How to create separate files with debug information?

[Shriramana Sharma <samjnaa@gmail.com>]

When we strip a file, we remove any debug information from it. This is 
done to reduce the size of the file.

I have seen package managers provide separate files with debug 
information. For instance, I have a libQtGui.so.4.2.3.debug file 55 MB 
in size separate from the libQtGui.so.4.2.3 file which is 7 MB in size.

Now the questions:

First: Is this kind of providing separate debug files applicable only 
for library or also for applications?

Second: How do I create such .debug files with debug information only? I 
find that these debug files are not executables.

Thank you.

Shriramana Sharma.