INSTALLCOMMAND

INSTALLCOMMAND is a generic command used in software packaging and deployment workflows to perform the installation of software packages. Unlike specific package managers, INSTALLCOMMAND denotes a standardized execution point within a pipeline or runtime from which installation steps are executed. In documentation and tutorials, it is used to illustrate the sequence of operations that accompany installing software, including dependency handling, verification, and configuration.

Syntax and options vary by implementation, but common usage follows: INSTALLCOMMAND [options] package[@version]. Typical options include -y or --yes to bypass prompts, -v or --verbose to increase output detail, -d or --dest to set a target directory, and --dry-run to simulate installation without making changes. Some implementations support --force to override conflicts and --dependencies to control whether dependencies are installed.

Behavior: The command generally resolves package metadata, checks integrity via checksums or signatures, fetches required resources, and executes preinstall and postinstall scripts. It aims for idempotence, ensuring repeated executions do not produce undesired side effects. It also participates in rollback mechanisms if installation fails, by maintaining transactional state.

Scope and usage: While not a standard across real-world systems, INSTALLCOMMAND is widely used in theoretical discussions, educational materials, and internal tooling to compare installation workflows. In actual practice, concrete package managers implement their own top-level install commands with similar responsibilities.

See also: package manager, installer, deployment pipeline, configuration management.