Package format comparison - Reformatted

[Barry deFreese]

Here is an interesting table on package formats I found. 

Package format comparison table.

Feature                                                            deb 
   rpm     tgz     slp

Security, authentication, and verification
PGP-signed packages                                      no       yes 
    no      no
checksums                                                       yes     
yes      no      no
permissions, owners, etc                                  yes     yes    
 yes     yes

Usability by standard unix tools
recognizable by file                                         yes      
yes     no       no
unpackable by standard tools                          yes      no      
yes      yes
metadata accessible by standard tools             yes      no      N/A   
 no
creatable by standard tools                              no       
no      yes      no

Metadata
dependencies                                                   yes     
yes     no       yes
recommendations                                            yes     no 
     no        no
suggestions                                                      yes     
no      no        no
conflicts                                                           yes 
   yes     no       yes
virtual packages and provides                         yes     yes      
no       ??
versioned dependencies and conflicts             yes     yes      no     
 ??
complex boolean dependencies                      yes     no       no 
      no
file dependencies                                            no      yes 
    no        no
copyright                                                        no      
yes       no       yes
grouping                                                         yes     
yes      no       yes
priority                                                            yes 
   no       no       yes

Special files
config files                                                      yes 
   yes      no       yes
documentation files                                         no      yes 
    no       no

Package programs
binary programs allowed                                 yes     no       
??      yes
program output allowed                                  yes      no(??) 
??     ??
interactive programs allowed                           yes     no       
??     ??
pre-install program                                          yes      
yes     no     no
post-install program                                         yes     yes 
   yes     yes
pre-remove program                                        yes     yes 
   no      no
post-remove program                                      yes      yes 
   yes    no
verify program                                                 no      
yes     no      no
triggers                                                             no 
    yes     no      no

Scalability
no hard-coded limits                                        yes     yes 
   yes     no
new metadata                                                   yes     
yes     N/A    no
new section                                                      yes     
no      no       no
format versions                                                yes     
yes     no      yes


--
Barry deFreese
Debian 3.0r1 "Woody"
GNU/Hurd
Registered Linux "Newbie" #302256 - Hurd H4XX0r wannabe

"Programming today is a race between software engineers striving
to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe
trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is
winning." Rich Cook.