#pkgbase — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #pkgbase, aggregated by home.social.
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A bug in my Ansible connection plugin needed a real FreeBSD jail to reproduce. So I put three of them on an idle 512 MB free-tier VPS.
With pkgbase, the base userland is just 33 MB. And persistent jails use zero idle processes. Here’s the build, the regression test, and the two sharp edges that cost me twenty minutes:
https://blog.hofstede.it/three-test-jails-on-a-512-mb-free-tier-vps/
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A bug in my Ansible connection plugin needed a real FreeBSD jail to reproduce. So I put three of them on an idle 512 MB free-tier VPS.
With pkgbase, the base userland is just 33 MB. And persistent jails use zero idle processes. Here’s the build, the regression test, and the two sharp edges that cost me twenty minutes:
https://blog.hofstede.it/three-test-jails-on-a-512-mb-free-tier-vps/
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I converted another host to pkgbase with `pkgbasify`. Worked great!
Even updated the jail base:
./pkgbasify --rootdir /usr/local/bastille/releases/15.1-RELEASE
Bastille even detects that the jail base has been updated, and the next `bastille update 15.1-RELEASE` automatically uses pkg.
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I converted another host to pkgbase with `pkgbasify`. Worked great!
Even updated the jail base:
./pkgbasify --rootdir /usr/local/bastille/releases/15.1-RELEASE
Bastille even detects that the jail base has been updated, and the next `bastille update 15.1-RELEASE` automatically uses pkg.
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@dvl also (Indonesian, with reference to one of your posts):
FreeBSD migrasi ke pkgbase vol.2: JAIL
https://kusaeni.com/jurnal/freebsd-jail-migrasi-ke-pkgbase/
– https://sok.egois.org/@poes/statuses/01KYCBBTWA642B71Y3FK0S4A6G @poes
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@dvl also (Indonesian, with reference to one of your posts):
FreeBSD migrasi ke pkgbase vol.2: JAIL
https://kusaeni.com/jurnal/freebsd-jail-migrasi-ke-pkgbase/
– https://sok.egois.org/@poes/statuses/01KYCBBTWA642B71Y3FK0S4A6G @poes
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I took a chance and converted a Raspberry Pi FreeBSD system with pkgbasify.
It was using a pre-built image from /ftp/snapshots/arm64/aarch64/ISO-IMAGES/15.1/
Seems like it went OK. When I run 'freebsd-update fetch', I get this:
% doas freebsd-update fetch
Password:
freebsd-update is incompatible with the use of packaged base. Please see
https://wiki.freebsd.org/PkgBase for more information.In general, is there a foolproof way to check if a FreeBSD system is using pkgbase?
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I took a chance and converted a Raspberry Pi FreeBSD system with pkgbasify.
It was using a pre-built image from /ftp/snapshots/arm64/aarch64/ISO-IMAGES/15.1/
Seems like it went OK. When I run 'freebsd-update fetch', I get this:
% doas freebsd-update fetch
Password:
freebsd-update is incompatible with the use of packaged base. Please see
https://wiki.freebsd.org/PkgBase for more information.In general, is there a foolproof way to check if a FreeBSD system is using pkgbase?
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@thomrstrom thanks.
Choosing pkgbase positively transformed my use of CURRENT as a daily driver in February 2024 (<https://forums.freebsd.org/posts/673576>).
I never regretted the choice.
Cc @feld
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@thomrstrom thanks.
Choosing pkgbase positively transformed my use of CURRENT as a daily driver in February 2024 (<https://forums.freebsd.org/posts/673576>).
I never regretted the choice.
Cc @feld
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⚙ D56632 handbook: Updating FreeBSD with packages reworked, Event: Wiesbaden Hackathon 202604
https://reviews.freebsd.org/D56632
– that might lead to the next significant update to the FreeBSD Handbook.
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⚙ D56632 handbook: Updating FreeBSD with packages reworked, Event: Wiesbaden Hackathon 202604
https://reviews.freebsd.org/D56632
– that might lead to the next significant update to the FreeBSD Handbook.
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@NebulaTide free space. Remember to occasionally clear the package cache.
Long ago (much more than a year) I learnt the hard way with poudriere jails. I probably never reported the issue, but (at a glance) it might have been what was reported last month:
pkgbase pkg cache lacks cleaning · Issue #1343 · freebsd/poudriere — <https://github.com/freebsd/poudriere/issues/1343>
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@NebulaTide free space. Remember to occasionally clear the package cache.
Long ago (much more than a year) I learnt the hard way with poudriere jails. I probably never reported the issue, but (at a glance) it might have been what was reported last month:
pkgbase pkg cache lacks cleaning · Issue #1343 · freebsd/poudriere — <https://github.com/freebsd/poudriere/issues/1343>
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2026: "freebsd-update is outdated (I should treat it as legacy), as is documentation for freebsd-update. There's no hint to use the FreeBSD-ports-kmods package repo before the first boot of 15.1." – <https://www.reddit.com/r/freebsd/comments/1u8uh8v/comment/osbuo8f/>
2019: "… I'm not working on this code any more." – <https://bugs.freebsd.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=120552#c4>
There has been plenty of work since then – <https://cgit.freebsd.org/src/log/usr.sbin/freebsd-update/freebsd-update.sh> – however I don't expect it to keep pace with modernisations such as FreeBSD-ports-kmods.
