Introduction

FreeBSD's pkg(8) is a powerful, modern tool for managing packages. This page hopes to provide a resource through which you can translate your existing package management knowledge directly to FreeBSD.

This page is presently a work in progress.

Contents

Introduction
Traditional ports (FreeBSD, DragonFly)
OpenBSD tools
pkgsrc (NetBSD and others)
apt-get / dpkg (Debian, Ubuntu, Mint)
apt (Debian bases, Ubuntu, Mint, ...)
yum / rpm (RHEL 7, CentOS 7)
zypper / rpm (SuSE, OpenSuSE)
dnf / rpm (Fedora)
emerge (Gentoo)
pacman (Arch)
slackpkg / sbotools (Slackware)
Solaris package tools
Your system's tools...
Notes
To Do for this page:

Traditional ports (FreeBSD, DragonFly)

Task	ports	pkg
Configuration files/dirs	/etc/pkg/ /usr/local/etc/pkg/ /usr/local/etc/pkg.conf
Package database (local)	/var/db/pkg/local.sqlite
Package database (remote)	/var/db/pkg/repo-*.sqlite
Locally cached packages	/usr/ports/Packages/All/ /var/cache/pkg/*.pkg
Update database (remote)	portsnap fetch update	pkg update
Manual pages	man 8 ports	pkg help subcommand man 8 pkg-subcommand
Search package	make -C /usr/ports quicksearch name=pattern make -C /usr/ports quicksearch key=pattern (description)	pkg search pattern (only by name)
Install package	make -C /usr/ports/category/port install clean	pkg install packagename
Delete single package	make -C /usr/ports/category/port deinstall	pkg delete -f packagename
Delete package and dependencies	pkg delete packagename
List installed packages	pkg info
List files installed by a package	pkg info -l packagename
Upgrade single package with dependencies	make -C /usr/ports/category/port build deinstall reinstall	pkg upgrade packagename
Upgrade all packages	portmaster -a (ports/ports-mgmt/portmaster)	pkg upgrade
Delete automatically installed packages	pkg autoremove
Delete outdated cached packages	portmaster --clean-distfiles (deletes distfiles)	pkg clean
Show repository stats	pkg stats
Find installed package by filename	pkg which filepath
Show vulnerable installed packages	pkg audit -F
Show special updating instructions	less /usr/ports/UPDATING	pkg updating

OpenBSD tools

Task	...	pkg
Configuration files/dirs	...	/etc/pkg/ /usr/local/etc/pkg/ /usr/local/etc/pkg.conf
Package database (local)	...	/var/db/pkg/local.sqlite
Package database (remote)	...	/var/db/pkg/repo-*.sqlite
Locally cached packages	...	/var/cache/pkg/*.pkg
Update database (remote)	...	pkg update
Manual pages	...	pkg help subcommand man 8 pkg-subcommand
Search package	...	pkg search pattern (only by name)
Install package	...	pkg install packagename
Delete single package	...	pkg delete -f packagename
Delete package and dependencies	...	pkg delete packagename
List installed packages	...	pkg info
List files installed by a package	...	pkg info -l packagename
Upgrade single package with dependencies	...	pkg upgrade packagename
Upgrade all packages	...	pkg upgrade
Delete automatically installed packages	...	pkg autoremove
Delete outdated cached packages	...	pkg clean
Show repository stats	...	pkg stats
Find installed package by filename	...	pkg which filepath
Show vulnerable installed packages	...	pkg audit -F
Show special updating instructions	...	pkg updating

pkgsrc (NetBSD and others)

Task	pkgsrc	pkg
Configuration files/dirs	...	/etc/pkg/ /usr/local/etc/pkg/ /usr/local/etc/pkg.conf
Package database (local)	...	/var/db/pkg/local.sqlite
Package database (remote)	...	/var/db/pkg/repo-*.sqlite
Locally cached packages	...	/var/cache/pkg/*.pkg
Update database (remote)	...	pkg update
Manual pages	...	pkg help subcommand man 8 pkg-subcommand
Search package	...	pkg search pattern (only by name)
Install package	...	pkg install packagename
Delete single package	...	pkg delete -f packagename
Delete package and dependencies	...	pkg delete packagename
List installed packages	...	pkg info
List files installed by a package	...	pkg info -l packagename
Upgrade single package with dependencies	...	pkg upgrade packagename
Upgrade all packages	...	pkg upgrade
Delete automatically installed packages	...	pkg autoremove
Delete outdated cached packages	...	pkg clean
Show repository stats	...	pkg stats
Find installed package by filename	...	pkg which filepath
Show vulnerable installed packages	...	pkg audit -F
Show special updating instructions	...	pkg updating

apt-get / dpkg (Debian, Ubuntu, Mint)

