xcode, clt or both

[db]

On 19 Sep 2017, at 23:06, Ryan Schmidt <ryandesign at macports.org> wrote:
> On Sep 19, 2017, at 11:40, db wrote:
>> On 19 Sep 2017, at 01:01, Ryan Schmidt wrote:
>>> For certain subsets of ports, you can get by with installing just one or the other.
>> How can I know this beforehand? That's the reason I'm actually asking what exactly MP needs Xcode, CLT or both for. For example, if a port uses portgroup xcode, I may infer that it most certainly will need that application.
> 
> I'm not aware of a way to know in advance.

I thought I could at least assume that any port whose interface is a command line and whose features allegedly don't use any particular Apple framework that I'm aware of, wouldn't need Xcode. Is it trial and error then?