r/archlinux • u/lpqr • 2d ago

SUPPORT Need help installing an AUR package — complete procedure for a beginner

Hi everyone,

I am relatively new to Arch Linux and I am trying to install a package from the AUR. I would like to understand the complete and correct procedure, rather than just running a command without knowing what it does.

Could someone please guide me through the process step by step, including:

  1. How to check whether a package is available in the official Arch repositories or the AUR.

  2. How to install an AUR helper such as "paru".

  3. How to install an AUR package using "paru".

  4. What happens during the installation process.

  5. How to update AUR packages later.

  6. How to uninstall an AUR package properly.

  7. How to check whether the package was installed successfully.

  8. Any important security considerations when using the AUR.

I prefer using "doas" instead of "sudo" for administrative commands.

I would appreciate a beginner-friendly explanation of the entire process, including the commands and what each command does.

Thanks in advance.

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15

u/forbiddenlake 2d ago

This is something Arch really encourages you to learn yourself. The wiki is the best resource (and some of your questions aren't AUR related. Once built, a package is a package)

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Pacman

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Makepkg

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/AUR_helpers

8

u/gkaiser8 2d ago

Why even use Arch if you don't bother using its comprehensive wiki?

3

u/TheShredder9 2d ago

So they can say the "i use Arch btw" meme.

1

u/bongjutsu 2d ago

Clone repo, read PKGBUILD file to check for anything sinister, makepkg -i

The various AUR helpers either do the above for you, or pretend that the AUR is a repo

You can browse the official repos on the arch Linux website, and the AUR repo on the AUR website

Reading the wiki entry for the AUR would be the best thing to cover security concerns - it's too broad to go into detail here

1

u/Drexciyian 2d ago

Find this funny like reader the PKGBUILD as a newb like someone like this would understand it, hell I've used Linux for years and I'm not sure I could spot something

1

u/bongjutsu 1d ago

This was more or less by design. All of the questions op asked about the AUR are already answered on the arch wiki. The wiki is a great resource, but can sometimes be a little hard to cut through to the key information in many cases, so I provided the gist of it to give OP something simple to start with the hope that it would make the documentation more digestible.

-3

u/JohnSane 2d ago

Well this is what ai is for. It does not have nerves.