Developing with a git AUR package

restore · 2019-11-26 07:26:13

Background:

Opensource software has given me so much, I would like to contribute and give something back since I'm able to program. I've also decided which project I want to help. So my idea was to grab the corresponding git AUR package and start developing. Why the AUR package? Because it already provides the dependencies I need within Arch Linux as well as an easy way to build the package.

Building the AUR package also downloads the source from the project page, as seen on the AUR package page, the „Upstream URL“. Naturally, the next steps would be to code/debug something and then upload it to the project. But makepkg seems to only download the package git, not the project/source git. So it is not possible to upload my changes to the source code of the project.

I've read many pages about the Arch Build System, but either I've missed some vital point or the build system is not to be thought of as developing tool – but why? It also resolves the dependencies etc.…

My Questions:

Is it possible to develop a project with an AUR package?
Are AUR packages even thought of as a developing tool?
- If yes – how is the workflow to keep up-to-date with the project, especially with a project using git as their version control system?
- If no – why not?

Pages I've already consulted:

Arch User Repository
Makepkg
Arch Build System
PKGBUILD
A Brief Tour of the Makepkg Process
VCS package guidelines
makepkg(8) Manual Page
Creating packages
Update AUR git package
How to update packages from AUR?
Arch Linux as a development environment

Morganamilo · 2019-11-26 12:14:47

The AUR is not a suitable place for making upstream development. Also makepkg uses bare clones, so that's why you can't see the files outside of src/.

Trilby · 2019-11-26 12:53:55

restore wrote:

But makepkg seems to only download the package git, not the project/source git. So it is not possible to upload my changes to the source code of the project.

I'm not sure what you are saying here - it's actually the opposite. Makepkg does not download the git repo hosted on the aur.archlinux.org (the one with the PKGBUILD and associated files). You need to retrieve these yourself either with `git` or by the download link on the aur web page. Once you have these files, makepkg does retrieve the upstream source files when run in the same directory as the PKGBUILD.

If you want to contribute to a project, submit your changes upstream, then when someone builds the AUR package, they will benefit from your contributions (as will users of other distros/OSs).

But this is all a bit vague - what project do you intend to work on?

Arch Linux

#1 2019-11-26 07:26:13