Installing AUR Packages

Let's walk through the full process of installing an AUR package. This will show us how to discover packages, install them, and upgrade them.

💡 Tip: Just want to update all your AUR packages? Aura's author uses sudo aura -Auax.

💡 Tip: For the full list of all options with detailed descriptions, see man aura.

Installing a Package

Searching for a Package

Let's say we want to install a package that can render .md files for us. First, we search the AUR for candidates:

> aura -As readme
aur/gtk3-mushrooms 3.24.11-1 (28 | 1.29)
    GTK3 patched for classic desktops like XFCE or MATE. Please see README.
aur/python-grip-git 4.5.2-1 (15 | 0.00)
    Preview GitHub Markdown files like Readme locally before committing them.
aur/python-grip 4.5.2-1 (13 | 0.14)
    Preview GitHub Markdown files like Readme locally before committing them
aur/gtk3-classic 3.24.14-1 (7 | 1.63)
    GTK3 patched for classic desktops like XFCE or MATE. Please see README.
aur/ruby-github-markup 3.0.4-1 (4 | 0.00)
    The code GitHub uses to render README.markup
... etc ...

By default, results are ordered by their vote count. If -As filled the screen and we only wish to see a few results, we can filter with --head:

> aura -As readme --head 3
aur/gtk3-mushrooms 3.24.11-1 (28 | 1.28)
    GTK3 patched for classic desktops like XFCE or MATE. Please see README.
aur/python-grip-git 4.5.2-1 (15 | 0.00)
    Preview GitHub Markdown files like Readme locally before committing them.
aur/python-grip 4.5.2-1 (13 | 0.14)
    Preview GitHub Markdown files like Readme locally before committing them

--abc can be used to sort alphabetically instead.

Scrutinizing a Package

Alright, python-grip looks good. Let's take a closer look...

> aura -Ai python-grip
Repository  : aur
Name        : python-grip
Version     : 4.5.2-1
AUR Status  : Up to Date
Maintainer  : craftyguy
Project URL : https://github.com/joeyespo/grip
AUR URL     : https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/python-grip
License     : MIT
Depends On  : python python-docopt python-flask python-markdown python-path-and-address python-pygments python-requests
Build Deps  : python-setuptools
Votes       : 13
Popularity  : 0.14
Description : Preview GitHub Markdown files like Readme locally before committing them

Does the PKGBUILD look alright?

> aura -Ap python-grip
# Maintainer: Clayton Craft <clayton at craftyguy dot net>

pkgname=python-grip
pkgver=4.5.2
pkgrel=1
pkgdesc="Preview GitHub Markdown files like Readme locally before committing them"
arch=('any')
license=('MIT')
url="https://github.com/joeyespo/grip"
depends=('python' 'python-docopt' 'python-flask' 'python-markdown'
         'python-path-and-address' 'python-pygments' 'python-requests')
makedepends=('python-setuptools')
source=("$pkgname-$pkgver.tar.gz::https://github.com/joeyespo/grip/archive/v$pkgver.tar.gz")
sha256sums=('bdf8949f33470e9ef9e3f09596b72cda968116ff32f0280baabe837c2ad1b29b')

package() {
  cd grip-$pkgver
  python setup.py install --root="$pkgdir" --optimize=1
  install -Dm644 LICENSE "$pkgdir"/usr/share/licenses/$pkgname/LICENSE
}

Looks good, but let's make sure we didn't miss anything by using Aura's PKGBUILD security scanning:

> aura -Ap python-grip | aura -P

Okay, no output and no error code, so we should be safe to proceed. Normally you don't need to do -P yourself - the same check happens automatically before building packages with -A. See PKGBUILD Security Analysis for more information.

A Normal Install

> sudo aura -A python-grip
aura >>= Determining dependencies...

aura >>= Repository dependencies:
python-docopt
python-flask
aura >>= AUR dependencies:
python-path-and-address
aura >>= AUR Packages:
python-grip
aura >>= Continue? [Y/n]
resolving dependencies...
looking for conflicting packages...

Package (4)                    New Version  Net Change

community/python-itsdangerous  1.1.0-4        0.11 MiB
community/python-werkzeug      1.0.1-2        2.13 MiB
community/python-docopt        0.6.2-7        0.08 MiB
community/python-flask         1.1.2-2        0.80 MiB

Total Installed Size:  3.11 MiB

:: Proceed with installation? [Y/n]
... pacman output ...

aura >>= Building python-path-and-address...
loading packages...
resolving dependencies...
looking for conflicting packages...

Package (1)              New Version  Net Change

python-path-and-address  2.0.1-1        0.01 MiB

Total Installed Size:  0.01 MiB

:: Proceed with installation? [Y/n]
... pacman output ...

aura >>= Building python-grip...
loading packages...
resolving dependencies...
looking for conflicting packages...

