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This is my first experience with MacPorts. I'm using it to install Git 1.7.3.2.

I noticed during install that it's downloading and installing Perl 5.8.9 on my Snow Leopard Mac which comes pre-bundled with Perl 5.10.0.

Am I missing something or is MacPorts messing with my system?

Edit: As per instructions on ProGit I used the following command to install Git with MacPorts:

$ sudo port install git-core +svn +doc +bash_completion +gitweb

Edit2: in fact its also installing cURL and basically a ton of things that I ALREADY HAVE! Hopefully someone can explain what I've done and how I can back out - assuming I need to.

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The philosophy of MacPorts is that it is a self-contained approach. From the QuickStart:

You may notice that MacPorts will build software that you didn't specifically request. This will occur if the port you originally requested has other ports marked as dependencies. Even if the software already exists without OS X, remember the whole MacPorts self-contained design approach. Some recreation of existing software may be necessary to produce a functional self-contained environment.

Another philosophy is to use as much of the existing software infrastructure in OS X as possible, and that is the approach that Homebrew takes. The major risk with that is that an OS X system update may break some Homebrew-installed software that depends on OS X-installed software.

To answer your question, in MacPorts it appears that the git-core port depends on the perl5 port, which is version 5.8.9. MacPorts also contains a Perl 5.10 port, perl5.10. What you are seeing is normal MacPorts behaviour and you don't need to back out if you want to use Git from MacPorts.

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  • If anyone finds a better link for Homebrew (like a home page or something) feel free to edit my answer.
    – fideli
    Nov 12, 2010 at 5:17
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    Thanks! I didn't realize this going in. Probably should have done a little research beforehand. Anyway, I ended up following their instructions to remove all traces of MacPorts. And just compiled my own Git update manually...
    – Meltemi
    Nov 12, 2010 at 17:02
  • Even easier for Git is download the ready compiled version from git code.google.com/p/git-osx-installer/downloads/list?can=3
    – mmmmmm
    Nov 14, 2010 at 21:55

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