1: load original target 2: check for deps 3: load deps that you do not have 4: goto 2 if needed 5: normal portage operation store locally: for full portage: $PF last-date-of-update for installed ebuilds: installed ebuilds (version at install time) distfiles optionally: installed ebuilds (newest revision of the ebuild for same version) installed ebuilds (newest revision of best version)