Task	apt-get / dpkg	pkg
Configuration files/dirs	/etc/apt	/etc/pkg/ /usr/local/etc/pkg/ /usr/local/etc/pkg.conf
Package database (local)	/var/lib/dpkg/status	/var/db/pkg/local.sqlite
Package database (remote)	/var/lib/apt/lists/*	/var/db/pkg/repo-*.sqlite
Locally cached packages	/var/cache/apt/archives/*.deb	/var/cache/pkg/*.pkg
Update database (remote)	apt-get update	pkg update
Manual pages	apt-get(8), apt-cache(8), dpkg(1)	pkg help subcommand man 8 pkg-subcommand
Search package	apt-cache search pattern	pkg search pattern (only by name)
Install package	apt-get install packagename	pkg install packagename
Delete single package	apt-get remove packagename	pkg delete -f packagename
Delete package and dependencies	...	pkg delete packagename
List installed packages	dpkg -l	pkg info
List files installed by a package	dpkg -L packagename	pkg info -l packagename
Upgrade single package with dependencies	apt-get install packagename	pkg upgrade packagename
Upgrade all packages	apt-get dist-upgrade	pkg upgrade
Delete automatically installed packages	apt-get autoremove	pkg autoremove
Delete outdated cached packages	apt-get autoclean	pkg clean
Show repository stats	pkg stats	pkg stats
Find installed package by filename	dpkg -S filepath	pkg which filepath
Show vulnerable installed packages	---	pkg audit -F
Show special updating instructions	---	pkg updating

apt (Debian bases, Ubuntu, Mint, ...)

Task	apt	pkg
Configuration files/dirs	...	/etc/pkg/ /usr/local/etc/pkg/ /usr/local/etc/pkg.conf
Package database (local)	...	/var/db/pkg/local.sqlite
Package database (remote)	...	/var/db/pkg/repo-*.sqlite
Locally cached packages	...	/var/cache/pkg/*.pkg
Update database (remote)	...	pkg update
Manual pages	...	pkg help subcommand man 8 pkg-subcommand
Search package	...	pkg search pattern (only by name)
Install package	...	pkg install packagename
Delete single package	...	pkg delete -f packagename
Delete package and dependencies	...	pkg delete packagename
List installed packages	...	pkg info
List files installed by a package	...	pkg info -l packagename
Upgrade single package with dependencies	...	pkg upgrade packagename
Upgrade all packages	...	pkg upgrade
Delete automatically installed packages	...	pkg autoremove
Delete outdated cached packages	...	pkg clean
Show repository stats	...	pkg stats
Find installed package by filename	...	pkg which filepath
Show vulnerable installed packages	...	pkg audit -F
Show special updating instructions	...	pkg updating

yum / rpm (RHEL 7, CentOS 7)

Task	yum / rpm	pkg
Configuration files/dirs	/etc/yum.conf /etc/yum.repos.d/	/etc/pkg/ /usr/local/etc/pkg/ /usr/local/etc/pkg.conf
Package database (local)	/var/lib/rpm/	/var/db/pkg/local.sqlite
Package database (remote)	/var/cache/yum/arch/release/*	/var/db/pkg/repo-*.sqlite
Locally cached packages	/var/cache/yum/arch/release/repo/packages/	/var/cache/pkg/*.pkg
Update database (remote)	yum makecache	pkg update
Manual pages	man 8 yum man 8 rpm	pkg help subcommand man 8 pkg-subcommand
Search package	yum search pattern	pkg search pattern (only by name)
Install package	yum install packagename	pkg install packagename
Delete single package	yum remove packagename	pkg delete -f packagename
Delete package and dependencies	yum autoremove packagename	pkg delete packagename
List installed packages	rpm -qa yum info	pkg info
List files installed by a package	rpm -ql packagename	pkg info -l packagename
Upgrade single package with dependencies	yum upgrade packagename yum upgrade-to versionedpackagename	pkg upgrade packagename
Upgrade all packages	yum update (also see yum(8) for 'yum upgrade')	pkg upgrade
Delete automatically installed packages	yum autoremove	pkg autoremove
Delete outdated cached packages	yum clean packages (removes all cached packages)	pkg clean
Show repository stats	yum history stats yum repoinfo	pkg stats
Find installed package by filename	rpm -qf filepath	pkg which filepath
Show vulnerable installed packages	yum list-security yum --security check-update (both are RHEL-only)	pkg audit -F
Show special updating instructions	(no equivalent)	pkg updating

zypper / rpm (SuSE, OpenSuSE)

