Will pkg in base break the base?

[Erik Lauritsen]

> On Thu, Jan 30, 2020 at 01:20:22AM +0000, Erik Lauritsen wrote:
> 
>> Hi,
>>
>> I have posted this question on "questions", but realize that maybe this is
>> the right place :)
>>
>> I have always really liked the FreeBSD separation between base and the
>> packages, and I love that you can do a "pkg delete -a" and not worry
>> about the kernel or the base system.
>>
>> Occasionally on Linux, especially in the past, a failed update to some
>> packages renders the entire system unusable, and even Debian with its
>> "apt --fix-broken" and "apt install -f" sometimes just runs in an
>> unending loop unable to fix some dependency mess.
>>
>> With pkg for base, would a "pkg delete -a" then also delete the kernel
>> and base etc.?
> 
> No we have added a notion of "vital" packages which one are allowed to upgrade
> but not to remove, so pkg delete -a will leave a viable system after ward.
> 
> Probably smaller than a current base system but still viable. and a users can by
> himself flag some packages as vital so if he wants the entire base to be vital
> he can.
> 
> Does that answer your question?
> 
> Best regards,
> Bapt

Yes. Thank you very much!

Kind regards,
Erik