apt / dpkg
APT resolves and downloads, then dpkg mutates installed paths. Current APT adds history reversal, but interrupted work can still require repair or completion.
Trade-off matrix
Compare the operating models, not the checkmarks.
Conary is not the mature choice today. Its bet is that RPM, DEB, and Arch packages can keep their source semantics while one engine owns the transaction on any supported Linux target.
Capability matrix
One row, one defined behavior.
Conary labels describe current maturity. Competitor labels distinguish defaults, version-gated features, adjacent first-party stacks, and different package models. This is not a performance benchmark or an ecosystem-size ranking.
| Defined behavior | Conary | apt | dnf | pacman | Nix / NixOS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cross-target package portability | proven · three hosts | Debian-family model | RPM-family model | Arch package model | broad host support |
| Dependency selection model | SAT · built-in | APT 3 SAT fallback | SAT · default | non-SAT | evaluated graph |
| Direct host-distro repository compatibility | not direct · conversion | DEB/APT default | RPM-md default | sync repos default | separate Nix repos |
| Reversible native tracking without authority transfer | works today | No | No | No | No |
| Strict content-addressed package files or outputs | package files | No | No | No | experimental outputs |
| Binary package-payload delta downloads | roadmap only | No core support | No in DNF5 | No | No standard path |
| Package-history inverse transaction | changeset-limited | APT 3.1+ | built-in history | No | generation switch |
| Bootloader-selectable whole-system generations | VM-only | No | rpm-ostree stack | No | NixOS default |
| Alternate root or foreign-architecture tooling | bootstrap research | companion workflow | built-in | built-in | different model |
default, built-in, or proven limited, version-gated, VM-only, or experimental different model, separate stack, roadmap, N/A, or no
Row definitions
What the matrix is actually measuring.
- Cross-target portability
- A source package keeps its version, dependency, payload, configuration, and lifecycle ABI on a host whose native package format differs; equivalent-name mapping alone does not count.
- Dependency selection
- How the tool chooses a consistent package set from versions, alternatives, providers, and conflicts.
- Direct repository compatibility
- Consumes the host distro's native repository metadata and binary package format without conversion.
- Reversible native tracking
- Adds and removes another tool's tracking while the native manager keeps package authority and files.
- Strict content addressing
- Object identity derives from resulting content, rather than only the build inputs or package filename.
- Binary payload deltas
- Reconstructs a new package payload from an old payload; repository-index diffs do not count.
- Inverse package transaction
- A built-in history command attempts to reverse recorded package actions; this is not a filesystem snapshot.
- Bootable generations
- Retained complete system closures are selectable as boot entries, not merely package-cache downgrades.
- Alternate root or architecture
- First-party operation targets a root or architecture different from the running host.
Application semantics
“Transactional” does not mean the same thing.
dnf / RPM
DNF resolves, verifies, tests, and executes an RPM transaction. History undo and rollback create inverse package actions rather than switching to a retained filesystem image.
pacman / libalpm
pacman prepares and checks a transaction, then commits changes in place. Cached packages support manual recovery, not native transaction undo.
Nix / NixOS
Nix builds side-by-side store paths and atomically repoints profiles. NixOS retains bootable generations, while live activation can still perform stateful service work.
Practical trade-offs
Where Conary fits, and where it does not.
Alongside apt on Ubuntu 26.04 LTS
APT is the established DEB workflow. APT 3 adds a SAT fallback and version-gated history rollback, while dpkg still applies package state in place. Conary can install RPM or Arch inputs on the same host without asking apt or dpkg to own the transaction.
Alongside dnf on Fedora 44
DNF5 uses libsolv and has built-in history reversal. Fedora stopped generating delta RPMs in Fedora 40. Conary adds source-independent DEB and Arch package execution, a reversible adoption bridge, and VM-only generations.
Alongside pacman on Arch
pacman keeps a direct prepare-and-commit model without native transaction undo or binary payload deltas. Conary can consume RPM and DEB inputs on Arch while retaining their source-native transaction semantics.
Compared with Nix and NixOS
Nix has an established immutable store, atomic profile switching, and a much larger package ecosystem; NixOS adds mature bootable system generations. Strict content-addressed derivation outputs remain experimental rather than the default.
Alongside Flatpak or Snap
Flatpak and Snap distribute applications through runtime or container boundaries. Conary addresses base-system packages, libraries, services, and package authority. They solve different layers and can coexist.
Where Conary is still early
Conary 0.17.2 is pre-alpha and a single-maintainer project. No release is assigned as external tester authority yet. Native CCS packages are few, the cross-distro lifecycle matrix still needs wider installed-host evidence, generation work is VM-only, and the community and operational track record are small beside the established managers.
Method and sources
Claims are tied to named documentation.
Third-party extensions are excluded unless a cell names an add-on or separate stack.
The useful question