Task	zypper / rpm	pkg
Configuration files/dirs	...	/etc/pkg/ /usr/local/etc/pkg/ /usr/local/etc/pkg.conf
Package database (local)	...	/var/db/pkg/local.sqlite
Package database (remote)	...	/var/db/pkg/repo-*.sqlite
Locally cached packages	...	/var/cache/pkg/*.pkg
Update database (remote)	...	pkg update
Manual pages	...	pkg help subcommand man 8 pkg-subcommand
Search package	...	pkg search pattern (only by name)
Install package	...	pkg install packagename
Delete single package	...	pkg delete -f packagename
Delete package and dependencies	...	pkg delete packagename
List installed packages	...	pkg info
List files installed by a package	...	pkg info -l packagename
Upgrade single package with dependencies	...	pkg upgrade packagename
Upgrade all packages	...	pkg upgrade
Delete automatically installed packages	...	pkg autoremove
Delete outdated cached packages	...	pkg clean
Show repository stats	...	pkg stats
Find installed package by filename	...	pkg which filepath
Show vulnerable installed packages	...	pkg audit -F
Show special updating instructions	...	pkg updating

dnf / rpm (Fedora)

Task	dnf / rpm	pkg
Configuration files/dirs	...	/etc/pkg/ /usr/local/etc/pkg/ /usr/local/etc/pkg.conf
Package database (local)	...	/var/db/pkg/local.sqlite
Package database (remote)	...	/var/db/pkg/repo-*.sqlite
Locally cached packages	...	/var/cache/pkg/*.pkg
Update database (remote)	...	pkg update
Manual pages	...	pkg help subcommand man 8 pkg-subcommand
Search package	...	pkg search pattern (only by name)
Install package	...	pkg install packagename
Delete single package	...	pkg delete -f packagename
Delete package and dependencies	...	pkg delete packagename
List installed packages	...	pkg info
List files installed by a package	...	pkg info -l packagename
Upgrade single package with dependencies	...	pkg upgrade packagename
Upgrade all packages	...	pkg upgrade
Delete automatically installed packages	...	pkg autoremove
Delete outdated cached packages	...	pkg clean
Show repository stats	...	pkg stats
Find installed package by filename	...	pkg which filepath
Show vulnerable installed packages	...	pkg audit -F
Show special updating instructions	...	pkg updating

emerge (Gentoo)

Task	emerge	pkg
Configuration files/dirs	...	/etc/pkg/ /usr/local/etc/pkg/ /usr/local/etc/pkg.conf
Package database (local)	...	/var/db/pkg/local.sqlite
Package database (remote)	...	/var/db/pkg/repo-*.sqlite
Locally cached packages	...	/var/cache/pkg/*.pkg
Update database (remote)	...	pkg update
Manual pages	...	pkg help subcommand man 8 pkg-subcommand
Search package	...	pkg search pattern (only by name)
Install package	...	pkg install packagename
Delete single package	...	pkg delete -f packagename
Delete package and dependencies	...	pkg delete packagename
List installed packages	...	pkg info
List files installed by a package	...	pkg info -l packagename
Upgrade single package with dependencies	...	pkg upgrade packagename
Upgrade all packages	...	pkg upgrade
Delete automatically installed packages	...	pkg autoremove
Delete outdated cached packages	...	pkg clean
Show repository stats	...	pkg stats
Find installed package by filename	...	pkg which filepath
Show vulnerable installed packages	...	pkg audit -F
Show special updating instructions	...	pkg updating

pacman (Arch)