Package (1)  New Version  Net Change

python-grip  4.5.2-1        0.34 MiB

Total Installed Size:  0.34 MiB

:: Proceed with installation? [Y/n]
... pacman output ...

A few things to note:

python-grip has both official and AUR dependencies. These have to be built and installed in a specific order for python-grip to even build.
Aura calls makepkg under the hood. By default, the output of makepkg is hidden.
If two or more packages don't depend on each other, they'll be built one after another and installed at the same time. This avoids needless user prompting.

A Verbose Install

But what if we do want to see the output from makepkg? For long builds (e.g. aseprite), it can be reassuring to see the ongoing build output.

Let's add -x to -A:

> sudo aura -Ax python-grip
aura >>= Determining dependencies...

aura >>= Repository dependencies:
python-docopt
python-flask
aura >>= AUR dependencies:
python-path-and-address
aura >>= AUR Packages:
python-grip
aura >>= Continue? [Y/n]

... pacman output ...

aura >>= Building python-path-and-address...
==> Making package: python-path-and-address 2.0.1-1 (Fri 12 Jun 2020 09:39:46 AM PDT)
==> Checking runtime dependencies...
==> Checking buildtime dependencies...
==> Retrieving sources...
  -> Downloading v2.0.1.tar.gz...
  % Total    % Received % Xferd  Average Speed   Time    Time     Time  Current
                                 Dload  Upload   Total   Spent    Left  Speed
100   133  100   133    0     0     70      0  0:00:01  0:00:01 --:--:--    70
100  5130    0  5130    0     0   2197      0 --:--:--  0:00:02 --:--:--  2197
==> Validating source files with md5sums...
    v2.0.1.tar.gz ... Passed
==> Extracting sources...
  -> Extracting v2.0.1.tar.gz with bsdtar
==> Entering fakeroot environment...
==> Starting package()...

... makepkg output ...

==> Finished making: python-path-and-address 2.0.1-1 (Fri 12 Jun 2020 09:39:49 AM PDT)

... etc ...

Wonderful.

Automatically Removing `makedepends`

There's a difference between the dependencies that a package needs to build and the dependencies it needs to run. We call the former makedepends. Once a package is installed, we no longer need its makedepends sitting around on our machine. Adding -a to -A will automatically clear them out:

> sudo aura -Axa python-grip
aura >>= Determining dependencies...

... the usual ...

Package (1)  Old Version  New Version  Net Change

python-grip  4.5.2-1      4.5.2-1        0.00 MiB

Total Installed Size:  0.34 MiB
Net Upgrade Size:      0.00 MiB

:: Proceed with installation? [Y/n]

... pacman output ...

Ah, there were none in this case. Since python-grip is a Python package, it never really has makedepends. That's okay - it's a good habit to use -a, especially when updating all your AUR packages at once (see below).

Altering the PKGBUILD Before Building

Sometimes you want to change something specific about how a package is built. Without an AUR helper, you'd clone the package from the AUR, edit the PKGBUILD, and then run makepkg, handling dependencies yourself.

Aura's --hotedit flag will let you edit a PKGBUILD on-the-fly. In the example below, I added echo "I CHANGED THE PKGBUILD" to the build commands:

> sudo aura -Axa python-grip --hotedit
aura >>= Determining dependencies...

... the usual ...

aura >>= Building python-grip...
aura >>= Would you like to edit the PKGBUILD of python-grip? [Y/n]

... Your EDITOR opens, and your changes are saved to the real PKGBUILD file ...

==> Making package: python-grip 4.5.2-1 (Fri 12 Jun 2020 09:52:26 AM PDT)
==> Checking runtime dependencies...
==> Checking buildtime dependencies...
==> Retrieving sources...
  -> Downloading python-grip-4.5.2.tar.gz...
  % Total    % Received % Xferd  Average Speed   Time    Time     Time  Current
                                 Dload  Upload   Total   Spent    Left  Speed
100   121  100   121    0     0    288      0 --:--:-- --:--:-- --:--:--   289
100  174k    0  174k    0     0   165k      0 --:--:--  0:00:01 --:--:--  938k
==> Validating source files with sha256sums...
    python-grip-4.5.2.tar.gz ... Passed
==> Extracting sources...
  -> Extracting python-grip-4.5.2.tar.gz with bsdtar
==> Entering fakeroot environment...
==> Starting package()...
I CHANGED THE PKGBUILD

... normal makepkg output, etc ...

Some things to note:

If .install or .patch files are present, --hotedit will also prompt you to edit those.
You can change the dependency lists, but this will only affect makepkg's dependency resolution, not Aura's. If you want Aura to skip dependency checks completely because you know you're right (and you know makepkg will succeed after you hotedit), use the --skipdepcheck flag. See issue #605 for more information.
If you want customizations to a PKGBUILD to apply to all future builds of a package, it's recommended that you maintain a separate PKGBUILD and call makepkg yourself.

