MacPorts
MacPorts is a package management system for macOS that simplifies the installation, updating, and removal of open-source software. It provides a command-line interface to download, compile, and install software packages from source, handling dependencies automatically. It is designed to work seamlessly with the macOS environment, offering a large collection of ports (software packages) for developers and users.
Developers should use MacPorts when they need to install and manage open-source software on macOS that is not available through the macOS App Store or Homebrew, especially for development tools, libraries, and command-line utilities. It is particularly useful for compiling software from source, ensuring compatibility with specific macOS versions, and accessing a wide range of packages for scientific computing, system administration, or custom software builds.