pkgsrc
pkgsrc (package source) is a package management system for Unix-like operating systems. It was forked from the FreeBSD ports collection in 1997 as the primary package management system for NetBSD. Since then it has evolved independently; in 1999, support for Solaris was added, followed by support for other operating systems.
| Developer(s) | Alistair Crooks, Hubert Feyrer and Johnny C. Lam |
|---|---|
| Initial release | January 4, 1998 |
| Stable release | 2023Q3
/ 28 September 2023 |
| Repository | |
| Written in | C, Unix shell |
| Operating system | Unix-like |
| Type | Package management system |
| License | BSD License |
| Website | www |
pkgsrc currently contains over 22,000 packages and includes most popular open-source software. It is the native package manager on NetBSD, SmartOS and MINIX 3, and is portable across 23 different operating systems, including AIX, various BSD derivatives, HP-UX, IRIX, Linux, macOS, Solaris, and QNX.
There are multiple ways to install programs using pkgsrc. The pkgsrc bootstrap contains a traditional ports collection that utilizes a series of makefiles to compile software from source. Another method is to install pre-built binary packages via the pkg_add and pkg_delete tools. A high-level utility named pkgin also exists, and is designed to automate the installation, removal, and update of binary packages in a manner similar to Debian's Advanced Packaging Tool.
Several vendors, including MNX.io, provide binary packages for popular operating systems, including macOS and Linux.