devtools

Build a package in a clean chroot

$ extra-x86_64-build

$ testing-x86_64-build

$ staging-x86_64-build

$ mkarchroot [/path/to/chroot/root] base-devel

$ arch-nspawn [/path/to/chroot/root] pacman -Syu

$ arch-nspawn [/path/to/chroot/root] [command]

$ signpkg [package.pkg.tar.zst]

extra-x86_64-build [options]
mkarchroot chroot packages...
arch-nspawn chroot command

devtools is a collection of scripts used by Arch Linux developers and Trusted Users to build packages in clean chroot environments. This ensures packages are built with correct dependencies and don't accidentally include developer system configurations.
The build scripts (extra-x86_64-build, etc.) create isolated chroots matching official repository states, build packages, and verify the results. This guarantees packages work on fresh Arch installations.
Additional tools help with package maintenance: finding dependencies, comparing versions, signing packages, and managing chroots.

extra-x86_64-build

Build for extra repository.

Build for testing repository.

Build for staging repository.

Build 32-bit multilib packages.

mkarchroot path pkgs

Create a new chroot with specified packages.

Run command in existing chroot using nspawn.

Build package in chroot.

signpkg pkg

Sign a package with GPG.

Compare package with repository version.

Find shared library dependencies.

Search for packages using a library.

Requires sudo and systemd-nspawn. Initial chroot creation downloads the base system. Disk space needed for chroot (several GB). Build times depend on package complexity. Chroots should be updated before building.

devtools was developed by Arch Linux developers to standardize package building. The scripts evolved from manual processes into automated tools. Using clean chroots became mandatory for official Arch packages to ensure reproducibility. The tools have been refined over years of use by the Arch packaging community.

makepkg(8), pacman(8), pkgctl(1), systemd-nspawn(1)