Related articles * [Arch packaging standards](/index.php/Arch_packaging_standards "Arch packaging standards") * [Creating packages](/index.php/Creating_packages "Creating packages") * [.SRCINFO](/index.php/.SRCINFO ".SRCINFO") * [Arch User Repository](/index.php/Arch_User_Repository "Arch User Repository") * [Category:Package development](/index.php/Category:Package_development "Category:Package development") * [Arch Build System](/index.php/Arch_Build_System "Arch Build System") * [makepkg](/index.php/Makepkg "Makepkg") * [pacman](/index.php/Pacman "Pacman") * [Pacman/Tips and tricks](/index.php/Pacman/Tips_and_tricks "Pacman/Tips and tricks") This article discusses variables definable by the maintainer in a PKGBUILD. For information on the PKGBUILD functions and creating packages in general, refer to [Creating packages](/index.php/Creating_packages "Creating packages"). Also read [PKGBUILD(5)](https://jlk.fjfi.cvut.cz/arch/manpages/man/PKGBUILD.5). A PKGBUILD is a shell script containing the build information required by [Arch Linux](/index.php/Arch_Linux "Arch Linux") packages. Packages in Arch Linux are built using the [makepkg](/index.php/Makepkg "Makepkg") utility. When *makepkg* is run, it searches for a `PKGBUILD` file in the current directory and follows the instructions therein to either compile or otherwise acquire the files to build a package archive (`*pkgname*.pkg.tar.xz`). The resulting package contains binary files and installation instructions, readily installable with [pacman](/index.php/Pacman "Pacman"). Mandatory variables are `pkgname`, `pkgver`, `pkgrel`, and `arch`. `license` is not strictly necessary to build a package, but is recommended for any PKGBUILDs shared with others, as *makepkg* will produce a warning if not present. It is a common practice to define the variables in the PKGBUILD in same order as given here. However, this is not mandatory, as long as correct [Bash](/index.php/Bash "Bash") syntax is used. ## Contents * [1 Package name](#Package_name) * [1.1 pkgbase](#pkgbase) * [1.2 pkgname](#pkgname) * [2 Version](#Version) * [2.1 pkgver](#pkgver) * [2.2 pkgrel](#pkgrel) * [2.3 epoch](#epoch) * [3 Generic](#Generic) * [3.1 pkgdesc](#pkgdesc) * [3.2 arch](#arch) * [3.3 url](#url) * [3.4 license](#license) * [3.5 groups](#groups) * [4 Dependencies](#Dependencies) * [4.1 depends](#depends) * [4.2 optdepends](#optdepends) * [4.3 makedepends](#makedepends) * [4.4 checkdepends](#checkdepends) * [5 Package relations](#Package_relations) * [5.1 provides](#provides) * [5.2 conflicts](#conflicts) * [5.3 replaces](#replaces) * [6 Others](#Others) * [6.1 backup](#backup) * [6.2 options](#options) * [6.3 install](#install) * [6.4 changelog](#changelog) * [7 Sources](#Sources) * [7.1 source](#source) * [7.2 noextract](#noextract) * [7.3 validpgpkeys](#validpgpkeys) * [8 Integrity](#Integrity) * [8.1 md5sums](#md5sums) * [8.2 sha1sums](#sha1sums) * [8.3 sha256sums](#sha256sums) * [8.4 sha224sums, sha384sums, sha512sums](#sha224sums.2C_sha384sums.2C_sha512sums) * [9 See also](#See_also) ## Package name ### pkgbase An optional global directive is available when building a split package. `pkgbase` is used to refer to the group of packages in the output of *makepkg* and in the naming of source-only tarballs. If not specified, the first element in the `pkgname` array is used. The variable is not allowed to begin with a hyphen. All options and directives for the split packages default to the global values given in the PKGBUILD. Nevertheless, the following ones can be overridden within each split package’s packaging function: [#pkgdesc](#pkgdesc), [#arch](#arch), [#url](#url), [#license](#license), [#groups](#groups), [#depends](#depends), [#optdepends](#optdepends), [#provides](#provides), [#conflicts](#conflicts), [#replaces](#replaces), [#backup](#backup), [#options](#options), [#install](#install), and [#changelog](#changelog). ### pkgname The name(s) of the package(s). Package names should only consist of lowercase alphanumerics and the following characters: `@._+-` (at symbol, dot, underscore, plus, hyphen). Names are not allowed to start with hyphens or dots. For the sake of consistency, `pkgname` should match the name of the source tarball of the software: for instance, if the software is in `foobar-2.5.tar.gz`, use `pkgname=foobar`. The name of the directory containing the PKGBUILD should also match the `pkgname`. Split packages should be defined as an array, e.g. `pkgname=('foo' 'bar')`. ## Version ### pkgver The version of the package. This should be the same as the version released by the author of the package. It can contain letters, numbers, periods and underscores, but **not** a hyphen (`-`). If the author of the software uses