What is linux-modules-nvidia and what features does it make available?

Seems there are 3 ways to install NVIDIA proprietary drivers.

1. script from NVIDIA direct
2. nvidia-driver-* from repo
3. linux-modules-nvidia-* \ nvidia-kernel-common-* from repo

When I installed Ubuntu, I selected the option to scan for proprietary drivers and got the linux-modules-nvidia-* installed. I don't seem to be getting the best from my card as I still get tearing. Started looking around and I do not have the commands installed that keep popping up on the forums: nvidia-smi, nvidia-settings, nvcc,

Leaves me wondering, do I have access to CUDA cores, prime for the switching, or GL or CL for that matter?

nvidia-drivers-* subs out the features to dependencies to *compute, *gl, *settings, prime, etc. , but I can't find a dependency tree that leads to linux-modules-nvidia. Or am I just missing it.

Is this a repackaging of the official into a module, or a different package? Does it have the same features? Is there any way to test these features with different commands from those listed above? I guess its bugging me that the "Additional Drivers" manager is telling me its manually installed, but I don't know what it is linked to keeping it updated.

These modules are binary modules for Nvidia proprietary drivers. They are built by Canonical starting from some time.

Previously only dkms source was provided. Now users have options.

These modules have no additional value in terms of functionality. They install faster and don't require dkms.