Profiledepends

Profiledepends is a configuration directive used in some build systems and package managers, notably in the context of Gentoo Linux's Portage package manager. It serves to define dependencies between different profiles. A profile in Portage is a set of default configurations, USE flags, and packages that tailor the system to a specific use case, such as a desktop, server, or hardened system.

When a profile has a profiledepends entry, it signifies that installing or activating this profile requires another specific profile to be present or active. This creates a dependency chain, ensuring that the necessary underlying configurations or packages provided by the dependent profile are available. For instance, a "gaming profile" might depend on a "desktop profile" because the gaming profile assumes the standard desktop environment is already set up.

The profiledepends mechanism helps maintain system consistency and prevents potential conflicts or missing functionalities that could arise from applying a profile without its required prerequisites. It allows for hierarchical organization of profiles, where more specialized profiles can build upon broader, more general ones. This simplifies the management of complex system configurations and ensures that users are guided towards a stable and functional setup.