diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/aws-ofi-rccl/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/aws-ofi-rccl/package.py
index e46601f1195..7d26f58680d 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/aws-ofi-rccl/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/aws-ofi-rccl/package.py
@@ -37,13 +37,11 @@ class AwsOfiRccl(AutotoolsPackage):
 
     # To enable this plug-in to work with RCCL add it to the LD_LIBRARY_PATH
     def setup_run_environment(self, env):
-        aws_ofi_rccl_home = self.spec["aws-ofi-rccl"].prefix
-        env.prepend_path("LD_LIBRARY_PATH", aws_ofi_rccl_home.lib)
+        env.prepend_path("LD_LIBRARY_PATH", self.prefix.lib)
 
     # To enable this plug-in to work with RCCL add it to the LD_LIBRARY_PATH
     def setup_dependent_run_environment(self, env, dependent_spec):
-        aws_ofi_rccl_home = self.spec["aws-ofi-rccl"].prefix
-        env.prepend_path("LD_LIBRARY_PATH", aws_ofi_rccl_home.lib)
+        env.prepend_path("LD_LIBRARY_PATH", self.prefix.lib)
 
     def configure_args(self):
         spec = self.spec
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/diy/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/diy/package.py
index 07fda881fcc..5a7d3872d90 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/diy/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/diy/package.py
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ def test_smoke_test(self):
             cmake(
                 self.prefix.share.DIY.examples.smoke_test,
                 f"-DMPI_HOME={spec['mpi'].prefix}",
-                f"-DCMAKE_PREFIX_PATH={spec['diy'].prefix}",
+                f"-DCMAKE_PREFIX_PATH={self.prefix}",
             )
             cmake("--build", ".")
             ctest("--verbose")
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/dust/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/dust/package.py
index 89f169d7f0b..b802fbc45ac 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/dust/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/dust/package.py
@@ -28,10 +28,8 @@ def install(self, spec, prefix):
 
     @run_after("install")
     def check_install(self):
-        print("Attempt to call 'dust' with '--version'")
-        dust = Executable(join_path(self.spec["dust"].prefix.bin, "dust"))
+        dust = Executable(join_path(self.prefix.bin, "dust"))
         output = dust("--version", output=str.split)
-        print("stdout received fromm dust is '{}".format(output))
         assert "Dust " in output
 
     def test_run(self):
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/freeipmi/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/freeipmi/package.py
index b8b3f9350e6..7e06cd54c5d 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/freeipmi/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/freeipmi/package.py
@@ -35,13 +35,8 @@ class Freeipmi(AutotoolsPackage):
     def configure_args(self):
         # FIXME: If root checking of root installation is added fix this:
         # Discussed in issue  #4432
-        tty.warn(
-            "Requires 'root' for bmc-watchdog.service installation to" " /lib/systemd/system/ !"
-        )
-
-        args = [
-            "--prefix={0}".format(prefix),
-            "--with-systemdsystemunitdir=" + self.spec["freeipmi"].prefix.lib.systemd.system,
+        tty.warn("Requires 'root' for bmc-watchdog.service installation to /lib/systemd/system/")
+        return [
+            f"--prefix={self.prefix}",
+            f"--with-systemdsystemunitdir={self.prefix.lib.systemd.system}",
         ]
-
-        return args
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/kmod/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/kmod/package.py
index acbca655c5f..af672baac53 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/kmod/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/kmod/package.py
@@ -34,9 +34,5 @@ def autoreconf(self, spec, prefix):
         bash("autogen.sh")
 
     def configure_args(self):
-        args = [
-            "--disable-manpages",
-            "--with-bashcompletiondir="
-            + join_path(self.spec["kmod"].prefix, "share", "bash-completion", "completions"),
-        ]
-        return args
+        completions = join_path(self.prefix, "share", "bash-completion", "completions")
+        return ["--disable-manpages", f"--with-bashcompletiondir={completions}"]
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/lxc/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/lxc/package.py
index 912bfcdefbf..fdcb96a6ab5 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/lxc/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/lxc/package.py
@@ -36,8 +36,4 @@ class Lxc(AutotoolsPackage):
     depends_on("m4", type="build")
 
     def configure_args(self):
-        args = [
-            "bashcompdir="
-            + join_path(self.spec["lxc"].prefix, "share", "bash-completion", "completions")
-        ]
-        return args
+        return [f"bashcompdir={join_path(self.prefix, 'share', 'bash-completion', 'completions')}"]
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/openspeedshop-utils/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/openspeedshop-utils/package.py
index f82fa5c9c21..46562aa6cfe 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/openspeedshop-utils/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/openspeedshop-utils/package.py
@@ -291,10 +291,7 @@ def setup_run_environment(self, env):
 
         # Find openspeedshop library path
         oss_libdir = find_libraries(
-            "libopenss-framework",
-            root=self.spec["openspeedshop-utils"].prefix,
-            shared=True,
-            recursive=True,
+            "libopenss-framework", root=self.prefix, shared=True, recursive=True
         )
         env.prepend_path("LD_LIBRARY_PATH", os.path.dirname(oss_libdir.joined()))
 
