How to Install AUR Package in Arch

This is a very simple example of how you install a package from the Arch User Repository or AUR.

I will use the markdown editor named remarkable as an example.

Find the package

• Go on the AUR package searchtool

• Find the line git clone URL and copy the link.

We will use it to clone de repository of the package.

For remarkable it is : https://aur.archlinux.org/remarkable.git

Clone the repository

Use this command to clone the repository on your machine

git clone "url-to-remote-git-repository"

So for remarkable it will be

git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/remarkable.git ~/

Now wait for git to download the package.

Install the package

Enter the folder were the clone was made

cd ~/remarkable/

Again if you are installing another package search for a folder with its name.

makepkg -s

We are creating the package from the source it will be created in an archived file. The -s option installs and manages the dependencies, a very convenient flag.

sudo pacman -U remarkable-1.87-5-any.pkg.tar.xz

Find the archive file corresponding and add it to the pacman update with the -U option.

Test the package

Now try to run the software to see if it is working correctly.

If not you can try to run the following to remove the package and the files so you can start over.

sudo pacman -R remarkable && sudo rm -r remarkable

If the problem persist you should get help online:

• Try to look for issues in the git repository
• Read the output of the command that failed
• Read the manual of the command that you are trying to use

Time to tidy up

You can now safely remove the folder wich was created during the git clone command.

rm -r remarkable

I hope it helped you install your package.