You should be familiar with the Ports section of The FreeBSD Handbook. Pay careful attention to the difference between a port and a package.
Definitions for the hopelessly lazy
What is a port?
If you install the port, the source will be downloaded, patched if necessary, compiled and installed. You will have a chance to set any optional configuration items particular to that port. If the port is dependent upon another port, that port will also be installed. After installing, ports are identical to packages.
It is because of these compile time options that I prefer ports over packages.
What is a package?
A package is a compiled port. It is a binary. When you install the package, you will download a binary and it will be installed.
Packages often lag behind ports. That is usually because it takes time to compile the packages, etc. If you want the latest version, and the package is not available, then you should install the port.
Not all ports can have packages, often because of license restrictions that prevent binary distribution.
