Arch Linux

Cont9999

Member

Registered: 2022-08-22

Posts: 12

Installing GNOME extensiosn from AUR vs https://extensions.gnome.org/

Which method would be better, installing extensions from the AUR (makes them available system-wide and automates the update process if using an AUR helper) or installing them from https://extensions.gnome.org/ (for the current user only, updates have to be checked and installed manually for each extension on https://extensions.gnome.org/local/)?

Something weird I noticed is: while the extensions that come with gnome-shell-extensions are up to date, they still ask for updates on https://extensions.gnome.org/local/. And when you 'update' the extension from gnome-shel-extension, the only thing it does is it makes it available for the current user only and not system-wide.

Previously in the GNOME article, the extensions section described installing extensions from https://extensions.gnome.org/ primarily and only mentioned 1 line about installing extensions from the official repositories (there are just 2 extensions there). And that entire section had no mentions about the AUR while the rest of the GNOME article offered certain extensions to install from the AUR (not from https://extensions.gnome.org/local/) for advanced configuration.

Due to that inconsistency, I edited the extensions section and described installing extensions from the AUR.

Which is the better method of installing extensions? from the AUR or from https://extensions.gnome.org/?

mandog

Member

From: Peru

Registered: 2008-09-17

Posts: 218

Re: Installing GNOME extensiosn from AUR vs https://extensions.gnome.org/

You are talking in riddles, Gnome extension org the updates are basically automatic and shown in the notifications panel, they are stored in ~home /local so they do not effect the system and can be copy pasted or even just deleted as  they are self contained
the ones from AUR are not always up to date and just copied from Gnome.ORG and compiled as software they could cause system breakage.
So its Gnome.org all the way here.

Last edited by mandog (2022-08-27 19:41:16)

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yochananmarqos

Member

Registered: 2020-02-05

Posts: 222

Re: Installing GNOME extensiosn from AUR vs https://extensions.gnome.org/

Installing extensions from the AUR allows them to be managed by pacman just like any other package. Sometimes extensions have system dependencies which can be declared in the PKGBUILD. I find it easier to manage everything that way. If an extension is not in the AUR, I write my own PKGBUILD and may add it to the AUR.

With that being said, it's probably easier for most people to manage extensions via extensions.gnome.org installed locally. There's also Extension Manager (available in the AUR or Flatpak) to help with that.

@mandog: No, extensions from the AUR are not "copied from gnome.org". They use the developer's source repo and some are built using tools like Yarn, NPM or Meson.

Cont9999

Member

Registered: 2022-08-22

Posts: 12

Re: Installing GNOME extensiosn from AUR vs https://extensions.gnome.org/

You are talking in riddles, Gnome extension org the updates are basically automatic and shown in the notifications panel, they are stored in ~home /local so they do not effect the system and can be copy pasted or even just deleted as  they are self contained
the ones from AUR are not always up to date and just copied from Gnome.ORG and compiled as software they could cause system breakage.
So its Gnome.org all the way here.

That's not true. The extensions from AUR are also up to date, especially if they are a -git package which could be even more up to date than the ones on extensions.gnome.org.
And how are extensions.gnome.org extensions shown in the notifications panel? AFAIK you need ANOTHER extension for that. Plus, what is the purpose of the AUR if we don't use it for things like this, then?

mandog

Member

From: Peru

Registered: 2008-09-17

Posts: 218

Re: Installing GNOME extensiosn from AUR vs https://extensions.gnome.org/

@yochananmarqos  i did not mean that i meant from the devs site its the same code after all
@cont9999 how many pages of extensions are their in AUR just a selected few you don't need a extension to update that's a pacman extension for system updates, All you need is to build from Gnome .org and that is basically copy paste.  why use the repros then for packages just use git if you think they are better i mean they are untested for a reason.

Last edited by mandog (2022-08-29 11:58:57)

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Lone_Wolf

Administrator

From: Netherlands, Europe

Registered: 2005-10-04

Posts: 15,276

Re: Installing GNOME extensiosn from AUR vs https://extensions.gnome.org/

The main question appears to be who/what is responsible for keeping a system uptodate.

pacman , gnome software, kde discover, flatpak, snap , pip , conda, npm, aur helper, browser etc ?

All those managing tools have specific scopes, advantages & disadvantages and the question "which is best/better ?" only has a personal answer.

My personal answer :
pacman for everything except firefox extensions and clamav database.

Last edited by Lone_Wolf (2022-08-30 11:51:32)

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Cont9999

Member

Registered: 2022-08-22

Posts: 12

Re: Installing GNOME extensiosn from AUR vs https://extensions.gnome.org/

The main question appears to be who/what is responsible for keeping a system uptodate.

pacman , gnome software, kde discover, flatpak, snap , pip , conda, npm, aur helper, browser etc ?

All those managing tools have specific scopes, advantages & disadvantages and the question "which is best/better ?" only has a personal answer.

My personal answer :
pacman for everything except firefox extensions and clamav database.

Me personally, I use an AUR helper. So in this case, I'm comparing installing extensions from the AUR with an AUR helper vs installing them from https://extensions.gnome.org/.

icar

Member

Registered: 2020-07-31

Posts: 562

Re: Installing GNOME extensiosn from AUR vs https://extensions.gnome.org/

Unless you want an extension following the latest commit of its repo, in which case you should use an AUR PKGBUILD *-git, I'd recommend installing them from the extensions server (and using the app that allows so without weird hacks from your browser), since they autoupdate and come packaged from upstream, avoiding any issues with the maintenance of its PKGBUILD.