Updating your AUR Packages

sudo aura -Ayu works, but sudo aura -Auax is a more common way to update your installed AUR packages.

-A: Only consider AUR packages.
-u: Update all packages that can be.
-a: Uninstall unneeded makedepends afterward.
-x: Display makepkg output as we go.

> sudo aura -Auax
aura >>= Fetching package information...
aura >>= Comparing package versions...
aura >>= AUR Packages to upgrade:
aseprite :: 1.2.16.2-3 -> 1.2.19.2-1

aura >>= Saved package state.
aura >>= Determining dependencies...

aura >>= Repository dependencies:
ninja
aura >>= AUR Packages:
aseprite
aura >>= Continue? [Y/n]

Note that -u automatically invoked a saving of the current package state. If you update your system and there is a serious problem, you can roll back with -Br and return to the state that was just saved. See Package Set Snapshots for more detail.

Displaying PKGBUILD Changes

Hey wait a minute, aren't we supposed to check PKGBUILDs before building packages? -k will show us any changes that were made to a PKGBUILD compared to the version we have installed:

> sudo aura -Auaxk
aura >>= Fetching package information...
aura >>= Comparing package versions...
aura >>= AUR Packages to upgrade:
aseprite :: 1.2.16.2-3 -> 1.2.19.2-1

aura >>= Saved package state.
aura >>= aseprite PKGBUILD changes:
--- /var/cache/aura/pkgbuilds/aseprite.pb	2020-02-26 14:11:52.427913916 -0800
+++ /tmp/new.pb	2020-06-12 10:19:55.564270161 -0700
@@ -7,50 +7,57 @@
 # Contributor: Kamil Biduś <kamil.bidus@gmail.com>

 pkgname=aseprite
-pkgver=1.2.16.2
-pkgrel=3
+pkgver=1.2.19.2
+pkgrel=1
 pkgdesc='Create animated sprites and pixel art'
-arch=('x86_64' 'i686')
+arch=('x86_64')
 url="http://www.aseprite.org/"
 license=('custom')
-depends=('cmark' 'pixman' 'curl' 'giflib' 'zlib' 'libpng' 'libjpeg-turbo' 'tinyxml' 'freetype2'
-         'harfbuzz' 'nettle' 'fontconfig' 'libxcursor' 'desktop-file-utils' 'hicolor-icon-theme')
-makedepends=('cmake' 'ninja' 'git' 'python2')
+depends=('cmark' 'curl' 'giflib' 'zlib' 'libpng' 'tinyxml' 'freetype2' 'fontconfig' 'libxcursor'
+         'hicolor-icon-theme')
+makedepends=('cmake' 'ninja' 'git' 'python2' 'freeglut' 'xorgproto' 'libxi' 'harfbuzz-icu'
+             'nettle')

... etc ...

aura >>= Determining dependencies...

aura >>= Repository dependencies:
ninja
aura >>= AUR Packages:
aseprite
aura >>= Continue? [Y/n]

Including `*-git` Packages

The AUR has many packages postfixed with -git, -svn, etc. These typically pull straight from the master branch of some code respository, and so the idea of comparing version numbers to detect updates doesn't work as well.

--devel will consider all such packages for updates:

> sudo aura -Auax --devel
aura >>= Fetching package information...
aura >>= Comparing package versions...
aura >>= AUR Packages to upgrade:
aseprite    :: 1.2.16.2-3 -> 1.2.19.2-1
libumem-git

aura >>= Saved package state.
aura >>= Determining dependencies...

aura >>= Repository dependencies:
ninja
aura >>= AUR Packages:
aseprite
libumem-git
aura >>= Continue? [Y/n]

Notice that no a -> b version number update was shown for the -git package.

💡 Note: Usually packages are built in semi-randomly named directories within /tmp, which is cleared upon every reboot of the machine. (Pass -c/--clean to -A to be proactive about clearing these directories.)

"VCS" packages on the other hand are stored elsewhere and given fixed names, so that updates invoke a git pull instead of a full git clone (which may be expensive!).

See the next page for more information.

Forcing a Rebuild

By default, Aura won't rebuild a package if the most recent version is already installed (or even just available in your package cache). But sometimes you do want to force a rebuild. For instance, some -git packages have no concept of a version number. Even with --devel, an update will never be detected. In these cases, --force will cause the package to be completely rebuilt.

Blindly Accepting all Prompts

Tired of pressing the Enter key? Or maybe you've automated aura into a script. In these cases, you may want to accept all prompts automatically. pacman exposes the --noconfirm flag for this, which also affects Aura.

💡 Note: If a PKGBUILD vulnerability was detected, Aura will exit and not proceed with building, even if --noconfirm was given.

See PKGBUILD Security Analysis for more information.

The Aura User Guide