Why are there so many package managers? I feel overwhelmed.

Are we talking about package manager for system packages on linux distros or about package managers for libraries?

@jonas-w In fairness, this rant could easily apply for any of the above.

@jonas-w both but system packages in particular

Nobody is asking you to use all of them

@jonas-w the plot thickens.

Different distros tend to have a different philosophy on what goes where and how different package interactions (startup, alternative selection, upgrades, errors, resource access, etc.) should be handled, switching to a popular package manager simultaneously removes a distro's ability to establish these differences and puts pressure on the distro to conform further so that a single package can be shipped for all distros sharing the package manager.

What I think might solve this are domain-specific package managers such as Flatpak. Flatpak doesn't try to replace the system package manager, it instead defines its own environment, provided by the system and the system package manager and consumed by desktop apps.

@SuspiciousBug I guess unless you distro hop everyday that isn't a really big problem?

Because everyone needs to reinvent the wheel in every language and on every operating system.

"Why are there so many package managers?"

Clearly, its psychological warfare.