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/ophidia-analytics-framework/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/ophidia-analytics-framework/package.py
index 4e2f010fe91..57f5a106f01 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/ophidia-analytics-framework/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/ophidia-analytics-framework/package.py
@@ -42,10 +42,8 @@ def autoreconf(self, spec, prefix):
     def configure_args(self):
         args = [
             "--enable-parallel-netcdf",
-            "--with-web-server-path={0}/html".format(
-                self.spec["ophidia-analytics-framework"].prefix
-            ),
+            f"--with-web-server-path={self.prefix}/html",
             "--with-web-server-url=http://127.0.0.1/ophidia",
-            "--with-ophidiaio-server-path={0}".format(self.spec["ophidia-io-server"].prefix),
+            f"--with-ophidiaio-server-path={self.spec['ophidia-io-server'].prefix}",
         ]
         return args
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/paraview/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/paraview/package.py
index 12b731409f9..4790f8dfe33 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/paraview/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/paraview/package.py
@@ -748,19 +748,15 @@ def use_x11():
 
     def test_smoke_test(self):
         """Simple smoke test for ParaView"""
-        spec = self.spec
-
-        pvserver = Executable(spec["paraview"].prefix.bin.pvserver)
+        pvserver = Executable(self.prefix.bin.pvserver)
         pvserver("--help")
 
     def test_pvpython(self):
         """Test pvpython"""
-        spec = self.spec
-
-        if "~python" in spec:
+        if "~python" in self.spec:
             raise SkipTest("Package must be installed with +python")
 
-        pvpython = Executable(spec["paraview"].prefix.bin.pvpython)
+        pvpython = Executable(self.prefix.bin.pvpython)
         pvpython("-c", "import paraview")
 
     def test_mpi_ensemble(self):
@@ -771,8 +767,8 @@ def test_mpi_ensemble(self):
             raise SkipTest("Package must be installed with +mpi and +python")
 
         mpirun = spec["mpi"].prefix.bin.mpirun
-        pvserver = spec["paraview"].prefix.bin.pvserver
-        pvpython = Executable(spec["paraview"].prefix.bin.pvpython)
+        pvserver = self.prefix.bin.pvserver
+        pvpython = Executable(self.prefix.bin.pvpython)
 
         with working_dir("smoke_test_build", create=True):
             with Popen(
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/pocl/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/pocl/package.py
index 1f3b0a3bc58..da304a492ea 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/pocl/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/pocl/package.py
@@ -121,8 +121,7 @@ def check_install(self):
         with working_dir(checkdir, create=True):
             source = join_path(os.path.dirname(self.module.__file__), "example1.c")
             cflags = spec["pocl"].headers.cpp_flags.split()
-            # ldflags = spec["pocl"].libs.ld_flags.split()
-            ldflags = ["-L%s" % spec["pocl"].prefix.lib, "-lOpenCL", "-lpoclu"]
+            ldflags = [f"-L{self.prefix.lib}", "-lOpenCL", "-lpoclu"]
             output = compile_c_and_execute(source, cflags, ldflags)
             compare_output_file(
                 output, join_path(os.path.dirname(self.module.__file__), "example1.out")
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/rocm-clang-ocl/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/rocm-clang-ocl/package.py
index 0014483235e..5e41a98168a 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/rocm-clang-ocl/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/rocm-clang-ocl/package.py
@@ -89,6 +89,6 @@ def test_make(self):
         test_dir = join_path(self.test_suite.current_test_cache_dir, self.test_src_dir)
         with working_dir(test_dir):
             cmake = self.spec["cmake"].command
-            cmake("-DCMAKE_PREFIX_PATH=" + self.spec["rocm-clang-ocl"].prefix, ".")
+            cmake(f"-DCMAKE_PREFIX_PATH={self.prefix}", ".")
             make = which("make")
             make()
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/rocm-cmake/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/rocm-cmake/package.py
index 05cff118b27..701535a103f 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/rocm-cmake/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/rocm-cmake/package.py
@@ -80,9 +80,8 @@ def test_cmake(self):
         """Test cmake"""
         test_dir = join_path(self.test_suite.current_test_cache_dir, self.test_src_dir)
         with working_dir(test_dir, create=True):
-            prefixes = ";".join([self.spec["rocm-cmake"].prefix])
-            cc_options = ["-DCMAKE_PREFIX_PATH=" + prefixes, "."]
-            cmake = which(self.spec["cmake"].prefix.bin.cmake)
+            cc_options = [f"-DCMAKE_PREFIX_PATH={self.prefix}", "."]
+            cmake = self.spec["cmake"].command
             cmake(*cc_options)
             make()
             make("clean")
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/tixi/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/tixi/package.py
index 4437bc3c5c5..80b3d6ba246 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/tixi/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/tixi/package.py
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ def setup_run_environment(self, env):
                 env.prepend_path("PYTHONPATH", self.spec.prefix.share.tixi.python)
 
