Many of you already know me for various contributions to FreeBSD and FreeBSD Ports, most likely through the Synth repository builder that I wrote and still maintain.
I haven't made many commits to Synth over the last few months and there's an explanation for that. I've been developing a OS-agnostic ports and package builder system called Ravenports. Briefly there are 3 integrated components to the system:
The ravenports have major technical advantages over FreeBSD ports such as:
I just revealed a new website: http://ravenports.ironwolf.systems/
General questions and commentary are welcome here. All specific questions are better sent to the two mail lists I set up. This is just a basic introduction for any people out there that are interested in following my new ports-based work.
-- John
[1] While pkgsrc is multisystem, it's NetBSD first as evidenced by numerous shims for other systems to use NetBSD headers, directories, clumsey boostrap process etc. Ravenports outclasses pkgsrc in terms of performance (several magnitudes) and non-NetBSD platform support.
I haven't made many commits to Synth over the last few months and there's an explanation for that. I've been developing a OS-agnostic ports and package builder system called Ravenports. Briefly there are 3 integrated components to the system:
- ravensource (files used to compile a port buildsheet)
- Ravenports (a collection of buildsheets, single file analog to a FreeBSD port)
- ravenadm (an administration / builder tool resembling synth)
The ravenports have major technical advantages over FreeBSD ports such as:
- variant ports (similar to openbsd flavors, replaces freebsd master/slave ports)
- subpackages (ports can create 1 or more subpackages, e.g. you can load just a fortran runtime library instead of pulling in the entire GCC)
- multiversioning (you can use python2 and 3 simultaneously, php 56 and 71 simultaneously, perl 5.24 and 5.26 simultaneously etc, and build packages for all versions in the same build instead of picking just one default)
- 2-4 orders of magnitude faster with regards to scanning and processing
- due to compilation of ravensources into ravenports, syntax checking and linting are inbuilt, eliminating all sources of common contributor issues.
- built-in support for alternative versions of stock ports, aimed at corporate users to truly tailor for their needs.
I just revealed a new website: http://ravenports.ironwolf.systems/
General questions and commentary are welcome here. All specific questions are better sent to the two mail lists I set up. This is just a basic introduction for any people out there that are interested in following my new ports-based work.
-- John
[1] While pkgsrc is multisystem, it's NetBSD first as evidenced by numerous shims for other systems to use NetBSD headers, directories, clumsey boostrap process etc. Ravenports outclasses pkgsrc in terms of performance (several magnitudes) and non-NetBSD platform support.