Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

pkgsrc VS Cakebrew

Compare pkgsrc VS Cakebrew and see what are their differences

pkgsrc logo pkgsrc

pkgsrc is a framework for building over 17,000 open source software packages.

Cakebrew logo Cakebrew

Homebrew GUI app for macOS
  • pkgsrc Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-30
  • Cakebrew Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-06-02

pkgsrc features and specs

  • Cross-Platform Support
    pkgsrc is designed to be a portable package management system and can be used on a variety of Unix-like operating systems, including NetBSD, Solaris, Linux, and macOS. This cross-platform capability makes it a versatile tool for developers working in diverse environments.
  • Consistency Across Systems
    Using pkgsrc allows for a consistent package management experience regardless of the underlying operating system, reducing the learning curve and maintenance overhead for administrators managing multiple systems.
  • Comprehensive Package Collection
    pkgsrc offers a wide range of software packages, providing a robust collection that can meet diverse user needs from scientific libraries to web applications.
  • Quarterly Releases
    With quarterly releases, pkgsrc provides a balanced approach between stability and keeping software up to date, offering users new features regularly while maintaining reliability.
  • Flexible Build Options
    pkgsrc supports a flexible build system, allowing users to customize package builds with specific options or dependencies, tailored to their specific needs or system requirements.

Possible disadvantages of pkgsrc

  • Smaller Community
    Compared to other popular package management systems like apt (Debian/Ubuntu) or yum (RedHat/CentOS), pkgsrc has a relatively smaller community, which might affect the availability of support and community-driven improvements.
  • Potentially Older Software
    While pkgsrc maintains stable quarterly releases, it may occasionally lag behind other systems in terms of offering the very latest versions of certain software, which might not be ideal for users needing the newest features.
  • Manual Configuration
    Setting up pkgsrc might require manual interventions and configurations, which could pose a hurdle for users unfamiliar with its setup process or those who prefer more automated solutions.
  • Dependency Management
    Although pkgsrc is quite capable in dependency handling, some users may find its dependency resolution to be less automatic or seamless compared to other systems which offer more integrated solutions.
  • Performance Overhead
    Because it is designed to be cross-platform, there can be some performance overhead associated with using pkgsrc compared to native package managers that are optimized for specific operating systems.

Cakebrew features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Cakebrew offers a graphical user interface (GUI) that makes it easier for users to manage Homebrew packages without needing to use command-line tools.
  • Visual Package Management
    It provides a visual representation of installed packages and versions, allowing users to easily browse through and manage their Homebrew libraries.
  • Easy Package Updates
    Cakebrew simplifies the process of updating packages, enabling users to update their installed software with just a few clicks.
  • Search Functionality
    The application includes search functionality, making it straightforward for users to find specific packages they need to manage or install.
  • Log Viewer
    Cakebrew features a log viewer that helps users track installation processes and troubleshoot any issues that arise during package management.

Possible disadvantages of Cakebrew

  • Limited to macOS
    Cakebrew is only available for macOS, which limits its use for users operating on different platforms.
  • Dependency on Homebrew
    Since Cakebrew is essentially a graphical frontend for Homebrew, it requires Homebrew to be installed, thereby not functioning independently.
  • Less Control Compared to CLI
    Advanced users might find Cakebrew limiting as it doesn't offer as much control as the command-line interface (CLI) tools that Homebrew provides.
  • Potential for Lag
    As with many GUI applications, Cakebrew might experience slowdowns depending on the system's performance and the number of packages being managed.
  • Delayed Feature Updates
    GUI tools like Cakebrew may not receive updates as promptly as Homebrew itself, potentially delaying access to new features of Homebrew.

pkgsrc videos

pkgsrc on ChromeOS

More videos:

  • Review - Using pkgsrc for multi-platform deployments in heterogeneous environments, G Clifford Williams

Cakebrew videos

How to Use Cakebrew, the Beautiful Homebrew GUI For Your Mac

More videos:

  • Review - Give Homebrew a Graphical Interface With CakeBrew

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to pkgsrc and Cakebrew)
Developer Tools
100 100%
0% 0
Front End Package Manager
Package Manager
66 66%
34% 34
Windows Tools
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, pkgsrc seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 11 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

pkgsrc mentions (11)

  • Debian isn't waiting for 2038 to blow up, switches to 64-bit time for everything
    > Most open source software packages are also compiled for BSD variants, they switched to 64 bit time_t a long time ago and reported back upstream any problems. * NetBSD in 2012: https://www.netbsd.org/releases/formal-6/NetBSD-6.0.html * OpenBSD in 2014: http://www.openbsd.org/55.html For packaging, NetBSD uses their (multi-platform) Pkgsrc, which has 29,000 packages, which probably covers a large swath of... - Source: Hacker News / 12 months ago
  • Our Audit of Homebrew
    > https://pkgsrc.smartos.org/install-on-macos/ Note that Pkgsrc is a NetBSD-derived project. * https://pkgsrc.org The Joyent folks leveraged it to allow their customers, who were perhaps not as familiar with Solaris/SmartOS, a larger pool of packages. Pkgsrc was running on Solaris before Joyent, Joyent built on top of it. - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago
  • Show HN: Brioche โ€“ A new Nix-like package manager
    Https://pkgsrc.org/ from netbsd runs on many systems. - Source: Hacker News / about 2 years ago
  • Installing packages without an internet connection?
    It seems according to pkgsrc.org that pkgin might follow the PKG_PATH environment variable. You're supposed to set PKG_PATH="http://cdn.NetBSD.org/pub/pkgsrc/packages/NetBSD/$(uname -p)/$(uname -r|cut -f '1 2' -d.)/All/", and according to uname(1), -p gives the processor architecture and -r gives the operating system [kernel] release. Source: over 3 years ago
  • pkgsrc.se is no more :(
    It seems like pkgsrc.org hasnโ€™t got the news yet. Source: over 3 years ago
View more

Cakebrew mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Cakebrew yet. Tracking of Cakebrew recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing pkgsrc and Cakebrew, you can also consider the following products

Conda - Binary package manager with support for environments.

Brewer X - Brewer X is a refreshing user interface for Homebrew. Manage your apps, scripts, and fonts with ease and dive into the most comprehensive software library for macOS.

Homebrew - The missing package manager for macOS

BrewMate - Homebrew GUI Apps Manager

Yay - Yay is an AUR helper written in go, based on the design of yaourt, apacman and pacaur.

Cork - The ultimate GUI for Homebrew, written in SwiftUI