All the software management tools that are listed in Table 16–1 are used to add, remove, or query information about installed software. The Solaris Product Registry prodreg viewer and the Solaris installation GUI both access install data that is stored in the Solaris Product Registry. The package tools, such as the pkgadd and pkgrm commands, also access or modify install data.

When you add a package, the pkgadd command uncompresses and copies files from the installation media to a local system's disk. When you remove a package, the pkgrm command deletes all files associated with that package, unless those files are also shared with other packages.

Package files are delivered in package format and are unusable as they are delivered. The pkgadd command interprets the software package's control files, and then uncompresses and installs the product files onto the system's local disk.

Although the pkgadd and pkgrm commands do not log their output to a standard location, they do keep track of the package that is installed or removed. The pkgadd and pkgrm commands store information about a package that has been installed or removed in a software product database.

By updating this database, the pkgadd and pkgrm commands keep a record of all software products installed on the system.