srcrpm

SRPM stands for source RPM. It is a package file used by the RPM Package Manager that contains the source code, patches, and a spec file required to build the corresponding binary RPMs for a given package. SRPMs are named with a .src.rpm extension (for example, example-1.2-3.src.rpm). They do not include prebuilt binaries.

Contents and structure: An SRPM packages the upstream source tarball, any patches, and the spec file that drives the build process. It may also include additional build-time metadata. The purpose is to provide a complete, reproducible set of instructions and sources needed to generate the binary RPMs on a given system or architecture.

Usage and workflow: SRPMs enable reproducible builds and distribution of source code alongside packaging instructions. To rebuild from an SRPM, developers or users typically use rpmbuild --rebuild package.src.rpm, which extracts the sources and spec, then compiles and packages the binaries, placing them in the RPMS/ directory. To create an SRPM from a spec and sources, a maintainer can run rpmbuild -bs SPECS/package.spec, producing a new package.src.rpm in the SRPMS/ directory. Once built, the resulting binary RPMs can be installed or distributed through standard RPM repositories.

Relation to binary RPMs and repositories: An SRPM corresponds to a set of binary RPMs and enables users to inspect and reproduce the build process. It supports license compliance and auditing by ensuring the exact sources and build instructions used to create binaries are available. In RPM-based distributions such as Fedora and Red Hat, SRPMs are a common mechanism for sharing source and build recipes, while binary RPMs carry the compiled software.