#FreeBSD #update #upgrade #legacy #documentation #pkg #pkgbase
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2026: "freebsd-update is outdated (I should treat it as legacy), as is documentation for freebsd-update. There's no hint to use the FreeBSD-ports-kmods package repo before the first boot of 15.1." – <https://www.reddit.com/r/freebsd/comments/1u8uh8v/comment/osbuo8f/>
2019: "… I'm not working on this code any more." – <https://bugs.freebsd.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=120552#c4>
There has been plenty of work since then – <https://cgit.freebsd.org/src/log/usr.sbin/freebsd-update/freebsd-update.sh> – however I don't expect it to keep pace with modernisations such as FreeBSD-ports-kmods.
#FreeBSD #update #upgrade #legacy #documentation #pkg #pkgbase
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*Big* shoutout to the #FreeBSD team that created #pkgbase and the 15.1 release.
I upgraded 3 different notebooks and a desktop today, each update just took a few minutes.
This was the first upgrade since a very long time that was completely smooth by just following the excellently documented steps in the upgrade notes (https://www.freebsd.org/releases/15.1R/upgrading/#upgrade-pkg).
No need to manually deal with incompatible DRM kmods anymore. No searching the web anymore to make sure one doesn't have to fix the system in single user mode.
And simply keeping the system patch level up to date with #pkg is very slick as well.
Thank you very much for all that!
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*Big* shoutout to the #FreeBSD team that created #pkgbase and the 15.1 release.
I upgraded 3 different notebooks and a desktop today, each update just took a few minutes.
This was the first upgrade since a very long time that was completely smooth by just following the excellently documented steps in the upgrade notes (https://www.freebsd.org/releases/15.1R/upgrading/#upgrade-pkg).
No need to manually deal with incompatible DRM kmods anymore. No searching the web anymore to make sure one doesn't have to fix the system in single user mode.
And simply keeping the system patch level up to date with #pkg is very slick as well.
Thank you very much for all that!
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RE: https://mastodon.bsd.cafe/@grahamperrin/115090704022436732
Create tool for binary upgrades between major/minor versions using pkgbase · Laptop Project Board – FreeBSD Foundation
From this week's update:
"… This is still at the top of my TODO list for FreeBSD work however and work will be resumed as soon as I find the time."
#FreeBSD #pkgbase #pkg #upgrade
💚 @FreeBSDFoundation and all others involved :freebsd: :freebsd_logo:
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RE: https://mastodon.bsd.cafe/@grahamperrin/115090704022436732
Create tool for binary upgrades between major/minor versions using pkgbase · Laptop Project Board – FreeBSD Foundation
From this week's update:
"… This is still at the top of my TODO list for FreeBSD work however and work will be resumed as soon as I find the time."
#FreeBSD #pkgbase #pkg #upgrade
💚 @FreeBSDFoundation and all others involved :freebsd: :freebsd_logo:
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@kaixin I think, the best we can hope for is the descriptions of the meta packages (also known as sets, not to be confused with pkg-set).
pkgbase(7)
https://man.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=pkgbase&sektion=7&manpath=freebsd-current
pkg-set(8)
https://man.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=pkg-set&sektion=8&manpath=freebsd-ports
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@kaixin I think, the best we can hope for is the descriptions of the meta packages (also known as sets, not to be confused with pkg-set).
pkgbase(7)
https://man.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=pkgbase&sektion=7&manpath=freebsd-current
pkg-set(8)
https://man.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=pkg-set&sektion=8&manpath=freebsd-ports
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RE: https://mastodon.bsd.cafe/@stefano/116703115443140625
@jana thanks!
I would have added just one point: base system updates no longer require freebsd-update …
Postscript: I heard the point made in Q&A in the recording <https://mastodon.bsd.cafe/@grahamperrin/116704606382877310> after the event, but not during the live stream.
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RE: https://mastodon.bsd.cafe/@stefano/116703115443140625
@jana thanks!
I would have added just one point: base system updates no longer require freebsd-update …
Postscript: I heard the point made in Q&A in the recording <https://mastodon.bsd.cafe/@grahamperrin/116704606382877310> after the event, but not during the live stream.
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As FreeBSD PKGBASE moves faster then its documentation - some light on these:
- *.pkgnew
- *.pkgsave
- .pkgtemp.*
https://vermaden.wordpress.com/2026/05/10/freebsd-pkgbase-minor-upgrades/#comment-27442
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As FreeBSD PKGBASE moves faster then its documentation - some light on these:
- *.pkgnew
- *.pkgsave
- .pkgtemp.*
https://vermaden.wordpress.com/2026/05/10/freebsd-pkgbase-minor-upgrades/#comment-27442
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My changes to pkgbase documentation in the FreeBSD wiki prior to 19th August 2025:
<https://wiki.freebsd.org/action/info/PkgBase?action=info>
The more recent page (fourth edition, outdated):
<https://wiki.freebsd.org/pkgbase>
I should have removed myself from the wiki following the rude email that I received, from a FreeBSD developer, in August 2025. That's when my contributions to the wiki ceased. Pictured: completion of an overdue task – today, I removed myself from the wiki 🎉
On a happier note: <https://mastodon.bsd.cafe/@grahamperrin/116185826154992103> – Isaac Freund, who has never been rude to me, plans to "Clean up the pkgbase wiki page and remove outdated information.".