I run the MacPorts package management system to keep a few pieces of software up-to-date on my computers. The problem is the software doesn’t get updated frequently enough for me to remember the exact commands I need to use to get the latest versions.

There’s official documentation, so think of this as just a cheatsheet.

1. Run sudo port selfupdate. This gets the latest version of MacPorts itself, but also updates the list of software versions.

• If you get an error, try running XCode and accepting the licencing agreement if prompted.

2. Run port outdated. I like to know what software will be upgraded.
3. Run port installed for a full listing of all MacPorts packages installed, including their version numbers. Having this list will make it easier to rollback an upgrade if necessary.
4. Run sudo port upgrade outdated. This actually downloads and compiles the latest versions so it might take a while.
5. Occasionally run sudo port uninstall inactive to free up the space used by the old versions that have been archived.