one, replace it with an underscore (`_`). If the `pkgver` variable is used later in the PKGBUILD, then the underscore can easily be substituted for a hyphen, e.g. `source=("$pkgname-${pkgver//_/-}.tar.gz")`. **Note:** If upstream uses a timestamp versioning such as `30102014`, ensure to use the reversed date, i.e. `20141030` ([ISO 8601](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_8601 "wikipedia:ISO 8601") format). Otherwise it will not appear as a newer version. **Tip:** * The ordering of uncommon values can be tested with [vercmp(8)](https://jlk.fjfi.cvut.cz/arch/manpages/man/vercmp.8), which is provided by the [pacman](/index.php/Pacman "Pacman") package. * [makepkg](/index.php/Makepkg "Makepkg") can automatically [update](http://allanmcrae.com/2013/04/pacman-4-1-released/) this variable by defining a `pkgver()` function in the PKGBUILD. See [VCS package guidelines#The pkgver() function](/index.php/VCS_package_guidelines#The_pkgver.28.29_function "VCS package guidelines") for details. ### pkgrel The release number. This is usually a positive integer number that allows to differentiate between consecutive builds of the same version of a package. As fixes and additional features are added to the PKGBUILD that influence the resulting package, the `pkgrel` should be incremented by 1\. When a new version of the software is released, this value must be reset to 1\. In exceptional cases other formats can be found in use, such as *major.minor*. ### epoch **Warning:** `epoch` should only be used when absolutely required to do so. Used to force the package to be seen as newer than any previous version with a lower epoch. This value is required to be a positive integer; the default is 0\. It is used when the version numbering scheme of a package changes (or is alphanumeric), breaking normal version comparison logic. For example: ``` pkgver=5.13 pkgrel=2 epoch=1 ``` `1:5.13-2` See [pacman(8)](https://jlk.fjfi.cvut.cz/arch/manpages/man/pacman.8) for more information on version comparisons. ## Generic ### pkgdesc The description of the package. This is recommended to be 80 characters or less and should not include the package name in a self-referencing way, unless the application name differs from the package name. For example, use `pkgdesc="Text editor for X11"` instead of `pkgdesc="Nedit is a text editor for X11"`. Also it is important to use keywords wisely to increase the chances of appearing in relevant search queries. ### arch An array of architectures that the PKGBUILD is intended to build and work on. Arch officially supports only `x86_64`, but other projects may support other architectures. For example, [Arch Linux 32](https://archlinux32.org/) provides support for `i686` and [Arch Linux ARM](http://archlinuxarm.org/) provides support for `arm` (armv5), `armv6h` (armv6 hardfloat), `armv7h` (armv7 hardfloat), and `aarch64` (armv8 64bit). If a package is architecture-independent in its compiled state (shell scripts, fonts, themes, many types of extensions, etc.) then use `arch=('any')`. Please note that, as this is intended for packages that can be built once and used on any architecture, it will cause the package to be labeled `-any` as opposed to `-x86_64`, etc. If instead a package can be compiled for any architecture, but is architecture-specific once compiled, specify all architectures officially supported by Arch, i.e. `arch=('x86_64')`. The target architecture can be accessed with the variable `$CARCH` during a build. ### url The URL of the official site of the software being packaged. ### license The license under which the software is distributed. The [licenses](https://www.archlinux.org/packages/?name=licenses) package contains many commonly used licenses, which are installed under `/usr/share/licenses/common/`. If a package is licensed under one of these licenses, the value should be set to the directory name, e.g. `license=('GPL')`. If the appropriate license is not included, several things must be done: 1. Add `custom` to the `license` array. Optionally, you can replace `custom` with `custom:*name of license*`. Once a license is used in two or more packages in an official repository (including [community](/index.php/Community "Community")), it becomes a part of the [licenses](https://www.archlinux.org/packages/?name=licenses) package. 