             # allow ctypes to find the tixi library
-            libs = ":".join(self.spec["tixi"].libs.directories)
+            libs = ":".join(self.libs.directories)
             if sys.platform == "darwin":
                 env.prepend_path("DYLD_FALLBACK_LIBRARY_PATH", libs)
             else:
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/tk/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/tk/package.py
index 91e461a41b8..4d026369b88 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/tk/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/tk/package.py
@@ -80,9 +80,7 @@ def install(self, spec, prefix):
 
             # Replace stage dir -> installed src dir in tkConfig
             filter_file(
-                stage_src,
-                installed_src,
-                join_path(self.spec["tk"].libs.directories[0], "tkConfig.sh"),
+                stage_src, installed_src, join_path(self.libs.directories[0], "tkConfig.sh")
             )
 
     @run_after("install")
@@ -92,8 +90,7 @@ def symlink_wish(self):
 
     def test_tk_help(self):
         """run tk help"""
-        tk = self.spec["tk"].command
-        tk("-h")
+        self.command("-h")
 
     def test_tk_load(self):
         """check that tk can be loaded"""
@@ -112,15 +109,11 @@ def command(self):
         # Although we symlink wishX.Y to wish, we also need to support external
         # installations that may not have this symlink, or may have multiple versions
         # of Tk installed in the same directory.
-        return Executable(
-            os.path.realpath(self.prefix.bin.join("wish{0}".format(self.version.up_to(2))))
-        )
+        return Executable(os.path.realpath(self.prefix.bin.join(f"wish{self.version.up_to(2)}")))
 
     @property
     def libs(self):
-        return find_libraries(
-            ["libtk{0}".format(self.version.up_to(2))], root=self.prefix, recursive=True
-        )
+        return find_libraries([f"libtk{self.version.up_to(2)}"], root=self.prefix, recursive=True)
 
     def _find_script_dir(self):
         # Put more-specific prefixes first
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/veclibfort/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/veclibfort/package.py
index 40a5d0aedd9..66593bde358 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/veclibfort/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/veclibfort/package.py
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@
 #
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: (Apache-2.0 OR MIT)
 
-import sys
-
 from spack.package import *
 
 
@@ -47,9 +45,6 @@ def headers(self):
         return HeaderList([])
 
     def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        if sys.platform != "darwin":
-            raise InstallError("vecLibFort can be installed on macOS only")
-
         filter_file(r"^PREFIX=.*", "", "Makefile")
 
         make_args = []
@@ -57,13 +52,13 @@ def install(self, spec, prefix):
         if spec.satisfies("%gcc@6:"):
             make_args += ["CFLAGS=-flax-vector-conversions"]
 
-        make_args += ["PREFIX=%s" % prefix, "install"]
+        make_args += [f"PREFIX={prefix}", "install"]
 
         make(*make_args)
 
         # test
         fc = which("fc")
         flags = ["-o", "tester", "-O", "tester.f90"]
-        flags.extend(spec["veclibfort"].libs.ld_flags.split())
+        flags.extend(self.libs.ld_flags.split())
         fc(*flags)
         Executable("./tester")()
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/vtk-m/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/vtk-m/package.py
index 765cda84c84..5b6e99add80 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/vtk-m/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/vtk-m/package.py
@@ -276,20 +276,16 @@ def cmake_args(self):
 
     def test_smoke_test(self):
         """Build and run ctests"""
-        spec = self.spec
-
-        if "+examples" not in spec:
+        if "+examples" not in self.spec:
             raise SkipTest("Package must be installed with +examples")
 
         testdir = "smoke_test_build"
         with working_dir(testdir, create=True):
-            cmake = Executable(spec["cmake"].prefix.bin.cmake)
-            ctest = Executable(spec["cmake"].prefix.bin.ctest)
-            cmakeExampleDir = spec["vtk-m"].prefix.share.doc.VTKm.examples.smoke_test
-
-            cmake(*([cmakeExampleDir, "-DVTKm_ROOT=" + spec["vtk-m"].prefix]))
-            cmake(*(["--build", "."]))
-            ctest(*(["--verbose"]))
+            cmake = Executable(self.spec["cmake"].prefix.bin.cmake)
+            ctest = Executable(self.spec["cmake"].prefix.bin.ctest)
+            cmake(self.prefix.share.doc.VTKm.examples.smoke_test, f"-DVTKm_ROOT={self.prefix}")
+            cmake("--build", ".")
+            ctest("--verbose")
 
     @run_after("install")
     @on_package_attributes(run_tests=True)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/zfp/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/zfp/package.py
index 8c13ad703df..000d7208bf8 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/zfp/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/zfp/package.py
@@ -185,9 +185,9 @@ def test_smoke_test(self, source_dir=None):
             cmake = Executable(spec["cmake"].prefix.bin.cmake)
             ctest = Executable(spec["cmake"].prefix.bin.ctest)
 
-            cmake(*([".", "-DZFP_ROOT=" + spec["zfp"].prefix]))
-            cmake(*(["--build", "."]))
-            ctest(*(["--verbose"]))
+            cmake(".", f"-DZFP_ROOT={self.prefix}")
+            cmake("--build", ".")
+            ctest("--verbose")
 
     @run_after("install")
     def copy_test_files(self):