I will not be dealing with package management frontends such as apt-get, pkg_get, smart, yast, yum, or anything where you would only have to say `foo install packagename`. Now, there is:

RPM Package Manager
duhpkg
Solaris SVR4 pkg*(1)
(no icon) Solaris11 IPS
Arch/Pacman

Never use something like `rpm -e $(rpm -qa | grep kde)` because it will remove all the packages that have kde in their name, NOT JUST the ones that begin with kde. Such careless use may remove important packages. In general, `rpm -qa | grep kde` is almost useless because you could have written `rpm -qa "*kde*"` instead.

(The list is incomplete, esp. with Solaris pkg, so if anyone knows, please notify me.)

List all packages in short form:

rpm -qa
dpkg-query -W
pkginfo
pacman -Q
apk list

List information about a package:

rpm -qi bash
dpkg -s bash
pkginfo -l SUNWbash
pacman -Qi

List information about a package (file):

rpm -qip bash.x86_64.rpm
dpkg -l bash.deb
pacman -Qpi
apk info bash

List files of a package (installed):

rpm -ql bash
dpkg -L bash
pkgchk -l SUNWbashr | grep Pathname:
pkg contents -t file,link,hardlink -o action.name,mode,pkg.size,path,target naming/ldap
pacman -Ql
apk info -L bash

List files of a package (file):

rpm -qlp bash.x86_64.rpm
dpkg -c bash.deb
pacman -Qlp

List everything (info, file list with permissions, sizes, ownership, etc.):

rpm -qilvp bash.x86_64.rpm

Package to own a file:

rpm -qf /bin/bash
dpkg -S /bin/bash
pkgchk -l -p /bin/bash
pkg search -l /usr/bin/ldapmodify
pacman -Qo
apk info -W /bin/bash

Package to own a file or provide a file or virtual object:

rpm -q --whatprovides "libc.so.6(GLIBC_2.4)"

Packages to require a file or virtual object:

rpm -q --whatrequires libm.so.6

List requirements of a package (installed):

rpm -qR bash
pacman -Qi

List requirements of a package (file):

rpm -qRp bash.x86_64.rpm
pacman -Qpi

Install one or more packages (common options):

rpm -Uhv bash.x86_64.rpm
dpkg -i bash.deb
pacman -U bash...

Remove one or more packages:

rpm -e bash
dpkg -P bash
pkgrm SUNWbashr
pacman -R bash

Build a package from specfile:

rpmbuild -ba bash.spec
[Arch Build System]

Build a package from package:

rpmbuild --rebuild -bb bash.src.rpm

Extract a package to current directory:

rpm2cpio bash.rpm | cpio -diu
dpkg -x bash.deb $PWD

Most recent installed packages:

rpm -qa --last
ls -lt /var/lib/dpkg/info/