FreeBSD Ports
The FreeBSD Ports collection is a
Installing from source
The
Most ports are already configured with default options which have been deemed generally appropriate for most users. However, these configuration options (called knobs) can sometimes be changed before installation using the make config command, which brings up a text-based interface that allows the user to select the desired options.
Historically, each port (or software package) has been maintained by an individual port maintainer who is responsible for ensuring the currency of the port and providing general support. Today, many ports are maintained by special task forces or sub-projects, each with a dedicated mailing list (e.g. [email protected], [email protected], etc.), while unmaintained ports are assigned to the generic group [email protected]. In general, anyone may become a port maintainer by contributing their favorite software to the collection. One may also choose to maintain an existing port with no active maintainer.[2]
Packages
Precompiled (binary) ports are called packages. A package can be created from the corresponding port with the make package command; pre-built packages are also available for download from FreeBSD-hosted package repositories. A user can install a package by passing the package name to the pkg install command. This downloads the appropriate package for the installed FreeBSD release version, then installs the application, including any software dependencies it may have. By default, packages are downloaded from the main FreeBSD Package Repository (pkg.freebsd.org), but if there are any troubles after updating packages, previous version of packages cannot be installed because the repository denies subfolders indexes. In this case, a user must upgrade the OS version to the latest release and install latest packages.
FreeBSD maintains a
These pre-compiled packages are separated into categories by the architectures for which they are available. Packages are further separated into several "release" directories, one for each current production release built from the ports collection and shipped with the release. These production release directories are never updated.
There are also stable and current directories for several major release branches. These are updated more or less weekly. In most cases a package created for an older version of FreeBSD can be installed and used on a newer system without difficulty since binary backward compatibility across major releases is enabled by default.
A packaging system for binary packages[5] called pkg
has replaced the package management system in FreeBSD 10.[6]
History
Jordan Hubbard committed his port make macros to the FreeBSD CVS repository on August 21, 1994.[7] His package install suite Makefile had been committed a year earlier (August 26, 1993).[8] The core ports framework was at first maintained by Hubbard along with Satoshi Asami for several years. The Ports Management Team was later formed to handle this task.
NetBSD's pkgsrc and OpenBSD's ports collection trace their roots to FreeBSD.
DPorts
Since its release, 3.6
See also
References
- ^ "About FreeBSD Ports". freebsd.org. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
- ^ "Porter's Handbook". FreeBSD project.
- ^ "FreeBSD Package building logs and errors (pointyhat cluster)". freebsd.org. Retrieved March 26, 2010.
- ^ "FreeBSD Mailing lists: subscription for freebsd-pkg-fallout".
- ^ "Chapter 4. Installing Applications: Packages and Ports | FreeBSD Documentation Portal".
- ^ "FreeBSD 10.0-RELEASE Release Notes | The FreeBSD Project".
- ^ "CVS log for ports/Mk/bsd.port.mk". FreeBSD project. Archived from the original on April 15, 2013. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "CVS log for src/usr.sbin/pkg_install/Makefile". FreeBSD project. Archived from the original on April 14, 2013. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
- ^ Sherrill, Justin (January 12, 2013). "An early DPorts education". DragonFly BSD Digest. Archived from the original on February 28, 2014. Retrieved April 12, 2014.
- ^ Marino, John. "DeltaPorts". GitHub. Retrieved April 12, 2014.
External links
- Official FreeBSD Ports web page
- FreshPorts - website that tracks port updates
- Port-Tags Archived January 10, 2014, at the Wayback Machine - Project to add tags to the ports collection
- Installing Applications: Packages and Ports from the FreeBSD Handbook (Chapter 4)