AUR helpers - ArchWiki https://wiki.archlinux.

org/title/AUR_helpers

AUR helpers
Warning: AUR helpers are not supported by Arch Linux. You should become familiar with the manual build process
in order to be prepared to troubleshoot problems.

Note: Please use the discussion page to suggest edits to this article: Talk:AUR helpers.

AUR helpers automate usage of the Arch User Repository. In particular, they may automate the following tasks:

▪ searching for packages published on the AUR;

▪ resolving of dependencies between AUR packages;
▪ retrieve and build AUR packages;
▪ retrieve web content, such as user comments;
▪ submission of AUR packages.

Pacman only handles updates for pre-built packages in its repositories. AUR packages are redistributed in form of
PKGBUILDs and need an AUR helper to automate the re-build process. However, keep in mind that a rebuild of package
may be required when its shared library dependencies are updated, not only when the package itself is updated.

Contents
Legend
Comparison tables
Search and download
Search and build
Pacman wrappers
Graphical
Maintenance
Other

Legend
The #Comparison tables columns have the following meaning:

File review
Does not source the PKGBUILD at all by default; or, alerts the user and offers the opportunity to inspect the
PKGBUILD manually before it is sourced. Some helpers are known to source PKGBUILDs before the user can inspect
them, allowing malicious code to be executed.
Diff view
Ability to view package differences on inspection. Besides the PKGBUILD, this includes changes to files such as
.install or .patch files.
Git clone
Uses git-clone(1) (https://man.archlinux.org/man/git-clone.1) by default to retrieve build files from the AUR.
Reliable parser
Ability to handle complex packages by using the provided metadata (RPC/.SRCINFO) instead of PKGBUILD parsing,
such as aws-cli-git (https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/aws-cli-git/)AUR.
Reliable solver
Ability to correctly solve and build complex dependency chains, such as ros-lunar-desktop (https://aur.archlinux.or
g/packages/ros-lunar-desktop/)AUR.
Split packages
Ability to correctly build and install:

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▪ Multiple packages from the same package base, without rebuilding or reinstalling multiple times, such as clion
(https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/clion/)AUR
▪ Split packages which depend on a package from the same package base, such as libc++ (https://archlin
ux.org/packages/?name=libc%2B%2B) and libc++abi (https://archlinux.org/packages/?na
me=libc%2B%2Babi).
▪ Split packages independently, such as python-pyalsaaudio (https://aur.archlinux.org/packages
/python-pyalsaaudio/)AUR and python2-pyalsaaudio (https://aur.archlinux.org/packages
/python2-pyalsaaudio/)AUR.

Shell completion
Tab completion is available for the listed shells.

Note:
▪ Optional means that a feature is available, but only through a command-line argument or configuration option.
▪ Partial means that a feature is not fully implemented, or that it partially deviates from the given criteria.

Comparison tables

Search and download

Written Reliable Shell

Name Git clone Reliable parser Specificity
in solver completion

auracle-git (http
Yes (https://github.c
s://aur.archlinux.or print build
C++ om/falconindy/aurac Yes Yes bash
g/packages/auracle-g order
le/commit/c73bbee)
it/)AUR

pbget (https://aur.a
rchlinux.org/package Python Yes Yes – – –
s/pbget/)AUR

repoctl (https://au Yes (https://github.com/

local
r.archlinux.org/pack Go No goulash/pacman/blob/ – zsh
repository
ages/repoctl/)AUR master/aur/aur.go)

yaah (https://aur.ar
chlinux.org/packages Bash Optional Yes – bash –
/yaah/)AUR

Search and build

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Written File Diff Git Reliable Reliable Split Shell

