OpenBSD install or add binary software package using pkg_add

last updated in Categories OpenBSD, UNIX

Just like FreeBSD, OpenBSD comes with pkg_add command. It is used to install a binary or upgrade packages from HTTP or FTP mirror over the internet. If you have purchased OpenBSD DVD/CD, you can install packages using CD itself. The pkg_add command used to update existing packages too. Please note that you can no longer purchase OpenBSD DVD.

Add package from ftp or http mirror

Always use closest OpenBSD mirror site such as follows:
ftp://ftp.openbsd.org/pub/OpenBSD/4.0/packages/i386/
https://mirror.esc7.net/pub/OpenBSD/6.2/packages/amd64/
Please note that version number set to 6.0 and machine architecture is configured to amd64. You can find complete OpenBSD mirror list here.

How to configure PKG_PATH

First, you need to setup PKG_PATH variable so that you don’t have to type complete mirror path each and every time. You need to add PKG_PATH to your shell startup file such as ~/.bashrc or ~/.bash_profile. PKG_PATH variable MUST end in a slash:
$ export PKG_PATH=ftp://ftp.openbsd.org/pub/OpenBSD/4.0/packages/amd64/
OR
# export PKG_PATH=ftp://ftp.openbsd.org/pub/OpenBSD/4.0/packages/$(machine -a)/

A note about /etc/installurl file

The /etc/installurl file contains a single line specifying an OpenBSD mirror server URL, such as:
https://ftp.openbsd.org/pub/OpenBSD
Edit/create a config file called /etc/installurl. This is a recommended way of configuring on latest OpenBSD version:
# vi /etc/installurl
Append/edit as follows:
https://mirror.esc7.net/pub/OpenBSD/
Save and close the file in vim/vi. Where,

How to install links package

Type the following command:
$ sudo pkg_add -v links
One can use doas which is default on OpenBSD:
$ doas pkg_add links
Another option is to become root using ‘doas’ or ‘su’ and type:
# pkg_add -v -i links
Where,

  • -v : Verbose mode (display more information)
  • -i : Interactive installation. It may ask you question such as which version you would like to install and so on.

You can skip the -v and -i option. For example, install bash package, enter:
# pkg_add bash
Sample output:
How to install packages in OpenBSD using pkg_add command
Here is another example with the -i option:
# pkg_add lighttpd
Sample outputs:

quirks-2.241 signed on 2016-07-26T16:56:10Z
Ambiguous: choose package for lighttpd
a       0: 
        1: lighttpd-1.4.38p1
        2: lighttpd-1.4.38p1-ldap
        3: lighttpd-1.4.38p1-ldap-mysql
        4: lighttpd-1.4.38p1-mysql
Your choice:   <strong>1</strong>
lighttpd-1.4.38p1:pcre-8.38p0: ok
lighttpd-1.4.38p1:spawn-fcgi-1.6.3p0: ok
lighttpd-1.4.38p1:lua-5.1.5p6: ok
lighttpd-1.4.38p1: ok
The following new rcscripts were installed: /etc/rc.d/lighttpd
See rcctl(8) for details.

Note that pkg_add prompted for version of lighttpd, you wish to install.

How to display or list of OpenBSD installed packages

Use pkg_info command:
$ pkg_info
Sample outputs:

Fig.01: Listing installed packages
Listing installed packages

How to update existing package

Let us upgrade or update links package. Type the following pkg_add command:
# pkg_add -u links

How to update all packages on OpenBSD

pkg_add will update all installed packages if no package name is provided:
# pkg_add -u

Related: How to apply patches on OpenBSD system/kernel and packages easily

How to search for packages

Type the following commands (see how to install ports tree on OpenBSD) to search for php-gd-7 package:
$ cd /usr/ports
$ make search key=php-gd-7
Sample outputs:

Port:   php-gd-7.0.23
Path:   lang/php/7.0,-gd
Info:   image manipulation extensions for php5
Maint:  Robert Nagy &lt;robert@openbsd.org&gt;
Index:  lang www
L-deps: graphics/jpeg graphics/png
B-deps: archivers/bzip2 devel/autoconf/2.69 devel/bison devel/metaauto www/apache-httpd
R-deps: php-7.0.23:lang/php/7.0
Archs:  any

Another example:
$ make search key=php-mysqli-7

How to remove/delete a package on OpenBSD

You can remove or delete a package, enter:
# pkg_delete pkgNameHere
# pkg_delete bash
Sample outputs:

bash-4.4.12p0: ok
Read shared items: ok

How to set active or passive mode for ftp mirrors

If you are behind firewall you may need to set active or passive mode with FTPMODE variable (default is passive).
$ export FTPMODE=active

References:

See man pages for more info:

Posted by: Vivek Gite

The author is the creator of nixCraft and a seasoned sysadmin, DevOps engineer, and a trainer for the Linux operating system/Unix shell scripting. Get the latest tutorials on SysAdmin, Linux/Unix and open source topics via RSS/XML feed or weekly email newsletter.

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Historical Comment Archive

5 comment

  1. Are packages better than ports?
    With ports I do – make install clean and it usually sorts out any dependency issues.
    But with pkg_add I have had dependency errors.

  2. jman – I prefer to use the packages whenever possible — both pkg_add(1) and the ports methods are capable of determining required dependencies. If you are experiencing specific package dependency issues, I suggest posting on the appropriate OpenBSD mail list.
    Those OpenBSD gurus are super-smart and very helpful.

  4. export PKG_PATH=ftp://ftp.openbsd.org/pub/OpenBSD/5.0/packages/i386
    I have do that, I want to install unzip, but I can’t. Sorry I’m Indonesian and very very newbie in UNIX.

  5. Thanks for article but “pkg_add” is not working for updating all packages and it returns “pkg_add: Missing pkgname” error.
    For doing so, you need to use “pkg_add -u”.

    From OpenBSD manual pages:
    -u Update the given installed pkgname(s), and anything it depends
    upon. If no pkgname is given, pkg_add will update all installed
    packages. This relies on PKG_PATH to figure out the new package
    names.

    Best regards

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