Crosspackaging

Crosspackaging is the practice of creating software packages that can be installed on more than one target platform or architecture, typically from a single source tree or build configuration. It often combines cross-building—building for a different host or operating system than the one used for development—with the production of platform-specific package artifacts, such as deb, rpm, apk, exe, dmg, and other distribution formats. The goal is to reduce duplication of code and effort while ensuring that binaries and metadata are correct for each target.

Scope and approaches

Crosspackaging covers portability across operating systems (for example Linux, Windows, and macOS) and across architectures (such as x86_64, ARM, and others). It relies on cross-compilers, cross-building toolchains, and packaging pipelines that can produce distinct packages for each target while sharing the same source and build logic. Build systems like CMake, Meson, and Autotools, along with packaging tools and continuous integration workflows, are commonly used to orchestrate cross-target builds. Some ecosystems also leverage universal or semi-portable formats to ease cross-distribution deployment, such as AppImage, Snap, or Flatpak in the Linux space.

Challenges

Crosspackaging faces library and ABI differences between targets, divergent runtime environments, and varying dependency and licensing rules. Differences in file layouts, system paths, and security policies can complicate packaging. Ensuring reproducible builds, correct signing, and compliant distribution across targets requires careful configuration, testing, and often automated validation across multiple architectures and distros.

Applications and relation to other concepts

It is integral to software that must run on multiple operating systems or hardware architectures, including traditional Linux distributions with multi-arch support, Windows/macOS cross builds, and embedded or IoT devices. It is closely related to cross-compilation, multi-architecture packaging, and the use of containerized or isolated build environments.

See also

Cross-compilation, multi-arch packaging, packaging formats, reproducible builds.