aurman

Synchronize and update all packages

$ aurman [[-S|--sync]] [[-y|--refresh]] [[-u|--sysupgrade]]

$ aurman [[-S|--sync]] [[-y|--refresh]] [[-u|--sysupgrade]] --noedit

$ aurman [[-S|--sync]] [package]

$ aurman [[-S|--sync]] --noedit [package]

$ aurman [[-S|--sync]] --noedit --noconfirm [package]

$ aurman [[-S|--sync]] [[-s|--search]] [keyword]

$ aurman --remove --recursive --nosave [package]

$ aurman [[-S|--sync]] [[-c|--clean]]

aurman <operation> [<options>] [<targets>]
aurman <package> (installs a package by default)
aurman -S [<options>] <packages> (install packages)
aurman -R [<options>] <packages> (remove packages)
aurman -U [<options>] <packages> (upgrade or add local packages)
aurman -Ss [<options>] <keywords> (search packages)
aurman -Si [<options>] <packages> (display package info)
aurman -Syu [<options>] (sync, refresh, upgrade system)

-S, --sync
    Synchronize packages. Used for installing new packages (-S <package>) or upgrading the system (-Syu).

-R, --remove
    Remove specified packages from the system.

-U, --upgrade
    Upgrade or add local packages. Useful for installing downloaded .pkg.tar.zst files.

-Q, --query
    Query the package database. Behaves similarly to pacman -Q.

-Ss, --search
    Search the official repositories and AUR for packages matching keywords.

-Si, --info
    Display detailed information about specified packages.

-Syu
    Performs a full system upgrade, syncing repository databases and upgrading installed packages.

--noconfirm
    Skip all interactive confirmation prompts.

--noedit
    Do not open PKGBUILD files for editing before building.

--nodiff
    Do not show diffs of PKGBUILD files.

--skipinteg
    Skip integrity checks for downloaded files.

--mflags ""
    Pass custom flags directly to makepkg during the build process.

aurman is a powerful and feature-rich Arch User Repository (AUR) helper for Arch Linux. It provides a user-friendly interface mirroring pacman's syntax, simplifying the process of installing, updating, and managing packages from the AUR. Key features include robust dependency resolution, handling of split packages and VCS (-git) packages, and comprehensive PKGBUILD review capabilities. aurman integrates seamlessly with pacman, handling both official repository packages and AUR packages within a single workflow. It was designed to ensure package integrity through integrity checks and to allow users to inspect package build files before installation, enhancing system security.

aurman is no longer actively maintained. Its development ceased around 2020, and the developer recommended users switch to more actively maintained AUR helpers like paru or yay. Using an unmaintained helper can lead to issues with new package formats, PKGBUILD changes, or security vulnerabilities over time. Therefore, its use is generally discouraged in favor of modern alternatives.

One of aurman's key strengths was its emphasis on security, allowing users to review the PKGBUILD files and their diffs before building and installing packages. This feature provided transparency and control, enabling users to inspect the build process and ensure no malicious code was being executed or unwanted files were being installed.

Developed by mnewt, aurman quickly rose to prominence as a robust and feature-rich AUR helper due to its pacman-like interface and comprehensive handling of AUR packages. It gained a strong user base for its reliability in managing complex dependency chains and VCS packages. However, active development for aurman ceased around 2020. The project maintainer explicitly stated its deprecation and encouraged users to migrate to newer, actively maintained AUR helpers such as paru or yay, which were designed with lessons learned from aurman and other helpers.

pacman(8), makepkg(8), yay(8), paru(8)