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.
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.
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.
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
.installor.patchfiles. - Git clone
- Uses 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-gitAUR.
- Reliable solver
- Ability to correctly solve and build complex dependency chains, such as ros-melodic-desktopAUR.
- Split packages
- Ability to correctly build and install:
- Multiple packages from the same package base, without rebuilding or reinstalling multiple times, such as .
- Split packages which depend on a package from the same package base, such as libc++-msanAUR and .
- Split packages independently, such as python-pyalsaaudioAUR and .
- Shell completion
- Tab completion is available for the listed shells.
Comparison tables
Search and download
| Name | Written in | Git clone | Reliable parser | Reliable solver | Shell completion | Specificity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C++ | Yes | Yes | Yes | bash | ||
| Python | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Go | Yes | zsh | ||||
| Bash | Yes | bash |
Search and build
| Name | Written in | File review | Diff view | Git clone | Reliable parser | Reliable solver | Split packages | Shell completion | Specificity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bash | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | bash, zsh | ||
| bauerbillAUR | Python | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | bash, zsh | ||
| Python | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| Rust | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | bash, zsh, fish |
Pacman wrappers
| Name | Written in | File review | Diff view | Git clone | Reliable parser | Reliable solver | Split packages | Unsafe flags | Shell completion | Specificity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| auraAUR | Haskell | bash, fish, zsh | ||||||||
| Bash | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | --ask | bash, zsh | ||
| pakku-gitAUR | Nim | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | -Sy | bash, zsh | ||
| Rust | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | -Sy --ask | bash, fish, zsh | ||
| Python | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | -Sy | bash, fish, zsh | ||
| trizenAUR | Perl | Yes | Yes | Yes | bash, fish, zsh | |||||
| Go | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | -Sy --ask | bash, fish, zsh |
Graphical
- Octopi — Qt 5 pacman wrapper written in C++.
Maintenance
- aur-out-of-date — Uses hoster APIs to check AUR packages for upstream changes.
Other
- aurvote-utils — A set of utilities for managing AUR votes.
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