The race for a universal package manager
Package Deal
We look at four contenders that want to become the Linux universal package manager, although the reality is still on the horizon.
So far, 2016 is likely to be remembered as the year in which universal package managers were debated. With the announcement of Ubuntu's Snappy packages, followed quickly by Fedora's and Red Hat's release of its Flatpak format, the race is on for a method of software installation that will work on any distribution and make .deb, .rpm, and the rest footnotes in Linux history.
Advocates of a universal package manager claim that it will make software installation more efficient by eliminating dependency problems. Additionally, many candidates include extra security and extra features, such as package installation by ordinary users for their own use. However, whether any improvements will result is questionable. Debian developers in particular insist the way to eliminate software installation problems lies in enforcing a strict package structure, as described in the Debian Policy Manual [1].
In fact, Josh Triplett, a long-time Debian contributor, went so far as to suggest that Debian's reputation is a consequence of the Debian Policy, and not the .deb format. According to Triplett, "Debian without the .deb format would still be Debian; Debian without [the] Debian Policy would just be Sourceforge or Rpmfind," and nothing more than a random collection of software [2].
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
US / Canada
UK / Australia
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Cairo Dock 3.6 Now Available for More Compositors
If you're a fan of third-party desktop docks, then the latest release of Cairo Dock with Wayland support is for you.
-
System76 Unleashes Pop!_OS 24.04 Beta
System76's first beta of Pop!_OS 24.04 is an impressive feat.
-
Linux Kernel 6.17 is Available
Linus Torvalds has announced that the latest kernel has been released with plenty of core improvements and even more hardware support.
-
Kali Linux 2025.3 Released with New Hacking Tools
If you're a Kali Linux fan, you'll be glad to know that the third release of this famous pen-testing distribution is now available with updates for key components.
-
Zorin OS 18 Beta Available for Testing
The latest release from the team behind Zorin OS is ready for public testing, and it includes plenty of improvements to make it more powerful, user-friendly, and productive.
-
Fedora Linux 43 Beta Now Available for Testing
Fedora Linux 43 Beta ships with Gnome 49 and KDE Plasma 6.4 (and other goodies).
-
USB4 Maintainer Leaves Intel
Michael Jamet, one of the primary maintainers of USB4 and Thunderbolt drivers, has left Intel, leaving a gaping hole for the Linux community to deal with.
-
Budgie 10.9.3 Now Available
The latest version of this elegant and configurable Linux desktop aligns with changes in Gnome 49.
-
KDE Linux Alpha Available for Daring Users
It's official, KDE Linux has arrived, but it's not quite ready for prime time.
-
AMD Initiates Graphics Driver Updates for Linux Kernel 6.18
This new AMD update focuses on power management, display handling, and hardware support for Radeon GPUs.