xref: /openbsd/distrib/notes/packages (revision 09467b48)
1dnl	$OpenBSD: packages,v 1.51 2019/08/01 19:42:51 jmc Exp $
2As complete as your OpenBSD system is, you may want to add any of several
3excellent third party software applications.  There are several ways to do
4this.  You can:
5
61) Use the OpenBSD package collection to grab a pre-compiled
7   and tested version of the application for your hardware.
8
92) Use the OpenBSD ports collection to automatically get any
10   needed source file, apply any required patches, create the
11   application, and install it for you.
12
133) Obtain the source code and build the application based
14   upon whatever installation procedures are provided with the
15   application.
16
17Instructions for installing applications from the various sources using
18the different installation methods follow.
19
20You should also refer to the packages(7) manual page.
21
22Installing applications from the ftp.OpenBSD.org package collection:
23
24	All available packages for your architecture have been placed on
25	ftp.OpenBSD.org in the directory pub/OpenBSD/OSREV/packages/MACHINE_ARCH/
26	You may want to peruse this to see what packages are available.  The
27	packages are also on the OpenBSD mirror sites.  See
28
29		https://www.OpenBSD.org/ftp.html
30
31	for a list of current mirror sites.
32
33	Installation of a package is very easy.
34	1) become the superuser (root)
35	2) use the "pkg_add" command to install the software
36
37	"pkg_add" is smart enough to know how to download the software
38	from the OpenBSD HTTP server.  Example:
39
40    $ su
41    Password: <enter your root password>
42    # pkg_add \
43      http://ftp.OpenBSD.org/pub/OpenBSD/{:--:}OSREV/packages/MACHINE_ARCH/emacs-21.4p32.tgz
44
45Installing applications from the OpenBSD ports collection:
46
47	See https://www.openbsd.org/faq/faq15.html#Ports for current
48	instructions on obtaining and installing OpenBSD ports.
49
50	You should also refer to the ports(7) manual page.
51
52Installing other applications:
53
54	If an OpenBSD package or port does not exist for an application
55	you're pretty much on your own.  The first thing to do is ask
56	<ports@OpenBSD.org> if anyone is working on a port -- there may
57	be one in progress.  If no such port exists, you might want to
58	look at the FreeBSD ports or NetBSD pkgsrc for inspiration.
59
60	If you can't find an existing port, try to make your own and
61	feed it back to OpenBSD.  That's how our ports collection grows.
62	Some details can be found in the OpenBSD Porter's Handbook at
63	https://www.openbsd.org/faq/ports/
64	with more help coming from the mailing list, <ports@OpenBSD.org>.
65