News about Pkgin over NetBSD

Hey, Unix-like folks! If you’re like me and love tinkering with BSDs, you’ve probably installed NetBSD a gazillion times. Remember those days when, during the install, pkgin (that handy binary package manager for pkgsrc) came almost “for free,” ready to roll? Well, things have shifted a bit. Back in the day (think NetBSD 7 or 8), the sysinst installer offered pkgin as an easy post-install option, and most folks just clicked through. Now, in NetBSD 10.1 (released in 2024), it’s still there, but it’s not automatic—you have to explicitly choose it to avoid sticking with just the bare-bones base system.

Why the “Spartan” vibe? Well, NetBSD has always been about being lightweight and portable (it runs on toasters, people!). Keeping pkgin out of the default install helps avoid extra dependencies in the core. According to the official NetBSD docs, if you pick pkgin in the post-install menu, it sets you up to fetch binary packages over the network. Skip it, though, and you’ll need to install it manually. This reflects a bigger philosophy: giving users more control and avoiding unnecessary bloat. Picture this: a base system under 100MB, ready for you to customize from scratch!

Quick History: Where Did This Change Come From?

Pkgin popped up in 2008 to make using binary packages with pkgsrc (NetBSD’s cross-platform port system that even works on Linux or macOS) a breeze. In older versions like NetBSD 6 or 7, the installer nudged you toward installing it, especially for newbies. Over time, though, the focus shifted to minimalism—check the changelogs for NetBSD 9 and 10: sysinst got more modular, and pkgin became a “recommended optional.” On forums like Stack Exchange and Reddit, folks have noticed that in VMs or clean installs, pkgin doesn’t come ready, which catches people off guard if they’re used to FreeBSD (where pkg is default) or OpenBSD (with its built-in pkg_add).

Real-World Impact: Pros and Cons

• Pros: Cleaner system! No auto-installed pkgin means no extra repo downloads you don’t need. Perfect for embedded systems, servers, or minimalist experiments. And pkgsrc still rules: over 25k packages available.
• Cons: For those who want speed, it’s an extra step. Want Firefox or Vim? You’ll need to set up pkgin first instead of just “pkgin install.”

On X, I’ve seen recent posts from devs manually installing pkgin on NetBSD 10 to run stuff like LLMs or Wine. One guy even compiled Chromium from source because pkgin didn’t have it ready—wild, right?

How to Install Pkgin Now? Quick Tutorial

Missed the pkgin option in sysinst? No stress—it’s easy to fix:

1. Edit /etc/pkg_install.conf (or create it if it doesn’t exist) and add the repo:

PKG_PATH=http://cdn.netbsd.org/pub/pkgsrc/packages/NetBSD/$(uname -m)/$(uname -r)/All

2. Run:

pkg_add pkgin
pkgin update

3. Done! Now pkgin install firefox and you’re good. For automation in scripts or fresh installs, use a one-liner in post-install.

Compared to other BSDs: FreeBSD auto-installs pkg since version 10, OpenBSD has pkg_add in the base, but NetBSD shines with its “do it your way” approach. If you use pkgsrc on other OSes, pkgin works the same—it’s just in NetBSD’s base that it’s more “hidden.”

Conclusion: Worth It?

This “change” (or evolution) doubles down on NetBSD’s mantra: “Of course it runs NetBSD”—flexible and minimal. If you’re a dev or enthusiast, try an install without pkgin and see how lean it feels. What do you think? Have you missed pkgin in recent installs? Drop a comment below, and if you want more BSD tutorials, let me know for future posts!

Sources: Official NetBSD docs, forums, and changelogs. Catch you next time, folks!