Emerge

Updating the Portage Tree

emerge --sync

Sync the Portage tree using the mirrors by fetching the latest differences

emerge-webrsync

Sync the Portage tree using the mirrors by obtaining a Portage snapshot that is at most a day old

eix-sync

Sync the overlay and Portage tree using eix

Searching for Software

emerge --search pdf

Search for all packages who have "pdf" in their name

emerge --searchdesc pdf

Search through the descriptions as well

Installing Software

emerge -pv package

List what packages would be installed without installing them

emerge =package-1.0

Install a specific version of a package

Upgrade

emerge -uDN world

Upgrade the selected packages, dependencies and deep dependencies that are outdated or have USE flag changes

emerge -uD --with-bdeps=y @world -a

Update all packages explicitly installed, as well as their dependencies and their build dependencies, asking to proceed

emerge -uDN --with-bdeps=y @world -a

Like above, except changes to USE flags will also be considered in determining what needs to be re-built

Removing Software

emerge -cav package

Remove a package and the dependencies that no other packages depend on

emerge -C package

Remove a package but not its dependencies

emerge -ca (--depclean --ask)

Remove unneeded dependencies