ipkg

ipkg is a lightweight package management system designed for embedded Linux environments. It provides simple installation, upgrade, and removal of software on devices with limited resources, using a compact package format and straightforward repository support.

Packages with the .ipk extension encapsulate metadata and data as a tar archive. An ipk contains a control file describing Package, Version, Architecture, Maintainer, Depends, and Description, along with data.tar.gz that installs the actual files. Repositories host a Packages index listing available packages and their metadata.

Originating in the OpenEmbedded project, ipkg was widely used on embedded devices such as OpenWrt routers and set‑top boxes. Over time, opkg emerged as a fork and successor, offering improvements in portability and feature set, and many distributions replaced ipkg with opkg.

Usage typically involves repository configuration and a small command set: ipkg update to refresh the index, ipkg install package to add software, ipkg upgrade to apply newer versions, ipkg remove to uninstall, and ipkg list or ipkg info to query packages.

Today ipkg is largely superseded by opkg in new deployments, but it remains relevant for maintenance of older embedded systems and for historical reference in embedded Linux development.