Paketformate

Paketformate, or packaging formats, are standardized archives used to distribute software and data along with metadata and installation instructions. They enable automated installation, upgrade, and removal through dedicated package managers or installers. A packaging format defines not only how files are stored, but also how dependencies, permissions, and configuration are handled, and may include scripts to run before, during, or after installation.

Common examples span multiple ecosystems. Deb (Debian package) is used on Debian-based systems such as Ubuntu and includes metadata like package name, version, architecture, dependencies, and a description; it is managed by dpkg and apt. RPM (Red Hat Package Manager) is used on Red Hat, Fedora, and related distributions, with tools such as rpm and dnf or yum. Both formats support digital signatures for repository integrity and security, and they rely on repositories to distribute updates.

Other Linux formats include Arch’s packages (pkg.tar.*) managed by Pacman, and universal formats such as Flatpak, Snap, and AppImage, which aim to provide cross-distribution runtimes and sandboxing. Windows uses installers like MSI or MSIX, while macOS employs PKG installers or disk images (DMG). In addition, container ecosystems use OCI or Docker image formats to package software as portable, layered filesystem images for deployment rather than local installation.

Key features across paketformate typically include name, version, architecture, dependencies, description, license, and cryptographic signatures. They often support upgrade and removal operations, integrity checks, and, in many cases, reproducible builds. The choice of paketformat affects compatibility, security, and ease of maintenance within a software supply chain.