Sets

Sets are packages organized for a specific context, such as for system utilities, the desktop environment or development tools.

The Gentoo system has six static (or: default) sets:

1. @selected-packages encompasses packages from /var/lib/portage/world.
2. @selected-sets is a super-set of all custom sets from /etc/portage/sets.
3. @selected is a super-set of @selected-packages and @selected-sets.
4. @system encompasses packages defined by the Gentoo development team.
5. @profile encompasses packages defined by the Gentoo distribution profile.
6. @world is a super-set of @selected, @system and @profile sets.

Custom sets are organized in /etc/portage/sets.

Specific sets are compiled with emerge -avuDN @placeholder.

It’s useful to keep them organized in set files instead of in the world file.