NetBSD and OpenBSD's pkg_add vs FreeBSD's pkg

Greemngreek

Why do NetBSD and OpenBSD have separate commands for adding/deleting packages instead of arguments(?) to the same command, like FreeBSD? Is there any added functionality by such splitting?
If I understand correctly, NetBSD's pkgin does do this but is not the default tool.

I'm yet going through NetBSD's documentation prior to installing it so sorry in advance if anything I've said is wrong.

Greemngreek I don't use FreeBSD or OpenBSD, so I'll leave that.
As for pkgin, is what I use and recommend using. pkg_add and pkg_delete can be usefull every now and then but, in general pkgin is better because, its better at handling dependencies.

Think about pkgin as apt-get and pkg_add as dpkg -i if it helps.

qik

Greemngreek Why do NetBSD and OpenBSD have separate commands for adding/deleting packages instead of arguments(?) to the same command, like FreeBSD?

For historical reasons, I believe. FreeBSD was the same until they developed the new pkg.
One could argue that separate commands adhere to the UNIX philosophy of "do one thing and do it well"

Greemngreek

pin I know pkgin is the recommended option, even the documentation recommends it as the best option IIRC.

I just wanted to know whether there was any reason from a developer/user viewpoint for splitting each action into a different command instead of a single command with many arguments...

Also, I didn't get the Debian analogy I'm afraid. It's been many years since I've touched a Debian/derivative distro. Got anything Void Linux related? 😉

Sacerdos_Daemonis

FreeBSD:
pkg install
pkg delete

OpenBSD:
pkg_add
pkg_delete

How are they fundamentally different? The underscore after pkg?

Greemngreek Got anything Void Linux related?

I also use Void but, no. xbps handles dependencies already 😉

Greemngreek

qik Well.... that is right.