etc portage make.conf by Gentoo

What is the /etc/portage/main.conf file used for?
The /etc/portage/main.conf file is used to customize the Portage environment on a global level.

Where was /etc/portage/main.conf previously located?
/etc/portage/main.conf was previously located at /etc/make.conf.

What does the /etc/portage directory also contain?
The directory /etc/portage also contains most other Portage configuration files.

What is applied to every package that is emerged?
For every package, the settings in make.conf will apply when they're emerged.

What are some things that the settings in make.conf control?
Some things that the settings in make.conf control include:

  • Global USE flags.
  • Language (L10N) options.
  • Portage mirrors.

What version of the make.conf is installed when you extract a Stage file?
When you extract a Stage file, the version of the make.conf that's installed is a very basic version.

Where can you find an example setup for the make.conf?
You can find an example setup for the make.conf at /usr/share/portage/config/make.conf.example.

What can the make.conf file also be?
The make.conf file can also be a directory where all of the files in it are added together as if it was a single file.

Precedence

What is the order of precedence for all of the sources that create the final configuration for Portage from lowest to highest?
The order of precedence for all of the sources that create the final configuration for Portage from lowest to highest is:

  • make.defaults. (1)
  • /etc/make.conf.
  • /etc/portage/make.conf.
  • /etc/portage/package.use.
  • Environment variables.

Variables

Where can you find the full list of variables that you can set in make.conf?
To find the full list of variables that you can set in make.conf, run man make.conf.

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