How to use the command 'ports' (with examples)

The ‘ports’ command is used to update and list the ports tree on a CRUX system. The ports tree is a collection of files that contain information about available software packages for installation. By updating the ports tree, users can ensure that they have the latest information about available packages and versions. The ‘ports’ command also allows users to check the differences between installed packages and the ports tree.

Use case 1: Update the ports tree

Code:

ports -u

Motivation:

Updating the ports tree is necessary to get the latest information about available software packages and their versions. By running this command, users can ensure that they have access to the latest software offerings.

Explanation:

The ‘-u’ argument tells the ‘ports’ command to update the ports tree. It fetches the latest information from the CRUX ports repository and updates the local ports tree accordingly.

Example output:

Fetching updated ports tree...
Updating ports tree...
Done.

Use case 2: List the ports in the current tree

Code:

ports -l

Motivation:

When working with the ‘ports’ command, it can be helpful to see a list of all the available ports in the current tree. This allows users to browse the available software packages and versions.

Explanation:

The ‘-l’ argument tells the ‘ports’ command to list the ports in the current tree. It displays the names and descriptions of all the available ports in the local ports tree.

Example output:

php:
  PHP is a popular general-purpose scripting language that is especially suited to web development.
apache:
  Apache is a widely-used web server software.
...

Use case 3: Check the differences between installed packages and the ports tree

Code:

ports -d

Motivation:

When managing software packages on a CRUX system, it can be useful to check for any differences between the currently installed packages and the versions available in the ports tree. This helps identify if any updates or modifications are needed.

Explanation:

The ‘-d’ argument tells the ‘ports’ command to check the differences between installed packages and the ports tree. It compares the versions of installed packages with those available in the ports tree and provides a report on any discrepancies.

Example output:

Checking differences between installed packages and the ports tree...
Package: php
Installed version: 7.4.3
Available version: 7.4.5
Package php has an available update.
...

Conclusion:

The ‘ports’ command is a useful tool for managing software packages on a CRUX system. It allows users to update the ports tree to get the latest information about available software packages. Users can also list the ports in the current tree to browse available packages and check the differences between installed packages and the ports tree.