Package Manager

I would like to talk about something magical: Package managers.

Initially to install software you had to have it on a support (CD/DVD, usb key) and start the installation process.

Then the process changed to become :

• find the publisher’s website
• visit this site
• download the installation program
• then start the installation.
• then start the software But that was before I discovered package managers. A package manager is a software that from a given command will search for the desired software, download it and install it.

And that makes all the difference, to use a software you only need 2 steps:

• Asking the package manager for the software
• Start the software

There are package managers in almost all GNU/Linux distributions and now also under windows, here are some examples:

• Chocolatey (Windows)
• APT (Debian/Ubuntu)
• Emerge (Gentoo)
• DNG (Fedora)
• Pacman (Archlinux) …