namcap

Check a PKGBUILD file for issues

$ namcap [path/to/PKGBUILD]

$ namcap [path/to/package.pkg.tar.zst]

$ namcap -i [path/to/file]

$ namcap -m [path/to/file]

$ namcap --rules

namcap [-i] [-m] [--rules list] filename

namcap checks binary packages and source PKGBUILDs for common packaging mistakes on Arch Linux. It validates required fields, file permissions, dependencies, licenses, and security concerns.
The tool helps package maintainers catch issues before submission to the AUR or official repositories. It runs multiple rule-based checks and reports findings categorized by severity.

-i, --info

Display extra informational messages

Output in program-parsable format

List available checking rules

Display help information

E: (Error)

Critical issues requiring fixes; security, licensing, or permissions problems

Recommended changes; experienced packagers may override

Helpful notes; displayed only with --info flag

- Required PKGBUILD fields (pkgname, pkgver, url, etc.)
- Package file permissions and ownership
- License file inclusion
- Missing or extra dependencies
- Security concerns
- ELF file issues
- Empty directories

Not all warnings require action; some are informational for experienced packagers. The tool checks against Arch Linux packaging standards and may not apply to other distributions. Some checks require the package to be built before analysis.

namcap was developed by the Arch Linux community as a quality assurance tool for package maintainers. It is maintained as part of the Arch Linux development tools and helps ensure consistent packaging standards.

makepkg(8), pacman(8), PKGBUILD(5)