What concept makes it easier to distribute applications?

Shared libraries play a crucial role in simplifying the distribution of applications. The primary advantage of shared libraries is that they allow multiple programs to share common code, which significantly reduces the overall file size and minimizes redundancy. When an application uses shared libraries, it links to these libraries at runtime rather than including all necessary code within its own executable.

This means that if a shared library is updated or patched, all applications that depend on that library can benefit from the updates without requiring individual recompilation or redistribution. Consequently, developers can efficiently distribute their applications knowing that common functionalities are handled by shared libraries, promoting easier maintenance and quicker updates across applications.

In contrast, static libraries, binary files, and executable files primarily involve embedding code or resources directly into each application, which can lead to larger file sizes and more cumbersome updates. Static libraries require that the entire code be included within each program, making distribution less efficient compared to the modular nature of shared libraries.