How to Use the Command 'aur' (with Examples)

The ‘aur’ command is a utility designed for managing packages from the Arch User Repository (AUR) and handling local repositories on an Arch Linux system. It allows users to perform a variety of tasks, including searching for packages, downloading and building them, managing local package repositories, and upgrading them with ease. This tool becomes essential for Arch Linux users who wish to harness the full power of AUR due to its extensive repository of user-contributed packages.

Use Case 1: Searching the AUR Database for a Package

Code:

aur search keyword

Motivation:

Imagine you’ve heard about a fantastic new software that is available on AUR, and you want to explore its features or install it on your system. Before downloading, building, and installing, you first need to check if this package exists within the AUR. By using the aur search command, you can easily find the package along with additional information about it.

Explanation:

• aur: This invokes the aur command, a utility for interacting with AUR.
• search: A sub-command that tells the aur tool to search the AUR database.
• keyword: This represents the search term. It could be the name of the package or a related keyword to locate packages of interest.

Example Output:

aur-package1 1.0.0-1
    Description of package1
aur-package2 2.3.1-2
    Description of package2

The output shows a list of packages that match the keyword, including their version numbers and short descriptions.

Use Case 2: Downloading a Package and Its Dependencies

Code:

aur sync package

Motivation:

You’ve decided on a package you want to install from the AUR. However, packages in AUR are usually presented as source code, requiring you to build them before installation. This use case showcases the aur sync command, which downloads, builds, and adds the package and its dependencies automatically to a local repository, streamlining the installation process.

Explanation:

• aur: Calls the main command-line tool.
• sync: A sub-command to synchronize, which automates downloading, building, and adding packages to the local repository.
• package: The name of the package you wish to download and install from AUR.

Example Output:

==> Downloading package source code...
==> Building and installing dependencies...
==> Adding built package to local repository...
==> Package 'package' has been successfully installed.

Use Case 3: Listing Packages in Your Local Repository

Code:

aur repo --list

Motivation:

Having a local repository configured is advantageous because it caches built packages for smoother and quicker installations in the future. Suppose you want a quick overview of the packages in your local repository, perhaps to verify the versions you have installed. This command allows administrators and users to easily manage and audit their local repositories by listing every package available within.

Explanation:

• aur: The root command in use.
• repo: Indicates the command is dealing with repository management.
• --list: An option to list all packages contained in the local repository.

Example Output:

local-package1 3.4.5-1
local-package2 2.2.0-3
...

Use Case 4: Upgrading Packages in the Local Repository

Code:

aur sync --upgrades

Motivation:

Keeping your system up-to-date is crucial for security, performance, and access to new features. When AUR packages receive updates, you’ll want these improvements on your system. Therefore, this use case demonstrates how to use aur to upgrade packages that already exist in your local repository to their latest versions.

Explanation:

• aur: The base command.
• sync: Used here to manage synchronization with updates.
• --upgrades: This flag instructs the command to fetch newer versions of packages currently in the local repository and upgrade them accordingly.

Example Output:

==> Checking for package updates in local repository...
==> Newer version found for 'package1': upgrading...
==> All packages are up to date.

Use Case 5: Installing a Package Without Confirmation or Viewing Changes

Code:

aur sync --noview --noconfirm package

Motivation:

In scenarios where you want the installation to be as automated and interruption-free as possible — perhaps within scripts or automated setups — it’s useful to bypass viewing changes and manual confirmation prompts during installation. This use case highlights an approach for such streamlined installations.

Explanation:

• aur: Launches the tool.
• sync: Handles downloading and building from AUR.
• --noview: Skips viewing changes of the PKGBUILD file in a text editor like Vim, which is usually presented for reviewing.
• --noconfirm: Skips any confirmation dialogs, continuing the installation unabated.
• package: The package you intend to install.

Example Output:

==> Downloading package source code...
==> Building and installing 'package' without confirmation.
==> 'package' has been successfully installed.

Conclusion:

The aur command is a powerful tool for managing packages from the AUR and local repositories efficiently. Whether you are searching, downloading, managing, or upgrading packages, the mentioned use cases equip you with the necessary commands to enhance your workflow in maintaining an Arch Linux system with AUR packages.