Linux package formats

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Linux package formats are the different file formats used to package software for various GNU/Linux distributions. These are the principal kinds of package:

Binary packages
Source packages

[edit] Examples

deb — Debian package, originally from Debian. Used by Debian and derivatives such as Ubuntu.
ebuild — the file containing information on how to retrieve, compile, and install a package in Gentoo's Portage system using the command emerge. Typically these are source-primary installs, though binary packages can be installed in this fashion as well. Gentoo-based distributions also use the ebuild system from the same Portage tree.
RPM — Red Hat Package Manager, originally from Red Hat, is now used by many other distributors as well, like openSUSE and Mandriva Linux.
PISI is used by Pardus
tgz or tar.gz — standard tar + gzip, possibly with some extra control files — used by Slackware and others, or sometimes when distributing very simple handmade packages.
MO — Used by SLAX. Opens with SLAX Module Manager, and then gets installed to the KDE menu as a Desktop Config file. May be placed into the SLAX CD's Modules folder to get installed at boot.
PUP and PET - used by the free and lightweight puppylinux - http://puppylinux.com/. click and install package type. OS can be installed to a flash drive for portability and will bring apps with it.