# Portsnap



## mechanic (Aug 15, 2010)

I see portsnap provides an easy way to keep the system software updated - but it requires a re-installation of the /usr/ports stuff after it was already installed during FreeBSD installation. Better to skip installing ports using sysinstall, and install later using portsnap? The installer doesn't mention this possibility.


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## phoenix (Aug 15, 2010)

Correct.  Don't install the ports tree off the CD.  Instead, use `[b]portsnap fetch install[/b]` to download the ports tree.  After that, just use `[b]portsnap fetch update[/b]` to keep the ports tree up-to-date.


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## wblock@ (Aug 15, 2010)

mechanic said:
			
		

> I see portsnap provides an easy way to keep the system software updated



Not the system software (OS), but the ports tree for installing applications.  Then you can use an update tool like portmaster or portupgrade to actually update installed applications.


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## mechanic (Aug 15, 2010)

Oh, right, so how do I keep the system software updated?


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## mechanic (Aug 15, 2010)

Sorry, I found a section on this in the Handbook, using freebsd-update and so on!


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## DutchDaemon (Aug 15, 2010)

Just read The Handbook. No need to go over this again. http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/


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