# How are ports allocated to directories?



## kjpetrie (Dec 15, 2022)

I wonder how ports are allocated to sub-directories in the tree. Why, for instance, have we security/py-certbot and security/acme.sh but sysutils/getssl?


----------



## cracauer@ (Dec 15, 2022)

The original author of the port can pick pretty much as they like.


----------



## zirias@ (Dec 15, 2022)

There are guidelines of course. Ports can have any number of `CATEGORIES` (typically just one or a few), some categories are "virtual", but most are "physical" which means they correspond to a directory in the tree. Every port must have one _primary_ category, this will be the directory where it is put. It should be the "best match" (as specific as possible while correctly describing what kind of job this software does).

But then, ask a few people and you will get different opinions what should be the best matching category for a specific port. 

So, indeed, the original author of a port will put it somewhere. If this choice isn't blantantly wrong, the port will stay there.


----------

