Upgrading base packages

[Morris Minor]

Learning my way around here. The shipping version of FreeBSD ships with particular versions of base utilities. What's the procedure for upgrading those base shipping versions to the latest available versions as found in Ports/Packages?

Example. I'm using FreeBSD 10.3 - which includes Unbound 1.57 out of the box. How do I update that to Unbound 1.60?

If I were to install Unbound 1.6 from either ports of packages, would they upgrade the 1.57 already installed?

 

[rigoletto@]

The base version can not be upgraded directly, but you can install the newer version from ports. However, sometimes it can bring some issues, like the one you had with Unbound, Thread 59245, and maybe some conflicts.

So, if you are whiling to extensively use ports of software already present in the base system, I think would be a good idea recompile the system with all those software disabled on base.

Take a look at here and src.conf(5).

Keep in mind, everything from base are installed at /usr and everything (but few exceptions) from pkg/ports are is installed at /usr/local.

 

[ShelLuser]

Keep in mind though that the latest isn't always the greatest (not per definition anyway). If there are specific features which are available in the latest version and not in the one shipped with the base system then an upgrade could be something to consider. But don't focus yourself solely on just the version number.

If you're worried about bugfixes and such then keep in mind that those are also often 'back ported'.

 

[ANOKNUSA]

If I were to install Unbound 1.6 from either ports of packages, would they upgrade the 1.57 already installed?

The two would be installed side-by-side. There are no "base packages;" the FreeBSD operating system is one package. It all gets developed together, it all gets installed together, it all gets upgraded together. Updates to the base system only occur when (a) a patch is released to fix a security or stability issue; or (b) when there is a new release. I don't think you would need to rebuild world as lebarondemerde suggested, though you might want to for the sake of keeping the system "clean."

While there is currently a project underway to package the base system so that it can be distributed, customized, and updated with pkg(8), it will still be managed independent of third-party ports/packages.