[HOW-TO] Compile & Install Software on Arch 🏗️
July 25, 2020•232 words
Quick reference of the common commands, to install packages on Arch Linux 
Option #1 - Pacman
If the app is availible through AUR, then you can simply use the pacman package manager
## Install
$ sudo pacman -S {package-name(s)}
## Get Details
$ pacman -Qi {package-name}
## Remove
$ sudo pacman -R {package-name}
Option #2 - Manually
Using the makepkg script to build the package from source
## 1. Get the code (E.g. from AUR, GitHub)
$ wget https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/{package-name}.tar.gz
$ tar -xvzf {package-name}.tar.gz
$ cd {package-name}
## 2. Compile the package
$ makepkg -s
## 3. Install the app
$ sudo pacman -U *xz
Option #2 - from .deb
If only a .deb file is availible, you can convert it using debtap
## 1. Get debtap (first time), and optionally create an alias
$ git clone https://github.com/helixarch/debtap
$ alias debtap='. .path/to/debtap'
## 1. Download the .deb package you wish to install, e.g.
$ git clone {url-to-package.git}
$ cd {package-name}
## 3. Convert .deb to Arch package
$ debtap packagetoconvert.deb
## 4. Install the converted package to system
$ debtap -U *
Usefull Info:
- AUR Listings: https://aur.archlinux.org/
- Building Docs: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Makepkg
- PacMan Docs: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/pacman
- For trouble shooting errors: https://dev.to/nabbisen/troubleshooting-around-installing-aur-packages-neg
- Before installing check: licence, popularity, last updated, dependencies