Arch Linux

0plovyk

Member

Registered: 2025-10-22

Posts: 9

How to install packages from extra-testing repos?

As I understood you can`t just install beta versions of packages by inserting -Syu command through pacman or -U for mirrored packages? I would be extremely grateful if you could explain.

killertofus

Member

Registered: 2025-02-10

Posts: 182

Re: How to install packages from extra-testing repos?

The testing repositories are not for the "newest of the new" package versions. Part of their purpose is to hold package updates that have the potential to break the system, either by being part of the core set of packages, or by being critical in other ways.

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seth

Member

From: Won't reply 2 private help req

Registered: 2012-09-03

Posts: 75,086

Re: How to install packages from extra-testing repos?

Read all of https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Offici … positories very closely.
And to pile on killertofus: if you have to ask you better don't use them. Certainly not without a very specific cause.

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Xylerfox

Member

Registered: 2024-07-24

Posts: 30

Re: How to install packages from extra-testing repos?

I'm not an Arch Expert, but from what I know, the Testing Branch is not a branch you should use lightly.

in pacman.conf, you can disable the normal packages, and enable the testing packages. But as Killertofus mentioned, it's packages that have the potential to break your system, so I'd only use -testing if you 1 - Know what you're doing, and 2 - are on a machine you do not care if it died on you. If this is about KDE Plasma 6.5, just be patient. The Arch testers are making sure that you can pacman -Syu without worry.

However, if you are gonna use -testing, then make sure you use a VM and document any bugs you may encounter and report them.

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