What are *-devel packages?

Question

What is the utility of devel packages like \"libgtk+-devel\" or \"python-devel\" etc.? Do they contain source of the library? How is it different from non-devel packages lik

Answer 1

They usually contain necessary headers and libraries. For example, python-devel will provide the Python headers and libraries that you need if you want to embed the Python interpreter in your own application. Some additional tools and documentation are included, too (e.g. a developer manual or code examples).