2. Install the license in: `/usr/share/licenses/*pkgname*/`, e.g. `/usr/share/licenses/foobar/LICENSE`. One good way to do this is by using: `install -Dm644 LICENSE "$pkgdir/usr/share/licenses/$pkgname/LICENSE"` 3. If the license is only found in a website, then you need to separately include it in the package. * The [BSD](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BSD_License "wikipedia:BSD License"), [MIT](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIT_License "wikipedia:MIT License"), [zlib/png](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZLIB_license "wikipedia:ZLIB license") and [Python](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Python_License "wikipedia:Python License") licenses are special cases and could not be included in the [licenses](https://www.archlinux.org/packages/?name=licenses) package. For the sake of the `license` array, it is treated as a common license (`license=('BSD')`, `license=('MIT')`, `license=('ZLIB')` and `license=('Python')`), but technically each one is a custom license, because each one has its own copyright line. Any packages licensed under these four should have its own unique license stored in `/usr/share/licenses/*pkgname*`. * Some packages may not be covered by a single license. In these cases, multiple entries may be made in the `license` array, e.g. `license=('GPL' 'custom:*name of license'*)`. * (L)GPL has many versions and permutations of those versions. For (L)GPL software, the convention is: * (L)GPL — (L)GPLv2 or any later version * (L)GPL2 — (L)GPL2 only * (L)GPL3 — (L)GPL3 or any later version * If after researching the issue no license can be determined, [PKGBUILD.proto](https://projects.archlinux.org/pacman.git/tree/proto/PKGBUILD.proto) suggests using `unknown`. However, upstream should be contacted about the conditions under which the software is (and is not) available. **Tip:** Some software authors do not provide separate license file and describe distribution rules in section of common `ReadMe.txt`. This information can be extracted to a separate file during `build()` with something like `sed -n '/**This software**/,/ **thereof.**/p' ReadMe.txt > LICENSE` Additional information and perspectives on free and open source software licenses may be found on the following pages: * [w:Free software licence](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_software_licence "w:Free software licence") * [w:Comparison of free and open-source software licenses](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_free_and_open-source_software_licenses "w:Comparison of free and open-source software licenses") * [A Legal Issues Primer for Open Source and Free Software Projects](https://www.softwarefreedom.org/resources/2008/foss-primer.html) * [GNU Project - Various Licenses and Comments about Them](https://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-list.html) * [Debian - License information](https://www.debian.org/legal/licenses/) * [Open Source Initiative - Licenses by Name](http://www.opensource.org/licenses/alphabetical) ### groups The [group](/index.php/Creating_packages#Meta_packages_and_groups "Creating packages") the package belongs in. For instance, when installing the [kdebase](https://www.archlinux.org/groups/x86_64/kdebase/) package, it installs all packages belonging in that group. ## Dependencies **Note:** Additional architecture-specific arrays can be added by appending an underscore and the architecture name, e.g. `optdepends_x86_64=()`. ### depends An array of packages that must be installed for the software to build **and** run. Dependencies defined inside the `package()` function are only required to run the software. Version restrictions can be specified with comparison operators, e.g. `depends=('foobar>=1.8.0')`; if multiple restrictions are needed, the dependency can be repeated for each, e.g. `depends=('foobar>=1.8.0' 'foobar<2.0.0')`. Dependencies that are provided by other dependencies do not need to be listed. For instance, if a package *foo* depends on both *bar* and *baz*, and the *bar* package depends in turn on *baz* too, *baz* does not need to be included in *foo'*s `depends` array. If the dependency name appears to be a library, e.g. `depends=('libfoobar.so')`, makepkg will try to find a binary that depends on the library in the built package and append the version needed by the binary. Appending the version yourself disables automatic detection, e.g. `depends=('libfoobar.so=2')`. ### optdepends An array of packages that are not needed for the software to function, but provide additional features. This may imply that not all executables provided by a package will function without the respective optdepends.