Overview of Software Packages

Software management involves installing or removing software products. Sun and its third-party vendors deliver products in a form called a software package. (The term packaging generically refers to the method for distributing and installing software products to systems where the products will be used.) A package is a collection of files and directories in a defined format. This format conforms to the Application Binary Interface (ABI), which is a supplement to the System V Interface Definition. The Solaris operating environment provides a set of utilities that interpret this format and provide the means to install or remove a package or to verify its installation.