Using the AUR (Arch User Repository)

The AUR is a community-driven repository containing thousands of packages not in the official Arch repositories.

⚠️ Important

AUR packages are user-produced content. Always review PKGBUILDs before installing to ensure they're safe.

What is the AUR?

The Arch User Repository (AUR) is a community repository where users can submit and maintain packages. It contains:

Software not in official repositories
Beta/development versions of software
Niche or specialized applications
Proprietary software

Installing AUR Helpers

AUR helpers automate the process of building and installing AUR packages.

Option 1: yay (Recommended)

# Install dependencies
sudo pacman -S --needed base-devel git

# Clone and build yay
cd /tmp
git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/yay.git
cd yay
makepkg -si

# Verify installation
yay --version

Option 2: paru

# Install dependencies
sudo pacman -S --needed base-devel git rust

# Clone and build paru
cd /tmp
git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/paru.git
cd paru
makepkg -si

# Verify installation
paru --version

Using yay

Search for Packages

# Search AUR
yay -Ss package-name

# Search both official repos and AUR
yay package-name

Install Packages

# Install a package
yay -S package-name

# Install with no confirmations (use carefully)
yay -S --noconfirm package-name

Update System

# Update both official and AUR packages
yay -Syu

# Update only AUR packages
yay -Sua

Remove Packages

# Remove package
yay -R package-name

# Remove with dependencies
yay -Rs package-name

Get Package Info

# Show package information
yay -Si package-name

# Show installed package info
yay -Qi package-name

Clean Build Cache

# Clean unneeded dependencies
yay -Yc

Using paru

Paru commands are similar to yay:

# Search
paru -Ss package-name

# Install
paru -S package-name

# Update
paru -Syu

# Remove
paru -R package-name

Manual Installation (Without AUR Helper)

You can manually build AUR packages:

# 1. Clone the package repository
git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/package-name.git
cd package-name

# 2. Review the PKGBUILD (IMPORTANT!)
less PKGBUILD

# 3. Build and install
makepkg -si

# 4. Clean up
cd ..
rm -rf package-name

Safety Tips

🔒 Always Review PKGBUILDs

Before installing any AUR package:

Read the PKGBUILD file
Check comments on the AUR page
Verify the source URLs
Look for suspicious commands

Checking Package Safety

# View PKGBUILD before installing
yay -Gp package-name | less

# View package comments
yay -Si package-name

Red Flags to Watch For

Commands running as root unnecessarily
Downloads from untrusted sources
Unusual post-install scripts
No votes or comments on AUR page
Recently created packages with many features

Popular AUR Packages

Browsers

yay -S google-chrome
yay -S brave-bin
yay -S microsoft-edge-stable-bin

Development Tools

yay -S visual-studio-code-bin
yay -S jetbrains-toolbox
yay -S postman-bin

Communication

yay -S discord
yay -S slack-desktop
yay -S zoom

Media

yay -S spotify
yay -S youtube-dl
yay -S plex-media-server

Troubleshooting

Build Failures

If a package fails to build:

# Update system first
sudo pacman -Syu

# Install missing dependencies
sudo pacman -S base-devel

# Clear build cache
rm -rf ~/.cache/yay

GPG Key Errors

# Import missing GPG key
gpg --recv-keys KEY_ID

# Or skip verification (not recommended)
makepkg -si --skippgpcheck

Dependency Issues

# Manually install dependencies
yay -S dependency-name

# Then try again
yay -S package-name

AUR vs Official Repositories

Feature	Official Repos	AUR
Maintained by	Arch developers	Community
Installation	Pre-built binaries	Build from source
Security	Verified	User responsibility
Speed	Fast	Slower (builds)

Best Practices

Always update your system before installing AUR packages
Read PKGBUILDs before installation
Check package popularity and comments
Use an AUR helper for convenience
Keep AUR packages updated
Report issues to package maintainers

📚 Learn More

For more information, visit the Arch Wiki AUR page.