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Arch Linux Install AUR Helper

What Is An AUR Helper?

Arch User Repository (AUR) is a community driven repository by Arch users. The AUR Helper automates various tasks when using AUR such as searching for packages, resolving package dependencies, retrieve packages, build packages, etc.

Warning

AUR Helpers are not supported by Arch Linux. Use at your own risk and understand the manual build process of packages.

Warning

AUR packages are user created. Use at your own risk.

Install Pikaur

  1. Install required dependencies. 
    # pacman -Sy --needed base-devel git

    :: There are 14 members in group base-devel
:: Repository
   1) autoconf  2) automake  3) binutils  4) bison  5) fakeroot  6) flex 7) gcc 8) groff 9) libtool 10) m4  11) make  12) patch  13) pkgconf  14) textinfo

Enter a selection (default=all): all
  2. Change to your home directory. 
    # cd ~
  3. Download Pikaur source code. 
    # git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/pikaur.git
  4. Change directory. 
    # cd pikaur
  5. Build package. 
    # makepkg -fsri
    Parameter definitions. See makepkg man pages (man makepkg) for further details. 
    -f Force build of package even if it already exists.
-s Sync dependencies, download and install missing packages via pacman.
-r Remove dependencies installed by makepkg when using -s after a successful build.
-i Install or upgrade package after a successful build via pacman.

Volatile Directories

Directories that are created, emptied or destroyed using "systemd-tmpfiles".

makepkg

This is used when building packages from the AUR, this includes when you use AUR helpers (e.g. yaourt, pacaur, pikaur, etc.).

  1. Create the following file. 
    # nano /etc/tmpfiles.d/makepkg.conf

    #Type   Path            Mode    UID     GID  Age Argument
D       /tmp/makepkg    770     nobody  adm  1d  -
  2. Uncomment and modify the line containing "BUILDDIR" in "/etc/makepkg.conf". 
    BUILDDIR=/tmp/makepkg
  3. Run 
    # systemd-tmpfiles --create

Note

This maybe necessary when the default is "BUILDDIR=/tmp/$USER" but may end up being "BUILDDIR=/tmp/AD/$USER". This will break some installation scripts (namely those that leverage NodeJS, like "atom-editor" package).

Last update: September 7, 2020