seems clear to me:
require
Lists packages required by this package. The package will not be
installed unless those requirements can be met.
require-dev (root-only)
Lists packages required for developing this package (1), or running tests,
etc. The dev requirements of the root package only will be installed
if install is run with --dev or if update is run without --no-dev.
http://getcomposer.org/doc/04-schema.md
1. the packages used to develop a package