(debian-policy.info)Convenience copies of code

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4.13 Convenience copies of code
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Some software packages include in their distribution convenience copies
of code from other software packages, generally so that users compiling
from source don’t have to download multiple packages.  Debian packages
should not make use of these convenience copies unless the included
package is explicitly intended to be used in this way.  (1) If the
included code is already in the Debian archive in the form of a library,
the Debian packaging should ensure that binary packages reference the
libraries already in Debian and the convenience copy is not used.  If
the included code is not already in Debian, it should be packaged
separately as a prerequisite if possible.  (2)

   ---------- Footnotes ----------

   (1) For example, parts of the GNU build system work like this.

   (2) Having multiple copies of the same code in Debian is inefficient,
often creates either static linking or shared library conflicts, and,
most importantly, increases the difficulty of handling security
vulnerabilities in the duplicated code.