Installing SharePoint solution under the hood

Great table explaining states during installing/uninstalling solutions:

	Central Admin	Site/Web Level Features	GAC	Web.Config	14-RootFeatures	SharePoint Config DB, Objects Table – Solutions	SharePoint Config DB, Objects Table – Features	Web App Content DB, Features Table
Add-SPSolution	Solution Added but Not Deployed	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	Solution Definition Added	N/A	N/A
Install-SPSolution	Deployed to Web App	Installed Feature	DLLs Added	Safe Control Entries Added	Features Added	Solution Definition Still Exists	Feature Definition Added	N/A
Enable-SPFeature	Solution Still Deployed	Activated feature to Site/Web	Still Exists	Still Exists	Still Exists	Solution Definition Still Exists	Feature Definition Still Exists	Feature Activation Link Added
Disable-SPFeature	Solution Still Deployed	Deactivated feature from Site/Web	Still Exists	Still Exists	Still Exists	Solution Definition Still Exists	Feature Definition Still Exists	Feature Activation Link Deleted
UnInstall-SPFeature	Solution Still Deployed	Uninstalled feature	Still Exists	Still Exists	Still Exists	Solution Definition Still Exists	Feature Definition Deleted	N/A
UnInstall-SPSolution	Retracted from Web App	Uninstalled feature	DLLs Deleted	Safe Control Entries Deleted	Features Deleted	Solution Definition Still Exists	Feature Definition Deleted	N/A
Remove-SPSolution	Solution Deleted	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	Solution Definition Deleted	N/A	N/A

The above table has been taken from here: Install/Uninstall table

Installing (MSDN)

Uninstalling (MSDN)