Package management tools
 

I've fallen behind in keeping up with the package management tools that the community has developed.

My current workflow is this. I set up a mirror in slackpkg, I install slackpkgplus and I set that up. I use that combination to update the official packages and Alien Bob's packages. Then I install sbopkg, set up sqg and let sbopkg build the sbopkg queues. Then I install most things with "sbopkg -i <package> -k".

Which other tools have become available? I was reminded of sbotools recently. I think there was also a recent tool written in Python whose name I can't remember. (EDIT: slpkg).

There is a little new tool called sbodeps that can calculate dependencies on the fly for use with sbopkg. Willy wrote on the mailing list that he wants to merge it with sbopkg. (See also Christoph Willing's HooRex.)

Then there is David Spencer's (55020) slackrepo, which might have the most features currently. Aaditya Bagga has also written a SBo tool called asbt.

As for package managers, there was slackroll, which I quite liked, but it has been discontinued (should still work though -- see the website).

Personally, I tried my hand at writing a package manager and SBo tool, and while I use them for my systems, I think they are no good compared to what's already available.

I'm a big fan of http://www.src2pkg.net/ as well. If I can't find it with sbopkg or alienbobs website I just throw src2pkg at it.

I don't know what your opinion on prebuilt third-party packages is, but I should mention this. There has been a new repo, called SlackOnly that offers packages build from the scripts at SlackBuilds.org:

http://packages.slackonly.com/pub/packages/

It is created by slackrepo (mentioned above) and covers almost everything there.

I use sbotools myself. Love it.

Um... there is also gslapt and slapt-get which is more for the core system than SBo.

Right... forgot to mention that slapt-get can be easily used with SlackOnly and the result is a huge repository of ready to use packages, just a click away.

Here is a good list via Slackrepo : http://idlemoor.github.io/slackrepo/links.html

I wish to see prt-get from CRUX adapted for Slackware and SBo. Would be great. Very nice tool.

That page needs an update badly -- sorry, in particular, to the authors of Hoorex, lintpkg and sbodeps for the omissions -- I started making the whole site "responsive", but never finished it, and actual updates are queued up behind that, but now I seem to be gearing up for a new job :-/

@55020: David, I missed your announcement of slackrepo, I just discovered it following linuxtinkers' post. I don't know yet if I need it but it looks really professional, congrats!

I also like your website's layout and appearance.

Your links page is very useful, maybe you could include it also as an article in SlackDocs?

I really like slackpkg+ and sbopkg

I like this new slpkg tool - https://github.com/dslackw/slpkg

Actually, one of the things I like about slapt-get is that it can be configured to simultaneously use multiple repos. As well as targeting a well known mirror site for the core Slackware packages, I also configure mine to point at my own repo of built SBo packages. It therefore covers all my needs, including dependency resolution for the SBo packages. Ideal for keeping additional software packages up to date across multiple machines.

chris

Just how behind am I? I just now, today, found out about usm (Unified Slackware package manager).