# GF4: Can portage build one package while downloading others?

## pjp

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Q: Can portage build one package while downloading others?

A:  This is completely possible and even recommended for users with slow or intermittent internet connection.  From portage-2.0.51 it has been possible to emerge -f <package> in one terminal while emerging the package in another.  

If you wish to perform a 'one-liner' and not use two terminals, you can "(emerge -f <package> &) && emerge <package>"

Users with portage-2.1* can add FEATURES="parallel-fetch" to /etc/make.conf so that portage will automatically fetch the sources in parallel with the merge.

2004-10-21: portage-2.0.51 updates 

2006-02-15: complete rewrite to reflect the current version of portage - mark_alec

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