# New user question about ports and packages



## pkginstall (Jan 21, 2014)

Hello,

I'm new to FreeBSD, and I have a question regarding the difference between ports and packages. My question is: what files or programs are available through packages using pkg_add(1), and which are only available through ports? I prefer using packages, because they install faster than installing from source, but there don't seem to be as many files available through packages as there are through ports. Secondly, are there some packages only available through pkgng and not available through pkg_add(1)? 

Thanks for any help on this question,

pkginstall


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## wblock@ (Jan 21, 2014)

pkginstall said:
			
		

> Hello,
> 
> I'm new to FreeBSD, and I have a question regarding the difference between ports and packages. My question is: what files or programs are available through packages using pkg_add, and which are only available through ports?



Many more are available through ports than packages.  The reasons vary.  Some applications have licenses that prohibit binary distribution, so can only be used as ports.



> I prefer using packages, because they install faster than installing from source, but there don't seem to be as many files available through packages as there are through ports. Secondly, are there some packages only available through pkgng, and not available through pkg_add?



There might be.  It would likely be due to differences on the package build machines.


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## Beastie (Jan 21, 2014)

Soon, all packages will only be available through pkg(7). FreeBSD 10.0 has been released yesterday and the old package management tools have been removed.

The newest .tbz packages for 9-STABLE are several months old.

Stick to pkg(7). It's the future.


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## SirDice (Jan 21, 2014)

Packages are basically nothing more than pre-compiled ports. Packages are built from ports so there's never a package without one. There are some closed-source packages on the internet, mostly commercial software. But there's no port for them as they're built by a 3rd party. And as @wblock@ said, not all ports have packages. 

As for pkg(7) vs. pkg_add(1) packages, if there is a package there's one for both systems. Because pkg_* is still the default on 8.x and 9.x (which are still supported) both systems will co-exist for quite a while. But I agree with @Beastie if you can, move to the new system. It's far better than the old.


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