<sect3 xml:id="synth">

	<title>Upgrading Ports Using

	  <application>Synth</application></title>

	<indexterm>

	  <primary>synth</primary>

	</indexterm>

	<para><package>ports-mgmt/synth</package> is the newest

	  utility for upgrading ports.  It is a custom packge repository

	  builder for &os; and DragonFly.</para>

	<note>

	  <para><application>Synth</application> is currently only

	    available on the i386 and amd64 architectures.</para>

	</note>

	<para>From the <package>ports-mgmt/synth</package>

	  <filename>pkg-descr</filename>:</para>

	<para>It is intended to replace Portmaster, portupgrade, and poudriere

	  for the average user.  It is simple to learn (the powerful options

	  are limited in number) and user-friendly, but it is extremely fast

	  due to its parallel building capability.  It will "drop-in" on any

	  system as it leverages the stock &man.pkg.8; facilities.  All ports

	  are built in a clean environment, so it is finally safe to build

	  ports as needed on a live system.  The default profile is the system

	  itself, not a new jail, which can be a valuable feature for some

	  environments.</para>

	<para>To bring a system up-to-date only requires one command after the

	  ports tree is updated:</para>

	<screen>&prompt.root; <userinput>synth upgrade-system</userinput></screen>

	<para>During the building process, a curses-based display will show

	  the status of all the builders and the entire bulk run process.  A

	  dynamic and searchable web-based report is generated simultaneously.

	  Synth is intended to be grasped and utilized by novice users within

	  minutes, but offers most of the same powerful features as Poudriere

	  for the power users.  Synth requires no preparation; it works

	  immediately upon installation.</para>

      </sect3>

      <sect3 xml:id="ports-upgrading-tools-comparison">

	<title>Comparison of Tools To Upgrade Ports</title>

	<indexterm>

	  <primary>ports</primary>

	  <secondary>upgrading-tools-comparison</secondary>

	</indexterm>

	<para>Here is a brief overview of how the tools compare.  The

	  <literal>Advantages</literal> and <literal>Disadvantages</literal>

	  are completely subjective.</para>

      <table frame="none" rowsep="1" pgwide="1">

	<title>Upgrade Tools Comparison</title>

	<tgroup cols="2" align="left">

	  <thead>

	    <row>

	      <entry align="left">Tool</entry>

	      <entry align="left">Type</entry>

	      <entry align="left">Build Dependencies</entry>

	      <entry align="left">Advantages</entry>

	      <entry align="left">Disadvantages</entry>

	    </row>

	  </thead>

	  <tbody>

	    <row>

	      <entry><package>ports-mgmt/portmaster</package></entry>

	      <entry>individual port builder</entry>

	      <entry>None</entry>

	      <entry>Lightweight</entry>

	      <entry>Builds in-place, can fail and leave ports broken</entry>

	    </row>

	    <row>

	      <entry><package>ports-mgmt/portupgrade</package></entry>

	      <entry>individual port builder</entry>

	      <entry>Ruby</entry>

	      <entry>Lightweight</entry>

	      <entry>Builds in-place, can fail and leave ports broken</entry>

	    </row>

	    <row>

	      <entry><package>ports-mgmt/poudriere</package></entry>

	      <entry>package builder</entry>

	      <entry>Perl</entry>

	      <entry>Builds in clean environment</entry>

	      <entry>More build overhead, no ports config dialogs</entry>

	    </row>

	    <row>

	      <entry><package>ports-mgmt/synth</package></entry>

	      <entry>package builder</entry>

	      <entry>Ada</entry>

	      <entry>Builds in clean environment</entry>

	      <entry>More build overhead, no ports config dialogs; x86-only</entry>

	    </row>

	  </tbody>

	</tgroup>

      </table>

      </sect3>