This brief guide includes:
- screenshots
- an explanation of why the latest option – not to be confused with packages from the main branch of the ports tree (familiarly known as latest) – is not reliable
- a hint about the current requirement to use TCP/IPv6 in some areas (see below, bug 262340).
Motivation
Primarily, to provide a point of reference in relation to frequently questions such as this:Why does pkg require you to remove other packages …
Why, when trying to install a new package viapkg
, the installer wants to remove or reinstall all important software. …
Editions
The guide:- was first published in January 2023
- was updated after 13.2-RELEASE was announced
- was not updated after 14.0-CURRENT was created
- will not be updated after 14.0-RELEASE is announced
- will not be updated when 12.4-RELEASE dies.
Errata
For now, please note that one line is significantly outdated (sorry):Packages for FreeBSD 14.0-CURRENT: main-amd64.
– it should read:
Packages for FreeBSD 15.0-CURRENT on AMD64: main-amd64.
Related
262340 – Accessing package builder status pages over IPv4
bugs.freebsd.org