Introduction
Arch Linux is a popular rolling-release Linux distribution that is known for its simplicity, flexibility, and bleeding-edge packages. Building AUR packages for Arch Linux can be a time-consuming and tedious process, even with AUR Helpers. In this post, I will show you the tool I created to use GitHub Actions to automate the process of building Arch Linux packages and how to create your own aur repository.
Fork your own
I have created a GitHub repository that builds AUR packages and creates a Arch Linux repository using GitHub Releases.
In this tutorial, I will show you how to use it to automate the process of building an Arch Linux packages.
Step 1: Setting up your environment
Before we start, you will need to have a few things set up:
- A GitHub account
- A fork of my GitHub repository (https://github.com/jckimble/pkgbuilds)
- A text editor (I will be using Visual Studio Code)
Step 2: Customizing your fork
In your fork of my repository, do the following:
- Remove any packages you do not want to build
- Remove or rename the keyring package
- Delete key.gpg.enc
- Add Secrets (Pick one)
- - Set REPO_TOKEN with a private token
- - Set ENCRYPTION_KEY for actions and dependabot
- Update config.json
- Update README.md where others will know how to add your repository to their Arch Linux repository list
Step 3: Committing and pushing your changes
Once you have completed the above steps, commit and push your changes to your fork of the repository. GitHub Actions will automatically start running your workflow and build your AUR packages.
Step 4: Checking the build status
You can check the status of your build by going to the "Actions" tab on your GitHub repository. Here, you will see the status of your workflow and any logs or errors that occurred during the build.
Can I just use yours?
Of course, I'm just not going to say for sure I will add the package you desire. I most likely will since it's pretty well automated where I do not personally have to do anything besides add a git submodule. If enough people want to add packages to my repository I may revisit using GitHub Actions using GitHub Issue Forms, to automate the process any further. Just create an issue using the package request issue form and I'll look into the package.
Conclusion
In this post, I showed you how to use GitHub Actions to automate the process of building an Arch Linux repository. By using GitHub Actions, you can save time and increase productivity by automating repetitive tasks. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them in the comments section below.
Repository: https://github.com/jckimble/pkgbuilds
Note: This project is an active work in progress, I am always thinking of new ideas to remove as much manual work as possible. If you have any ideas or suggestions feel free to let me know here in the comments or in the issues section of the repository!
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