Name Specificity
in review view clone parser solver packages completion
local
aurutils (h
repository,
ttps://aur.
local patch
archlinux.o
Bash Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes bash, zsh application,
rg/packages
package
/aurutils/)
AUR signing, clean
chroot
bauerbill
(https://au bb-wrapper
r.archlinu for pacman
Python Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes bash, zsh
x.org/packa wrapping, trust
ges/bauerbi management
ll/)AUR
No (http
PKGBUILDer
s://githu Partial (http
(https://au
b.com/K s://github.co
r.archlinu pb for pacman
Python No wpolska/ Yes Yes Yes m/Kwpolska/ –
x.org/packa wrapping
pkgbuild pkgbuilder/iss
ges/PKGBUIL
er/issues ues/39)
Der/)AUR
/36)
Yes (http
rua (http Yes (https:// local patch
s://githu Yes (https://gi
s://aur.arc github.com/ application,
b.com/vn thub.com/vn9
hlinux.org/ Rust Yes Yes vn971/rua/c Yes bash, zsh, fish bubblewrap,
971/rua/c 71/rua/commi
packages/ru ommit/fc8c2 .pkg.tar
ommit/04 t/7889045)
a/)AUR f3) inspection
59a8b)

Pacman wrappers
Warning: pacman(8) (https://man.archlinux.org/man/pacman.8) wrappers abstract the work of the package manager. They
may (optionally or by default) introduce unsafe flags, or other unexpected behavior leading to a defective system.

Note: The following pacman wrappers support batch (rather than on-demand) operations: pacaur (https://aur.archlinux.
org/packages/pacaur/)AUR, pikaur (https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/pikaur/)AUR, yay (https://aur.archlinux.org/packa
ges/yay/)AUR, aura (https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/aura/)AUR, paru (https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/paru/)AUR

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Written File Diff Git Reliable Reliable Split Unsafe Shell

Name Specificity
in review view clone parser solver packages flags completion
Partial
(https://
aura
github.c
(http Yes (http
om/aura Yes (http
s://au s://githu Yes (http
pm/aura s://github.c Yes (https://
r.arch b.com/fo s://github.c
/blob/89 om/aurapm github.com/f
linux. Haskell No sskers/a om/fossker – bash, fish, zsh –
bf702/a /aura/com osskers/aura
org/pa ura/com s/aura/pull/
ura/src/ mit/7848e9 /pull/479)
ckages mit/ca9c 479)
Aura/Pk 8)
/aura 38d)
gbuild/R
/)AUR
ecords.h
s)
pacaur
(http
--ask (http
s://au
s://github.
r.arch
com/rmar
linux. Bash Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes bash, zsh –
quis/paca
org/pa
ur/commit
ckages
/12707cc)
/pacau
r/)AUR

pakku-
git (h
Yes (htt -Sy (http
ttp
ps://gith s://github.
s://au
ub.com/ com/kitsu
r.arch
kitsunya nyan/pakk
linux. Nim Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes bash, zsh fetch PGP keys
n/pakku u/wiki/Nat
org/pa
/commit ive-Pacma
ckages
/396e9f n-Explanat
/pakku
4) ion)
-git/)
AUR

paru
(http
s://au
r.arch
-Sy
linux. Rust Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes bash, fish, zsh fetch PGP keys
--ask
org/pa
ckages
/paru
/)AUR

pikaur
(http
dynamic
s://au -Sy (http
users (http://
r.arch s://github.
0pointer.net/
linux. Python Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes com/actio bash, fish, zsh
blog/dynamic-
org/pa nless/pika
users-with-sy
ckages ur#pikaur)
stemd.html)
/pikau
r/)AUR

trizen
(http Yes (http
Yes (http
s://au s://githu Partial (http
s://github.c
r.arch b.com/tri s://github.co
om/trizen/t
linux. Perl Yes Yes zen/trize Yes m/trizen/triz – bash, fish, zsh –
rizen/comm
org/pa n/commi en/issues/4
it/7ab7ee5
ckages t/6fb0cc 6)
f)
/trize 9)
n/)AUR

yay (h -Sy (http

Yes (htt
ttp Yes (http s://github.
ps://gith Yes (http
s://au s://githu com/Jguer
ub.com/ s://github.c
r.arch Go Yes b.com/Jg Yes Yes /yay/com bash, fish, zsh fetch PGP keys
Jguer/ya om/Jguer/y
linux. uer/yay/ mit/3bdb5
y/pull/4 ay/pull/866)
org/pa pull/297) 34)
47)
--ask (http

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Written File Diff Git Reliable Reliable Split Unsafe Shell

Name Specificity
in review view clone parser solver packages flags completion

ckages s://github.
/yay/) com/Jguer/
AUR yay/commi
t/ea5a94e)

Graphical
Warning: Usage of graphical AUR helpers may lead to a defective system, for example through unattended partial
upgrades.

