25.12 apk vs 24.10 opkg: commands, package format and migration boundaries

One line

25.12+: apk, packages are .apk;
24.10 and older: opkg, packages are .ipk;
They are not related by renaming; do not rename .ipk to .apk;
After upgrading to 25.12, reinstall plugins from apk feeds; config can be backed up/restored.

Check which side you are on

cat /etc/openwrt_release
command -v apk
command -v opkg

This lab: 25.12.6, apk exists, opkg does not.

Comparison

Item	25.12 `apk`	24.10 `opkg`
Format	`.apk`	`.ipk`
Feed file	`/etc/apk/repositories.d/distfeeds.list`	`/etc/opkg/distfeeds.conf`
Update index	`apk update`	`opkg update`
Install	`apk add <pkg>`	`opkg install <pkg>`
Remove	`apk del <pkg>`	`opkg remove <pkg>`
Search	`apk search <term>`	`opkg list \| grep <term>`
Installed	`apk list --installed`	`opkg list-installed`
Package info	`apk info -a <pkg>`	`opkg info <pkg>`
Clean cache	`apk cache clean`	`opkg clean`

Feeds and architecture

25.12:

https://downloads.openwrt.org/releases/25.12.6/targets/x86/64/packages/packages.adb
https://downloads.openwrt.org/releases/25.12.6/packages/x86_64/base/packages.adb
https://downloads.openwrt.org/releases/25.12.6/targets/x86/64/kmods/<kernel-hash>/packages.adb

24.10:

src/gz openwrt_core https://downloads.openwrt.org/releases/24.10.8/targets/x86/64/packages
src/gz openwrt_base https://downloads.openwrt.org/releases/24.10.8/packages/x86_64/base

release, target, arch and kmod hash must match;
Mixing official/ImmortalWrt/iStoreOS feeds can break ABI/signatures/names;
A China mirror changes the host/path prefix only; do not change target/arch.

Common operations

Router shellInstall a package on 25.12

apk update
apk search -x sqm-scripts
apk add sqm-scripts
apk info -e sqm-scripts
apk list --installed | wc -l

This lab: official/TUNA both 11220 packages; sqm-scripts 1.7.2-r1 installed.

ExpectedUpdate, search, install and verify all use apk.

Router shellEquivalent on 24.10

opkg update
opkg list | grep sqm-scripts
opkg install sqm-scripts
opkg list-installed | grep sqm-scripts

These are official equivalent commands, not executed here (no 24.10 device); do not present them as measured output.

ExpectedCommands and format are opkg/ipk; do not mix apk.

When upgrading to 25.12

Back up /etc/config and the package list (see 018);
Record 24.10 opkg list-installed;
Upgrade/reflash 25.12 (see 019);
Reinstall plugins from apk feeds;
Restore config, verify LuCI/service/DNS;
Do not convert .ipk to .apk or copy old package directories.

This lab’s 25.12 sysupgrade kept config but dropped packages 239→182; SQM/OpenClash needed reinstall.

Common failures

`apk: not found`

Firmware is 24.10 or older; use opkg;
“Installing an apk package manager” is not the fix; check the release first.

`opkg: not found`

Firmware is 25.12+; use apk;
Old tutorials/scripts using opkg do not apply directly.

`.ipk` will not install

25.12 uses .apk;
Renaming does not change the format;
Find the .apk for the release/target/arch or rebuild.

404/signature/dependency errors

release/target/arch/kmod hash mismatch;
mixed feeds;
system time/certificates;
do not routinely bypass with --allow-untrusted.

main program installed without luci-app-*;
old plugin not reinstalled;
browser cache/relogin;
see 017.

E2 lab run (2026-10-20)

Environment: OpenWrt 25.12.6 x86 VM 200; apk; official/TUNA feeds.
Official/TUNA apk update: both 11220 packages; apk add sqm-scripts succeeded.
After 25.12 sysupgrade: packages 239→182; SQM/OpenClash disappeared and needed reinstall.
Not executed: 24.10 opkg update/install/list, real 24.10→25.12 migration, cross-arch packages.
Recipe: tests/recipes/apk-vs-opkg.md.

Sources and review

This is E2 partial: 25.12 apk was tested; 24.10 opkg is an official command reference, not executed here.
Do not turn a command comparison into a “migration verified”; back up and test in a VM first.
No independent reviewer; conclusions are limited to this 25.12 x86 environment.

Sources

Router.Homes

Independent OpenWrt notes. Every page states the firmware, device, package manager and way back.

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