20 Useful PKG Command Examples to Manage Packages in FreeBSD

Introduction

FreeBSD is a free and open-source Unix-like operating system based on Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD) system. It is widely used by developers, system administrators, and users who are looking for a reliable and secure operating system. One of main features of FreeBSD is its package management system, which allows users to easily install, update, and remove software packages. In this article, we will discuss 20 useful PKG command examples to manage packages in FreeBSD.

Installing Packages

To install a package in FreeBSD, you can use "pkg install" command followed by package name. For example, to install Apache web server, you can use following command −

pkg install apache24

Updating Packages

To update all installed packages in FreeBSD, you can use "pkg upgrade" command. This will update all installed packages to their latest versions. For example, to update all installed packages, you can use following command −

pkg upgrade

Searching for Packages

To search for a package in FreeBSD, you can use "pkg search" command followed by package name. For example, to search for Python programming language, you can use following command −

pkg search python

Listing Installed Packages

To list all installed packages in FreeBSD, you can use "pkg info" command. This will display a list of all installed packages along with their version numbers. For example, to list all installed packages, you can use following command −

pkg info

Removing Packages

To remove a package in FreeBSD, you can use "pkg remove" command followed by package name. For example, to remove Apache web server, you can use following command −

pkg remove apache24

Displaying Package Information

To display detailed information about a package in FreeBSD, you can use "pkg info" command followed by package name. This will display information such as package name, version number, description, and dependencies. For example, to display detailed information about Python programming language, you can use following command −

pkg info python

Displaying Package Dependencies

To display dependencies of a package in FreeBSD, you can use "pkg info" command followed by package name and "-d" option. For example, to display dependencies of Python programming language, you can use following command −

pkg info -d python

Displaying Package Size

To display size of a package in FreeBSD, you can use "pkg info" command followed by package name and "-s" option. For example, to display size of Python programming language package, you can use following command −

pkg info -s python

Displaying Package Origin

To display origin of a package in FreeBSD, you can use "pkg info" command followed by package name and "-q" option. For example, to display origin of Python programming language package, you can use following command −

pkg info -q python

Displaying Package License

To display license of a package in FreeBSD, you can use "pkg info" command followed by package name and "-l" option. For example, to display license of Python programming language package, you can use following command −

pkg info -l python

Listing Available Packages

To list all available packages in FreeBSD, you can use "pkg search" command followed by "-a" option. For example, to list all available packages, you can use following command −

pkg search -a

Listing Installed Packages by Size

To list all installed packages in FreeBSD sorted by size, you can use "pkg info" command followed by "--size" option. For example, to list all installed packages sorted by size, you can use following command −

pkg info --size

Upgrading a Specific Package

To upgrade a specific package in FreeBSD, you can use "pkg upgrade" command followed by package name. For example, to upgrade Python programming language package to its latest version, you can use following command −

pkg upgrade python

Listing Outdated Packages

To list all installed packages in FreeBSD that are outdated, you can use "pkg version" command followed by "-vL=" option. For example, to list all outdated packages, you can use following command −

pkg version -vL=

Downgrading a Package

To downgrade a package in FreeBSD, you can use "pkg install" command followed by package name and version number. For example, to downgrade Python programming language package to version 3.7.7, you can use following command −

pkg install python37-3.7.7

Reinstalling a Package

To reinstall a package in FreeBSD, you can use "pkg install" command followed by package name and "-f" option. For example, to reinstall Python programming language package, you can use following command −

pkg install -f python

Cleaning Package Cache

To clean package cache in FreeBSD, you can use "pkg clean" command. This will remove all old and unused packages from cache. For example, to clean package cache, you can use following command −

pkg clean

Listing Installed Packages by Category

To list all installed packages in FreeBSD sorted by category, you can use "pkg query" command followed by "%n-%v %C" option. For example, to list all installed packages sorted by category, you can use following command −

pkg query '%n-%v %C' | sort

Removing Orphaned Packages

To remove orphaned packages in FreeBSD, you can use "pkg autoremove" command. This will remove all packages that are no longer required by any other package. For example, to remove orphaned packages, you can use following command −

pkg autoremove

Listing Packages by Repository

To list all installed packages in FreeBSD sorted by repository, you can use "pkg query" command followed by "%n-%v %R" option. For example, to list all installed packages sorted by repository, you can use following command −

pkg query '%n-%v %R' | sort

Conclusion

In this article, we discussed 20 useful PKG command examples to manage packages in FreeBSD. These commands will help you to easily install, update, and remove packages in FreeBSD. Whether you are a developer, system administrator, or user, these commands will help you to keep your system up-to-date and secure. By mastering these commands, you can become more productive and efficient in managing packages in FreeBSD.