Creating package in mac os x

Question

What is the equivalent of .deb and .rpm in Mac OS X?

I am trying to create a package in Mac OS X which will include necessary libraries and scripts.

Answer 1

There are several approaches for Mac installation.

• Simplest: self-contained application ( Foo.app ). You put everything in a directory (in a particular hierarchy), give the directory the .app extension, and ask the user to copy it into /Applications . All necessary libraries and scripts should be included inside the directory. It is commonly distributed inside a .dmg file, which is a disk image.

• Installer: Uses a .pkg archive , which will be opened by Apple's Installer. It has capability to install libraries in root-restricted areas (after asking the user for the password).

• Homebrew/Fink/MacPorts - open-source projects that provide functionality ranging from that of Debian's Aptitude to that of BSD's Ports. Authors write down recipes that the installer executes, which resolve dependencies and install necessary related packages. I believe Homebrew is now the most popular of these, with recipes being written in a Ruby DSL.