An installation program or installer is a computer program that installs files, such as applications, drivers, or other software, onto a computer. Some installers are specifically made to install the files they contain; other installers are general-purpose and work by reading the contents of the software package to be installed.
The differences between a package management system and an installer are:
| Package management system | Installer |
|---|---|
| Usually part of an operating system. | Each product comes bundled with its own installer. |
| Uses one installation database. | Performs its own installation, sometimes recording information about that installation in a registry. |
| Can verify and manage all packages on the system. | Works only with its bundled product. |
| One package management system vendor. | Multiple installer vendors. |
| One package format. | Multiple installation formats. |
Read more about this topic: Installation (computer Programs)