[[1]](https://lists.archlinux.org/pipermail/arch-general/2014-December/038124.html) If the software works on multiple alternative dependencies, all of them can be listed here, instead of the `depends` array. A short description of the extra functionality each optdepend provides should also be noted: ``` optdepends=('cups: printing support' 'sane: scanners support' 'libgphoto2: digital cameras support' 'alsa-lib: sound support' 'giflib: GIF images support' 'libjpeg: JPEG images support' 'libpng: PNG images support') ``` ### makedepends An array of packages that are **only** required to build the software. The minimum dependency version can be specified in the same format as in the `depends` array. The packages in the `depends` array are implicitly required to build the package, they should not be duplicated here. **Tip:** The following can be used to check whether a particular package is either in the [base-devel](https://www.archlinux.org/groups/x86_64/base-devel/) group or is pulled in by a member of the group: ``` $ LC_ALL=C pacman -Si $(pactree -rl ''package'') 2>/dev/null | grep -q "^Groups *:.*base-devel" ``` **Note:** The group [base-devel](https://www.archlinux.org/groups/x86_64/base-devel/) is assumed to be already installed when building with *makepkg*. Members of this group **should not** be included in `makedepends` array. ### checkdepends An array of packages that the software depends on to run its test suite, but are not needed at runtime. Packages in this list follow the same format as `depends`. These dependencies are only considered when the [check()](/index.php/Creating_packages#check.28.29 "Creating packages") function is present and is to be run by makepkg. **Note:** The group [base-devel](https://www.archlinux.org/groups/x86_64/base-devel/) is assumed to be already installed when building with *makepkg*. Members of this group **should not** be included in `checkdepends` array. ## Package relations **Note:** Additional architecture-specific arrays can be added by appending an underscore and the architecture name, e.g. `conflicts_x86_64=()`. ### provides An array of additional packages that the software provides the features of (or a virtual package such as `cron` or `sh`). Packages providing the same item can be installed side-by-side, unless at least one of them uses a `conflicts` array. **Note:** The version that the package provides should be mentioned (`pkgver` and potentially the `pkgrel`), in case packages referencing the software require one. For instance, a modified *qt* package version 3.3.8, named *qt-foobar*, should use `provides=('qt=3.3.8')`; omitting the version number would cause the dependencies that require a specific version of *qt* to fail. Do not add `pkgname` to the `provides` array, as it is done automatically. ### conflicts An array of packages that conflict with, or cause problems with the package, if installed. All these packages and packages providing this item will need to be removed. The version properties of the conflicting packages can also be specified in the same format as the `depends` array. This means when you write a package for which an alternate version is available (be it in the official repositories or in the [AUR](/index.php/AUR "AUR")) and your package conflicts that version, you need to put the other versions in your `conflicts` array as well. However, there is an exception to this rule. Defining conflicting packages in all directions is not always applicable especially if all these packages are maintained by different people. Indeed, having to contact all package maintainers of packages conflicting with your own version and ask them to include your package name in their `conflicts` array is a cumbersome process. This is why, in this context, if your package `provides` a feature and another package `provides` the same feature, you do not need to specify that conflicting package in your `conflicts` array. Let us take a concrete example: * [netbeans](https://www.archlinux.org/packages/?name=netbeans) provides `netbeans` * [netbeans-javase](https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/netbeans-javase/) provides `netbeans` and conflicts with `netbeans` * [netbeans-php](https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/netbeans-php/) provides `netbeans` and conflicts with `netbeans` but does not need to conflicts with [netbeans-javase](https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/netbeans-javase/) since pacman is smart enough to figure out these packages are incompatible as they provide the same feature and are in conflict with it. The same applies in the reverse order: [netbeans-javase](https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/netbeans-javase/) does not need to conflict with [netbeans-php](https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/netbeans-php/), because they provide the same feature. ### replaces An array of obsolete packages that are replaced by the package, e.g. [wireshark-gtk](https://www.archlinux.org/packages/?name=wireshark-gtk) uses `replaces=('wireshark')`. When syncing, *pacman* will immediately replace an installed package upon encountering another package