# PackageKit Specification

PackageKit is a D-Bus abstraction layer that allows the session user to manage packages in a secure way using a cross-distro, cross-architecture API. PackageKit is built using a lightweight backend architecture. PackageKit is product and vendor neutral and is currently being developed by a small team of developers.

This part documents core features of PackageKit.

## Annotation Glossary

### A

array

  Parameter points to an array of items.

### E

element-type

  Generics and defining elements of containers and arrays.

### N

nullable

  NULL may be passed as the value in, out, in-out; or as a return value.

### S

scope call

  The callback is valid only during the call to the method.

skip

  Exposed in C code, not necessarily available in other languages.

### T

transfer container

  The caller owns the data container, but not the data inside it.

transfer full

  The caller owns the data, and is responsible for free it.

transfer none

  The data is owned by the callee, which is responsible of freeing it.