Package Management and App Distribution

How software is installed and distributed on each operating system.

Linux

Software is installed through a distribution’s package manager (APT on Debian/Ubuntu, DNF on Fedora, pacman on Arch, and others), pulling from that distribution’s repositories, alongside newer sandboxed formats like Flatpak and Snap that work across distributions.

Windows

Traditionally installed via standalone .exe/.msi installers downloaded from vendors, with Microsoft more recently adding the Microsoft Store and the winget command-line package manager as centralized alternatives.

macOS

Apps are typically distributed as .dmg/.app bundles downloaded directly from developers or through the Mac App Store, with Homebrew serving as the de facto community package manager for command-line tools and developer software.

iOS

Apps can only be installed through the App Store (aside from limited enterprise/developer sideloading and, in some regions, alternative marketplaces mandated by regulation), with Apple reviewing every submission before it’s published.

Android

Apps are primarily distributed through the Google Play Store, but Android uniquely allows installing APK files directly from other sources (“sideloading”) or through alternative app stores, subject to a user permission prompt.

ChromeOS

Runs traditional Chrome/web apps plus Android apps from the Google Play Store and Linux (Debian-based) packages via the built-in Crostini container, giving it three separate app ecosystems rather than one native package system.