19.1 Synopsis

FreeBSD is under constant development between releases. For people who want to be on the cutting edge, there are several easy mechanisms for keeping your system in sync with the latest developments. Be warned--the cutting edge is not for everyone! This chapter will help you decide if you want to track the development system, or stick with one of the released versions.

After reading this chapter, you will know:

• The difference between the two development branches: FreeBSD-STABLE and FreeBSD-CURRENT.

• How to keep your system up to date with CVSup, CVS, or CTM.

• How to rebuild and reinstall the entire base system with make buildworld (etc).

Before reading this chapter, you should:

• Properly set up your network connection (Chapter 25).

• Know how to install additional third-party software (Chapter 4).