with the matching `replaces` in the repositories. If providing an alternate version of an already existing package or uploading to the AUR, use the `conflicts` and `provides` arrays, which are only evaluated when actually installing the conflicting package. ## Others ### backup An array of files that can contain user-made changes and should be preserved during upgrade or removal of a package, primarily intended for configuration files in `/etc`. Files in this array should use **relative** paths without the leading slash (`/`) (e.g. `etc/pacman.conf`, instead of `/etc/pacman.conf`). When updating, new versions may be saved as `file.pacnew` to avoid overwriting a file which already exists and was previously modified by the user. Similarly, when the package is removed, user-modified files will be preserved as `file.pacsave` unless the package was removed with the `pacman -Rn` command. See also [Pacnew and Pacsave files](/index.php/Pacnew_and_Pacsave_files "Pacnew and Pacsave files"). ### options This array allows overriding some of the default behavior of *makepkg*, defined in `/etc/makepkg.conf`. To set an option, include the name in the array. To disable an option, place an **`!`** before it. The full list of the available options can be found in [PKGBUILD(5)](https://jlk.fjfi.cvut.cz/arch/manpages/man/PKGBUILD.5). ### install The name of the *.install* script to be included in the package. This should be the same as `pkgname`. *pacman* has the ability to store and execute a package-specific script when it installs, removes or upgrades a package. The script contains the following functions which run at different times: * `pre_install` — The script is run right before files are extracted. One argument is passed: new package version. * `post_install` — The script is run right after files are extracted. One argument is passed: new package version. * `pre_upgrade` — The script is run right before files are extracted. Two arguments are passed in the following order: new package version, old package version. * `post_upgrade` — The script is run right after files are extracted. Two arguments are passed in the following order: new package version, old package version. * `pre_remove` — The script is run right before files are removed. One argument is passed: old package version. * `post_remove` — The script is run right after files are removed. One argument is passed: old package version. Each function is run [chrooted](/index.php/Chroot "Chroot") inside the *pacman* install directory. See [this thread](https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?pid=913891). **Tip:** * A prototype *.install* is provided at [/usr/share/pacman/proto.install](https://projects.archlinux.org/pacman.git/plain/proto/proto.install). * [pacman#Hooks](/index.php/Pacman#Hooks "Pacman") provide similar functionality. **Note:** Do not end the script with `exit`. This would prevent the contained functions from executing. ### changelog The name of the package changelog. To view changelogs for installed packages (that have this file): ``` $ pacman -Qc *pkgname* ``` ## Sources ### source An array of files needed to build the package. It must contain the location of the software source, which in most cases is a full HTTP or FTP URL. The previously set variables `pkgname` and `pkgver` can be used effectively here; e.g. `source=("https://example.com/$pkgname-$pkgver.tar.gz")`. Files can also be supplied in the same directory where the `PKGBUILD` is located, and their names added to this array. Before the actual build process starts, all the files referenced in this array will be downloaded or checked for existence, and *makepkg* will not proceed if any is missing. *.install* files are recognized automatically by *makepkg* and should not be included in the source array. Files in the source array with extensions *.sig*, *.sign*, or *.asc* are recognized by *makepkg* as PGP signatures and will be automatically used to verify the integrity of the corresponding source file. **Warning:** The downloaded source filename must be unique because the [SRCDEST](/index.php/Makepkg#Package_output "Makepkg") directory can be the same for all packages. For instance, using the version number of the project as a filename potentially conflicts with other projects with the same version number. In this case, the alternative unique filename to be used is provided with the syntax `source=('*unique_package_name***::***file_uri*')`; e.g. `source=("$pkgname-$pkgver.tar.gz::https://github.com/coder/program/archive/v$pkgver.tar.gz")`. **Tip:** * Additional architecture-specific arrays can be added by appending an underscore and the architecture name, e.g. `source_x86_64=()`. There must be a corresponding integrity