View source for Software:FreeBSD Ports

The '''FreeBSD Ports collection''' is a package management system for the [[Software:FreeBSD|FreeBSD]] [[Operating system|operating system]]. As of February 2020, there are over 38,487 ports<ref>{{cite web
|url=https://www.freebsd.org/ports/
|title=About FreeBSD Ports
|publisher=freebsd.org
|access-date=2019-12-08
}}</ref> available in the collection. It has also been adopted by [[Software:NetBSD|NetBSD]] as the basis of its [[Software:Pkgsrc|pkgsrc]] system.

== Installing from source ==
The [[Software:Ports collection|ports collection]] uses [[Makefile]]s arranged in a [[Directory structure|directory hierarchy]] so that software can be [[Software build|built]], [[Software:Installation (computer programs)|installed]] and uninstalled with the '''make''' command. When installing an application, very little (if any) user intervention is required after issuing a beginning command such as '''make install''' or '''make install clean''' in the ports directory of the desired application. In most cases the software is automatically downloaded from the [[Internet]], [[Patch (computing)|patched]] and [[Software:Configure script|configured]] if necessary, then [[Compiler|compiled]], installed and registered in the package database. If the new port has needed dependencies on other applications or libraries, these are installed beforehand automatically.

Most ports are already configured with [[Default (computer science)|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 [[Software maintenance|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|mailing list]] (e.g. kde@FreeBSD.org, java@FreeBSD.org, etc.), while unmaintained ports are assigned to the generic group ports@FreeBSD.org. 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.<ref name="maintain">{{cite web|url=https://www.freebsd.org/doc/en/books/porters-handbook/|title=Porter's Handbook|publisher=FreeBSD project}}</ref>

== 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 [[Software versioning|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 [[Compile farm|build farm]] called the ''pointyhat cluster'' in which all packages for all supported [[Computer architecture|architectures]] and major [[Software release life cycle|releases]] are built. The build [[Server log|logs]] and known errors for all ports built into packages through the pointyhat cluster are available in a [[Database|database]]<ref name="portslog">{{cite web |url=https://pointyhat.freebsd.org/errorlogs/ |title=FreeBSD Package building logs and errors (pointyhat cluster) |publisher=freebsd.org |access-date=2010-03-26}}</ref> and weekly builds logs are also available through mailing list archives.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-pkg-fallout |title = FreeBSD Mailing lists: subscription for freebsd-pkg-fallout}}</ref> 

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<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.freebsd.org/doc/handbook/pkgng-intro.html |title = Chapter 4. Installing Applications: Packages and Ports {{!}} FreeBSD Documentation Portal}}</ref> called <code>pkg</code> has replaced the package management system in [[Software:FreeBSD|FreeBSD]] 10.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.freebsd.org/releases/10.0R/relnotes.html |title = FreeBSD 10.0-RELEASE Release Notes {{!}} The FreeBSD Project}}</ref>

== History ==
Jordan Hubbard committed his ''port make macros'' to the FreeBSD CVS repository on August 21, 1994.<ref name="portmacros">{{cite web|url=https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/cvsweb.cgi/ports/Mk/bsd.port.mk|title=CVS log for ports/Mk/bsd.port.mk|publisher=FreeBSD project|access-date=January 5, 2020|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130415033100/http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/cvsweb.cgi/ports/Mk/bsd.port.mk|archive-date=April 15, 2013|url-status=usurped}}</ref> His package install suite ''Makefile'' had been committed a year earlier (August 26, 1993).<ref name="Makefile">{{cite web|url=https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/cvsweb.cgi/src/usr.sbin/pkg_install/Makefile|title=CVS log for src/usr.sbin/pkg_install/Makefile|publisher=FreeBSD project|access-date=May 26, 2018|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130414183008/http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/cvsweb.cgi/src/usr.sbin/pkg_install/Makefile|archive-date=April 14, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> 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.

[[Software:Pkgsrc|NetBSD's pkgsrc]] and [[Software:Ports collection#OpenBSD ports|OpenBSD's ports collection]] trace their roots to FreeBSD.

== DPorts ==
Since its release, 3.6 [[Software:DragonFly BSD|DragonFly BSD]] project uses FreeBSD Ports as a base for its own ''DPorts'' ports collection. John Marino of DragonFly BSD project created ''DeltaPorts'' repository – a collection of patches and files that overlay and modify the FreeBSD Ports, in order to generate DPorts.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.shiningsilence.com/dbsdlog/2013/01/12/11008.html |title=An early DPorts education |first=Justin |last=Sherrill |work=DragonFly BSD Digest |date=2013-01-12 |access-date=2014-04-12 |archive-date=February 28, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140228235142/http://www.shiningsilence.com/dbsdlog/2013/01/12/11008.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://github.com/DragonFlyBSD/DeltaPorts |title=DeltaPorts |first=John |last=Marino |website=[[GitHub]] |access-date=2014-04-12}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Software:MacPorts|MacPorts]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://www.freebsd.org/ports/index.html Official FreeBSD Ports web page]
* [https://www.freshports.org/ FreshPorts] - website that tracks port updates
* [https://www.tobez.org/port-tags/ Port-Tags] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140110121730/http://www.tobez.org/port-tags/ |date=January 10, 2014 }} - Project to add tags to the ports collection
* [https://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/ports.html Installing Applications: Packages and Ports] from the FreeBSD Handbook (Chapter 4)

{{FreeBSD}}
{{Package management systems}}
[[Category:Free package management systems]]

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