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I noticed the Oracle database download page has two groups of clients for users to download. There is a thing called "client" and has 32-bit version and 64-bit version. Also, there is a thing called "client home", which also has both 32-bit and 64-bit version. What are the differences between them? When should I use which?
The download page URL is https://www.oracle.com/technetwork/database/enterprise-edition/downloads/oracle19c-linux-5462157.html
LINUX.X64_193000_client.zip is a fully featured installer where you can choose what to install and where, then the installer copies the files to the destination and registers the client.
LINUX.X64_193000_client_home.zip is an "image" of and "Administrator" type installation, that you unzip to the destination folder then register it.
Simplified Image-Based Oracle Database Client Installation
Starting with Oracle Database 19c, the Oracle Database client software is available as an image file for download and installation. You must extract the image software into a directory where you want your Oracle home to be located, and then run the runInstaller script to start the Oracle Database client installation. Oracle Database client installation binaries continue to be available in the traditional format as non-image zip files.
As with Oracle Database and Oracle Grid Infrastructure image file installations, Oracle Database client image installations simplify Oracle Database client installations and ensure best practice deployments.
About Image-Based Oracle Database Client Installation
Starting with Oracle Database 19c, installation and configuration of Oracle Database Client software is simplified with image-based installation.
To install Oracle Database Client, create the new Oracle home, extract the image file into the newly-created Oracle home, and run the setup wizard to register the Oracle Database product.
You must extract the image software (client_home.zip) into the directory where you want your Oracle Database Client home to be located, and then run the Setup Wizard to start the Oracle Database Client installation and configuration. Oracle recommends that the Oracle home directory path you create is in compliance with the Oracle Optimal Flexible Architecture recommendations.
Using image-based installation, you can install Oracle Database Client 32-bit and 64-bit configurations of the Administrator installation type.
As with Oracle Database and Oracle Grid Infrastructure image file installations, Oracle Database Client image installations simplify Oracle Database Client installations and ensure best practice deployments. Oracle Database Client installation binaries continue to be available in the traditional format as non-image zip files.
DMU, 101 MB timezone files (WTF?), 90 MB Perl, 86 MB afdboot (WTF? Noone uses AFD even on the servers), and other 100s of MB of unnecessary stuff that we don't need on 99% of client installations. Go for the Instant client. You can even yum install it.
Jul 29, 2019 at 19:23
sqlldr, 'exp, imp, expdp, impdp` and sqlplus. The only thing missing (why?) is the new and improved sqlcl. But that is a small additional download.
Jul 30, 2019 at 10:05