bindist

Bindist, short for binary distribution, is a term used to describe software distributions delivered as precompiled binaries rather than as source code. In practice, bindist builds are produced by maintainers to simplify installation, reduce build-time requirements, or include components that cannot be freely redistributed as source, such as proprietary codecs, firmware, or vendor-specific drivers. Bindist packages are usually architecture- and operating-system-specific and may not be easily rebuilt from source.

Typical characteristics include prebuilt executables, library binaries, and installation images that are ready to run without compilation. Bindist releases may come with licensing caveats or usage restrictions, particularly when they bundle non-free components. Because of licensing or redistribution constraints, some projects separate bindist distributions from their source distributions, offering both to accommodate different policies and user needs. Users opting for bindist images often trade auditing and customization flexibility for convenience and broader hardware compatibility.

In practice, bindist is used across various ecosystems, including Linux distributions and other open-source projects, to distinguish binary-only offerings from source-based modes. While bindist can simplify setup and improve hardware support, it can also limit transparency, portability, and the ability to modify or rebuild the software from source. The term remains one of several labeling conventions for how software is packaged and distributed.