▪ Argon — GTK 3 pacman wrapper written in Python.

https://github.com/14mRh4X0r/arch-argon || argon (https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/argon/)AUR

▪ Cylon — TUI pacman wrapper written in Bash.

https://github.com/gavinlyonsrepo/cylon || cylon (https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/cylon/)AUR

▪ Kalu — Systray notification icon using libalpm and PolicyKit, with optional updater

https://github.com/Thulinma/kalu || kalu (https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/kalu/)AUR

▪ Octopi — Qt 5 pacman wrapper written in C++.

https://tintaescura.com/projects/octopi || octopi (https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/octopi/)AUR

▪ Pamac — Standalone GTK 3 package manager using libalpm(3) (https://man.archlinux.org/man/libalp

m.3) written in Vala.

https://gitlab.manjaro.org/applications/pamac || pamac-aur (https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/pamac-aur/)AUR

▪ Pakku GUI — GTK 3 frontend for pakku written in Python.

https://gitlab.com/mrvik/pakku-gui || pakku-gui (https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/pakku-gui/)AUR

▪ PkgBrowser — Qt 5 read-only browser for repository packages and AUR written in Python.

https://osdn.net/projects/pkgbrowser/ || pkgbrowser (https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/pkgbrowser/)AUR

▪ Yup — Curses TUI pacman wrapper written in Go.

https://github.com/ericm/yup || yup (https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/yup/)AUR

Maintenance
▪ aur-out-of-date — Uses hoster APIs to check AUR packages for upstream changes.

https://github.com/simon04/aur-out-of-date || aur-out-of-date (https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/aur-out-of-

date/)AUR

▪ aurpublish — Helper script to manage and upload AUR packages using git-subtree(1) (https://man.archli
nux.org/man/git-subtree.1). Uses githooks(5) (https://man.archlinux.org/man/githooks.5)
to verify the PKGBUILD integrity, generate .SRCINFO automatically, and create a commit message template.

https://github.com/eli-schwartz/aurpublish || aurpublish (https://archlinux.org/packages/?name=aurpublish)

▪ devtools — Build packages in a clean environment (systemd-nspawn container) to ensure their correctness. Wrapped
by aurutils (https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/aurutils/)AUR and clean-chroot-manager (h

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ttps://aur.archlinux.org/packages/clean-chroot-manager/)AUR.

https://github.com/archlinux/devtools || devtools (https://archlinux.org/packages/?name=devtools)

▪ pkgbuild-watch — Looks for changes on the upstream web pages.

http://kmkeen.com/pkgbuild-watch || pkgbuild-watch (https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/pkgbuild-watch/)AUR

▪ pkgoutofdate — Parses the source URL from PKGBUILDs and tries to find new versions of packages by incrementing
the version number and sending requests to the web server.

https://github.com/anatol/pkgoutofdate || pkgoutofdate-git (https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/pkgoutofdate-g

it/)AUR

Other
▪ aur-talk — Fetch and display AUR comments.

https://github.com/GermainZ/aur-talk || aur-talk-git (https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/aur-talk-git/)AUR

▪ aurvote-utils — A set of utilities for managing AUR votes.

https://github.com/jadenPete/aurvote-utils || aurvote-utils (https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/aurvote-utils

/)AUR

▪ haskell-aur — Haskell library for accessing Aurweb RPC interface.

https://hackage.haskell.org/package/aur || haskell-aur (https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/haskell-aur/)AUR

▪ package-query — Tool for querying libalpm(3) (https://man.archlinux.org/man/libalpm.3) and the

AUR.

https://github.com/archlinuxfr/package-query || package-query (https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/package-que

ry/)AUR

▪ python3-aur — Python 3 modules and helper utilities for accessing AUR package information and automating AUR
interactions.

https://xyne.dev/projects/python3-aur || python3-aur (https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/python3-aur/)AUR

▪ raur — Rust library for accessing Aurweb RPC interface.

https://gitlab.com/davidbittner/raur ||

Retrieved from "https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php?title=AUR_helpers&oldid=703098"

This page was last edited on 21 November 2021, at 14:12.

Content is available under GNU Free Documentation License 1.3 or later unless otherwise noted.

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