array with checksums, e.g. `sha256sums_x86_64=()`. * Some servers restrict download by filtering the *User-Agent* string of the client, this can be circumvented with [DLAGENTS](/index.php/Nonfree_applications_package_guidelines#Custom_DLAGENTS "Nonfree applications package guidelines"). ### noextract An array of files listed under `source`, which should not be extracted from their archive format by *makepkg*. This can be used with archives that cannot be handled by `/usr/bin/bsdtar` or those that need to be installed as-is. If an alternative unarchiving tool is used (e.g. [lrzip](https://www.archlinux.org/packages/?name=lrzip)), it should be added in the `makedepends` array and the first line of the [prepare()](/index.php/Creating_packages#prepare.28.29 "Creating packages") function should extract the source archive manually; for example: ``` prepare() { lrzip -d *source*.tar.lrz } ``` Note that while the `source` array accepts URLs, `noextract` is **just** the file name portion: ``` source=("http://foo.org/bar/foobar.tar.xz") noextract=('foobar.tar.xz') ``` To extract *nothing*, you can do something like this: * If `source` contains only plain URLs without custom file names, strip the source array before the last slash: `noextract=("${source[@]##*/}")` * If `source` contains only entries with custom file names, strip the source array after the `::` separator (taken from [firefox-i18n's PKGBUILD](https://projects.archlinux.org/svntogit/packages.git/tree/trunk/PKGBUILD?h=packages/firefox-i18n#n123)): `noextract=("${source[@]%%::*}")` ### validpgpkeys An array of PGP fingerprints. If used, *makepkg* will only accept signatures from the keys listed here and will ignore the trust values from the keyring. If the source file was signed with a subkey, *makepkg* will still use the primary key for comparison. Only full fingerprints are accepted. They must be uppercase and must not contain whitespace characters. **Note:** You can use `gpg --list-keys --fingerprint ` to find out the fingerprint of the appropriate key. Please read [makepkg#Signature checking](/index.php/Makepkg#Signature_checking "Makepkg") for more information. ## Integrity These variables are arrays whose items are checksum strings that will be used to verify the integrity of the respective files in the [source](#source) array. You can also insert `SKIP` for a particular file, and its checksum will not be tested. The checksum type and values should always be those provided by upstream, such as in release announcements. When multiple types are available, the strongest checksum is to be preferred: `sha256` over `sha1`, and `sha1` over `md5`. This best ensures the integrity of the downloaded files, from upstream's announcement to package building. **Note:** Additionally, when upstream makes [digital signatures](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_signature "w:Digital signature") available, the signature files should be added to the [source](#source) array and the PGP key fingerprint to the [validpgpkeys](#validpgpkeys) array. This allows authentication of the files at build time. The values for these variables can be auto-generated by [makepkg](/index.php/Makepkg "Makepkg")'s `-g`/`--geninteg` option, then commonly appended with `makepkg -g >> PKGBUILD`. The `updpkgsums` command from [pacman-contrib](https://www.archlinux.org/packages/?name=pacman-contrib) is able to update the variables wherever they are in the PKGBUILD. Both tools will use the variable that is already set in the PKGBUILD, or fall back to `md5sums` if none is set. The file integrity checks to use can be set up with the `INTEGRITY_CHECK` option in `/etc/makepkg.conf`. See [makepkg.conf(5)](https://jlk.fjfi.cvut.cz/arch/manpages/man/makepkg.conf.5). **Note:** Additional architecture-specific arrays can be added by appending an underscore and the architecture name, e.g. `sha256sums_x86_64=()`. ### md5sums An array of 128-bit [MD5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MD5 "wikipedia:MD5") checksums of the files listed in the `source` array. ### sha1sums An array of 160-bit [SHA-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SHA-1 "wikipedia:SHA-1") checksums of the files listed in the `source` array. ### sha256sums An array of [SHA-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SHA-2 "wikipedia:SHA-2") checksums with digest size of 256 bits. ### sha224sums, sha384sums, sha512sums An array of SHA-2 checksums with digest sizes 224, 384, and 512 bits, respectively. These are less common alternatives to `sha256sums`. ## See also * [PKGBUILD(5)](https://jlk.fjfi.cvut.cz/arch/manpages/man/PKGBUILD.5) manual page * [Example PKGBUILD file](https://projects.archlinux.org/pacman.git/plain/proto/PKGBUILD.proto)