On Fri, 11 Mar 2022, Chris Jones wrote: > MacPorts is not (just) 'a simple package manager'. Yes, it performs this > function, but first and foremost (and long before we even had binary > tarballs to distribute as a 'package mnager') it is a system for > building packages and their dependencies. To build something you require > a compiler. Many ports will build fine with just the Apple CLT package, > but some indeed require the full Xcode installation in order to be built > (and Xcode also is not just an IDE, but is also a command line build > system).
I couldn't have put it better myself; the fact that some packages (contributed to MacPorts) require Xcode is hardly MacPorts' fault. I dips me lid to the MP maintainers for what is obviously a thankless job. -- Dave