands to grab install
Quick install
gsexpands to grab search
Quick search
guexpands to grab update
Quick update
grexpands to grab remove
Quick remove
Architecture
How Parcel Works
One query engine. Multiple backends. Smart resolution.
Query
User requests a package via grab
Resolve
Parcel queries all configured backends simultaneously
Match
Intelligent engine selects best source and version
Install
Single command installs from best available source
Parcel Backend
Universal Package Resolution
Parcel intelligently resolves packages across native package managers, Flatpak, and Snap.
Supported Backends
Flatpak
-fSandboxed apps from Flathub. Best for GUI applications with isolation.
Snap
-sCanonical's universal packages. Auto-updating with confinement.
Native PMs
auto10+ native package managers. Detected and used automatically by Parcel.
Native Package Managers
aptDebian/Ubuntu
dnfFedora / RHEL
pacmanArch Linux
xbpsVoid Linux
zypperopenSUSE
apkAlpine Linux
emergeGentoo
brewmacOS / Linuxbrew
nixNixOS / Nix
Extensible Provider API
The modular provider API lets developers write custom backends for any package manager. Contribute upstream or maintain your own custom provider.
Features
Intelligent Resolution Engine
Unified Query Interface
Single query hits all backends simultaneously. Parcel handles backend selection automatically.
Smart Matching
Parcel ranks results by availability, version freshness, and backend type to find the best match.
Cross-Distro Compatibility
Same command works identically on Debian, Fedora, Arch, Alpine, NixOS, and every other supported distro.
Fallback Support
If a package isn't available in the primary backend, Parcel automatically checks alternatives (Flatpak, Snap).
Package State Tracking
Full awareness of which backend installed each package. Removal and updates work correctly across any source.
Provider API
Extensible architecture lets anyone write custom backends for private repos, custom distributions, or specialized use cases.
Part of the Abora Ecosystem
TinyPM v3 with Parcel is built for the Abora ecosystem. The unified package resolution engine supports native package managers, Flatpak, and Snap across all major Linux distributions.
TinyPM is designed to be distro-agnostic. Its modular Parcel provider architecture means anyone can write a custom backend for their Linux distribution. Fork it, remix it, or contribute upstream.