Klik (packaging)

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klik

Developer:	Simon Peter
Latest release:	0.5r9 / June 7, 2006
OS:	Linux
Use:	Software download system
License:	GPL (client)
Website:	klik.atekon.de

The correct title of this article is klik. The initial letter is shown capitalized due to technical restrictions.

This article is about the packaging method. For other uses, see klik.

klik is a system for software download and usage on Linux. klik does not "install" software in the traditional sense (i.e., it does not put files all over the place in the system). It uses one .cmg file per application. Each one is self-contained: it includes all libraries the application depends on and that are not part of the base system. In this regard, it is similar to "application virtualization". One can klik a file even if they are not a superuser, or they are using a live CD.

klik is integrated with web browsers on the user's computer. Users download and install software by typing a URL beginning with klik://. This downloads a klik "recipe" file, which is used to generate the .cmg file. In this way, one recipe can be used to supply packages to a wide variety of platforms.

klik files are often simpler than compiling and installing an application, as no installation actually takes place. The .cmg file is a compressed image which is temporarily mounted to allow access to the program, but not having to extract the program or modify the underlying system. Currently only 8 klik programs can be run at once because of the limitation of mounting compressed images with the Linux kernel, unless FUSE is used. The file is remounted each time the program is run, meaning the user can remove the program by simply deleting the .cmg file. klik was designed in 2004 by Simon Peter.