What is a manifest file when not Java-related?

What is a manifest file used for when the term 开发者_如何学编程is used in discussions concerning Linux, Android, and C++?

I can't seem to find a good, basic definition that isn't java-related.

I don't think there's an answer to that, because it's specification-dependent jargon. However in general I'd wager that if you hear that expression it's indicating a text file that accompanies and holds metadata for a program or library (I totally ripped the wording from Wikipedia, btw).

Every Android application must have an AndroidManifest.xml file (with precisely that name) in its root directory. The manifest presents essential information about the application to the Android system, information the system must have before it can run any of the application's code.

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NOTE: I am not sure I understand your Q correctly, because the Q title and the content in the Q are not the same. The above info is about Manifest file in Android