This chapter covers differences in RPM versions between various Linux distributions, and techniques you can use to get around these differences. Each Linux vendor packages software differently, even if the vendor uses RPM. This can cause problems unless you write your spec files carefully.

Inside your RPM spec files, you can use conditional elements as well as platform-based macro definitions to help create RPMs for multiple packages.

Some of the best conventions are to split the software in your applications from any compatibility or glue packages, separate packages that provide missing features for various flavors of Linux.

Standardization efforts such as the Linux Standard Base and Filesystem Hierarchy Standard are bringing Linux vendors closer and closer together. Widespread adoption of RPM by most Linux distributions also helps.

While this chapter covers RPM on other Linux distributions, the next chapter tackles RPM outside of Linux.