How does an application become a lite application

Clarifications

I've always thought of lite apps as being able to function with no additional files, like dll's. Some do however make ini's for saving settings. basically an app you don't have to install to work.

as far as making one, i'm not sure how. There is probably a simple binding process to bring together all the operative files into one exe but i dont know.

To me lite versions mean a couple of types of software, one is a standalone executable and the other is a dumbed down version of the software.

The Standalone normally does not require installation as the other needs to be installed.

Avast Free Edition is a lite version of the Professional Edition. Here is a comparison between the two.

Features overview
Anti-spyware built-in Web Shield
Anti-rootkit built-in Automatic updates
Strong self-protection Virus Chest
Antivirus kernel System integration
Simple User Interface Integrated Virus Cleaner
Resident protection Support for 64-bit Windows
P2P and IM Shields Internationalization
Network Shield

Avast Professional Edition

Features overview
Anti-spyware built-in Automatic updates
Anti-rootkit built-in PUSH updates
Strong self-protection Virus Chest
Antivirus kernel System integration
Simple User Interface Command-line scanner
Enhanced User Interface Integrated Virus Cleaner
Resident protection Support for 64-bit Windows
Script blocker Internationalization
P2P and IM Shields Network Shield
Web Shield

If you put your mind to it you can help to make your dreams come true.

If normal is developed first, you change the name and put some if statements in to replace some functionality with "If you want this give me some more money".
If you want a real lite offering then you have to look at waht you are going to deliver. It could be something as simple as number of seats, or somethings within the app. It could be not using a DBMS and what you can get from that and storing stuff on disk.
Essentially you want enough functionality to make a useful offering and a vehicle to advertise the heavy version.

One app I used did it very simply, it was for batch conversion of images from one format to another. They put a limit of five files in tha batch. Artificial admitted, but you could try out all the various conversions. I only needed it for about twenty twice, so I muddled through without paying. If I was doing alot though though, I'd have had no problem with paying for teh full version, because I new it would do the job.

There's no substitute for having lite and full in mind right at the start though.