Gentoo Portage, why PostgreSQL 8.4 is named as postgresql-base?

Question

Where does the -base come from? Why the word base, as version 8.1 is simply named postgresql.

Answer 1

The package description is "PostgreSQL libraries and clients". So the idea is apparently that you use this if you don't want to install the full server, whose package name is postgresql.

Answer 2

The old dev-db/postgresql ebuilds are being phased out. At this point they are only updating them with critical security fixes.

For a new installation, you should install one of the split ebuilds - postgresql-server or postgresql-base - according to what you actually need. I would recommend the latest "stable" version, which is postgresql-server-8.4.2-r1.

Answer 3

There are a number of core postgresql-related packages in portage. If you check something like Gentoo-Portage or znurt you'll see a number of related ebuilds:

• dev-db/postgresql (the Postgres server up to version 8.2.x)
• dev-db/postgresql-server (the Postgres server for 8.3.x to the current 8.4.x)
• dev-db/postgresql-base (the postgres client and any common code between client and server)
• virtual/postgresql-server
• virtual/postgresql-base

This likely sprouted out of a maintenance desire by the Gentoo dev's to split up the Client applications from the server application.