RPM

File Format
Name	RPM
Ontology	Electronic File Formats Archiving RPM
Extension(s)	.rpm, .spec

RPM (originally Red Hat Package Manager) is a format for software distribution used primarily with Linux. The .rpm file is the distribution archive, while .spec files are used in the development process to create RPM files.

The "payload" of the format is (usually) a cpio archive, compressed originally with gzip (but sometimes with other archiving formats in later versions). Headers and a signature are added.

Spec files contain the information needed to build the archive, and are used by the rpmbuild tool. In the SRPM variety of RPM file, the spec file is included and has details on how to build the package so that it can be self-installing.

Identification

Files begin with signature bytes ED AB EE DB.

Specifications

• LSB 4.1: Package File Format
• RPM File Format
• RPM container file format specification

Software

• RPM
  • rpm2cpio - Can help to open RPM files without installing them
• 7-Zip
• Software related to RPM

Links

• Wikipedia article
• Official site
• Working with spec files