The GUI for MacPorts: PortAuthority

Universal Binary

Buy: $24.95

Take Control of Unix Software

PortAuthority provides a GUI for the MacPorts Unix software management system for Mac OS X. MacPorts is a powerful command-line tool for installing and updating a variety of Unix-based applications for the Mac. Its power, though, comes at the cost of some complexity; in the past the only way to utilize MacPorts was to type in various commands into the Mac's Terminal application. PortAuthority aims to bring the power of MacPorts to the traditional Mac user by providing a user-friendly GUI to MacPorts.

See the Difference!

MacPorts data in the Unix console.

MacPorts data in the PortAuthority GUI.

Why PortAuthority?

Easy-to-use solution for managing MacPorts.
Actively-developed; new enhancements come regularly.
Thorough documentation.
Staff pick at Apple.com.
"...so well designed, I think I'll find myself using it quite a bit over time."--Ernest Rothman, co-author of Mac OS X Tiger for Unix Geeks
"I hope you’ll all download the PortAuthority program and give it a try. It's quite nice..."--Christopher Roach, MacDevCenter
" If you use MacPorts and want an easy way to manage things, don't pass PortAuthority by!"--VersionTracker user

Installing PortAuthority

To install PortAuthority, download the latest version. It can be installed anywhere on your machine. Earlier installations can be moved to the trash. The download is a 30-day demo; you can purchase a license to use the program past the 30-day trial period. Mac OS X 10.5 is the minimum supported platform. A MacPorts installation is also required; MacPorts can be downloaded from http://www.macports.org.

Upgrading PortAuthority from Earlier Versions

PortAuthority 3.0 is a free upgrade to users with a valid serial number from version 1.x. Users of version 1.0 and earlier, which did not include serial numbers, will have to purchase a license.

What's New in Version 3.0

Now a 64-bit application built on the Cocoa frameworks.
Updated user interface includes more modern button styles.
Context-sensitive popup menu in table display.
Now checks for MacPorts installation on startup and notifies user if MacPorts not found.
Better experience for first-time users; fewer popup dialogs, smoother startup.
Faster, more intuitive help viewer.