Installing and Removing Software

A software package is the collection of scripts, programs, files, and directories required to run a software application. Using packages makes it easier to transfer, install, and uninstall applications. A package contains either object (executable) files or source code files that you need to compile and install. Object files are precompiled for a specific processor and operating system[13] whereas source files need to be compiled but will run on a wide range of machines and operating systems.

[13] Some packages run under operating systems other than the one it was compiled under.

Software for your system can come in different kinds of packages, such as rpm (page 928), the GNU Configure and Build System (page 931), ...

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