OpenBSD Following -current and using snapshots [FAQ Index]

Active OpenBSD development is known as the -current branch. These sources are frequently compiled into releases known as snapshots.

Aggressive changes are sometimes pushed in this branch, and complications can arise when building the latest code or upgrading from a previous point in time. Some of the steps for getting over these hurdles are explained on this page. Make sure you've read and understand how to build the system from source before using -current and the instructions below.

In general, it's far easier to use snapshots, as developers will have gone through much of the trouble for you already.

You should always use a snapshot as the starting point for running -current. This process typically consists of downloading (and verifying) the appropriate bsd.rd file from the /snapshots/ directory of your preferred mirror, booting from it, and choosing (U)pgrade at the prompt. Any installed packages should then be upgraded after booting into the new system.

Upgrading to -current by compiling your own source code is not supported.

Most of these changes will have to be performed as root.

2018/10/16 - [packages] net/dnscrypt-proxy switch to different configuration

dnscrypt-proxy received a major update. One of the changes is the configuration. Users are advised to check that /etc/dnscrypt-proxy.toml fits their needs.

2018/10/24 - libcrypto ASN.1 header removed (openssl/asn1_mac.h)

The openssl/asn1_mac.h header has been removed from libcrypto and will no longer be installed. This should be manually removed from an existing installation: 
# rm /usr/include/openssl/asn1_mac.h

2018/10/26 - setuid bit removed from /usr/X11R6/bin/Xorg

The Xorg binary is no longer installed setuid. So startx(1) can no longer be used by non-root users. The xenodm(1) display manager has to be used. To set it up: 
# rcctl enable xenodm
# rcctl start xenodm

2018/11/06 - /etc/malloc.conf replaced by sysctl

The malloc(3) family of functions do no longer read options from the malloc.conf symbolic link. Instead, the new sysctl vm.malloc_conf is used. This makes processes no longer dependent on the file system for their malloc options. Set it like this: 
# sysctl vm.malloc_conf="S"

2018/11/14 - ifconfig(8): vlandev and vlan upcoming option removal

The vlandev and vlan configuration options have been deprecated since 6.2 and will be removed. Use parent and vnetid instead.

2018/11/14 - vlan(4): Replace link0 flag with txprio

Forcing the priority field in the vlan(4) and svlan(4) protocol headers is now configured with the ifconfig(8) txprio configuration option. This replaces the use of the link0 flag which used the llprio in the packet priority field instead.

2018/12/12 - [packages] lang/chicken binary name change

The chicken binaries csi and csc have been renamed to chicken-csi and chicken-csc to avoid conflicts with lang/mono.
$OpenBSD: current.html,v 1.970 2018/12/12 07:43:07 tb Exp $