Meta-Package File

A Meta-Package File is a variant of the Package File that is used in Mac OS X when it is necessary to have an installation archive which can contain multiple software packages for distribution. Clicking on it on an OS X system will launch the Installer package to extract and install the software.

The meta-package may contain individual files or package files which are entire installable packages in their own right.

OS X packages are a form of the xar archive format.

Links

 * Wikipedia: Installer (OS X)
 * Where are the files installed when you execute a mpkg file?
 * .mpkg file extension information: Meta Packages