Task	pacman	pkg
Configuration files/dirs	/etc/pacman.d/ /etc/pacman.conf	/etc/pkg/ /usr/local/etc/pkg/ /usr/local/etc/pkg.conf
Package database (local)	/var/lib/pacman/local/	/var/db/pkg/local.sqlite
Package database (remote)	/var/lib/pacman/sync/	/var/db/pkg/repo-*.sqlite
Locally cached packages	/var/cache/pacman/pkg/	/var/cache/pkg/*.pkg
Update database (remote)	pacman -Sy (Use caution)	pkg update
Manual pages	pacman operation --help man 8 pacman	pkg help subcommand man 8 pkg-subcommand
Search package	pacman -Ss pattern (remote) pacman -Qs pattern (installed)	pkg search pattern (only by name)
Install package	pacman -S packagename	pkg install packagename
Delete single package	pacman -R packagename	pkg delete -f packagename
Delete package and dependencies	pacman -Rs packagename	pkg delete packagename
List installed packages	pacman -Q	pkg info
List files installed by a package	pacman -Ql packagename	pkg info -l packagename
Upgrade single package with dependencies	(Not supported)	pkg upgrade packagename
Upgrade all packages	pacman -Syu	pkg upgrade
Delete automatically installed packages	...	pkg autoremove
Delete outdated cached packages	pacman -Sc	pkg clean
Show repository stats	...	pkg stats
Find installed package by filename	pacman -Qo filepath	pkg which filepath
Show vulnerable installed packages	...	pkg audit -F
Show special updating instructions	...	pkg updating

slackpkg / sbotools (Slackware)

Task	slackpkg / sbotools	pkg
Configuration files/dirs	/etc/slackpkg/* /etc/sbotools/sbotools.conf man 5 sbotools.conf man 1 sboconf	/etc/pkg/ /usr/local/etc/pkg/ /usr/local/etc/pkg.conf
Package database (local)	/var/log/packages	/var/db/pkg/local.sqlite
Package database (remote)	/var/lib/slackpkg/	/var/db/pkg/repo-*.sqlite
Locally cached packages	/var/cache/packages/ /usr/sbo/repo	/var/cache/pkg/*.pkg
Update database (remote)	slackpkg update	pkg update
Manual pages	man 8 slackpkg man 1 sbosubcommand	pkg help subcommand man 8 pkg-subcommand
Search package	sbofind pattern	pkg search pattern (only by name)
Install package	sboinstall packagename	pkg install packagename
Delete single package	removepkg packagename	pkg delete -f packagename
Delete package and dependencies	sboremove packagename (slackbuilds.org packages only)	pkg delete packagename
List installed packages	ls /var/log/packages	pkg info
List files installed by a package	cat /var/log/packages/packagename	pkg info -l packagename
Upgrade single package with dependencies	sboupgrade packagename (slackbuilds.org only)	pkg upgrade packagename
Upgrade all packages	slackpkg upgrade ; slackpkg install-new ; slackpkg upgrade-all sboupgrade --all	pkg upgrade
Delete automatically installed packages	no equivalent	pkg autoremove
Delete outdated cached packages	no equivalent	pkg clean
Show repository stats	no equivalent	pkg stats
Find installed package by filename	grep filepath /var/log/packages/*	pkg which filepath
Show vulnerable installed packages	no equivalent	pkg audit -F
Show special updating instructions	no equvialent	pkg updating

Solaris package tools

Task	pkgadd etc.	pkg
Configuration files/dirs	...	/etc/pkg/ /usr/local/etc/pkg/ /usr/local/etc/pkg.conf
Package database (local)	...	/var/db/pkg/local.sqlite
Package database (remote)	...	/var/db/pkg/repo-*.sqlite
Locally cached packages	...	/var/cache/pkg/*.pkg
Update database (remote)	...	pkg update
Manual pages	...	pkg help subcommand man 8 pkg-subcommand
Search package	...	pkg search pattern (only by name)
Install package	...	pkg install packagename
Delete single package	...	pkg delete -f packagename
Delete package and dependencies	...	pkg delete packagename
List installed packages	...	pkg info
List files installed by a package	...	pkg info -l packagename
Upgrade single package with dependencies	...	pkg upgrade packagename
Upgrade all packages	...	pkg upgrade
Delete automatically installed packages	...	pkg autoremove
Delete outdated cached packages	...	pkg clean
Show repository stats	...	pkg stats
Find installed package by filename	...	pkg which filepath
Show vulnerable installed packages	...	pkg audit -F
Show special updating instructions	...	pkg updating

Your system's tools...

Tell us what we're missing!

Notes

Unlike some other package managers, FreeBSD's pkg does not handle starting and stopping of services when packages are installed or deleted. You have to use "service rcscript <start|stop|restart>" manually. To restart all enabled services installed from ports use "service -R"

To Do for this page:

Note rc.conf, and more generally, service start syntax and requirements per system.
Note FreeBSD distinctions: pkg, ports, base
Note how to mix ports and packages, and note port tree branching. Discuss Poudriere.
Note svn for updates, not just portsnap
Note freebsd-update, since this is a package operation elsewhere

CategoryPorts

PackageManagerRosettaStone (last edited 2023-05-30T07:48:27+0000 by PatrickChieppe)