RPM Package Manager (also known simply as RPM), originally called the Red-hat Package Manager, is a program for installing, uninstalling, and managing software packages in Linux. RPM was developed on the basis of the Linux Standard Base (LSB). In latter-day usage, the "RPM" portion of this term arises from the fact that .rpm is the default extension for files used by the program.
Advantages of RPM include straightforward program installation and uninstallation, automatic installation, ease of updating programs originally installed with RPM, and availability of versions for most distributions of Linux. Limitations that have been mentioned include lack of backward compatibility or inadequate documentation for certain programs, and a relatively steep learning curve.
RPM is available under the Free Software Foundation GNU General Public License.