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Ports vs. Packages
Definitions:
- Port: the files that allow an application to be compiled from source (if applicable) and installed and/or deinstalled
- Package: a binary file that includes the compiled files and installation/deinstallation commands
A package is something produced from a port. A pre-built package will only be generated on the FreeBSD packaging cluster if the license allows redistribution in that form. Users, however, may build their own packages.
Note: a FreeBSD "port" is a pkgsrc "source package" and a FreeBSD "package" is a pkgsrc "binary package". This is confusing.