http://linuxexchange.org/questions/2574/-dev-packages<p>I'm trying to build a program which requires other packages to be installed. I noticed that for some of these packages they will have a package with the same name but with -dev appended to the name. Which package should I install? If I install the -dev package is that sufficient?</p>enTue, 02 Aug 2011 08:56:32 -0400http://linuxexchange.org/questions/2574/-dev-packages/2653<p>If you're on a debian based system, then a great tip is to use "apt-get build-dep packagename", which will bring in the build dependencies for that package. Even if you're not planning to use "apt-get source packagename" to get the source it can still save time.</p>chrisjrobTue, 02 Aug 2011 08:56:32 -0400http://linuxexchange.org/questions/2574/-dev-packages/2653http://linuxexchange.org/questions/2574/-dev-packages#2579<p>Exactly. :)</p>JazzMon, 06 Jun 2011 06:22:53 -0400http://linuxexchange.org/questions/2574/-dev-packages#2579http://linuxexchange.org/questions/2574/-dev-packages#2577<p>So if the only reason I'm downloading a package is because something I'm compiling requires it, then just download the -dev package?</p>Linux JediMon, 06 Jun 2011 02:13:37 -0400http://linuxexchange.org/questions/2574/-dev-packages#2577http://linuxexchange.org/questions/2574/-dev-packages/2576<p>As a rule of thumb, you want the dev-packages only for doing development related work, since they contain additional files you usually don't need (e.g. the header-files).</p> <p>Most often if users need dev-packages, they want to compile programs themselves instead of using the <a href="https://help.ubuntu.com/community/InstallingSoftware#Source%20or%20Binary?">binary packages.</a></p>JazzSun, 05 Jun 2011 13:51:03 -0400http://linuxexchange.org/questions/2574/-dev-packages/2576