documentation/docs/dev_guide/deploy_packages.md

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Upload & Deploy Packages

🚀 Uploading and Deploying an Arch Linux Package on GitHub

Hosting an Arch Linux package on GitHub is a great way to distribute it. Users can download and install your package directly or use your repository for easier management with pacman. Here's how to do it step-by-step.

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1️⃣ Prepare the Package

Ensure you’ve created your Arch package using a PKGBUILD file.

1. Build the package:

   Navigate to your package directory containing the PKGBUILD and run:

   makepkg -si
   

   This will create a .pkg.tar.zst file (e.g., mypackage-1.0-1-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst).

2. Sign the package (optional but recommended):

   If you’re distributing the package securely, sign it with your GPG key:

   gpg --detach-sign --armor mypackage-1.0-1-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst
   

   This creates a signature file mypackage-1.0-1-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst.sig.

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2️⃣ Create a GitHub Repository

1. Go to GitHub and create a new repository.
2. Name the repository (e.g., arch-packages) and add a description.
3. Initialize it with a README file (optional).

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3️⃣ Upload the Package

1. Clone the repository to your local system:

   git clone https://github.com/yourusername/arch-packages.git
   cd arch-packages
   

2. Copy your package files (.pkg.tar.zst and .sig) to the repository directory:

   cp ../mypackage-1.0-1-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst .
   cp ../mypackage-1.0-1-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst.sig .
   

3. Commit and push the files:

   git add mypackage-1.0-1-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst mypackage-1.0-1-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst.sig
   git commit -m "Add mypackage version 1.0"
   git push origin main
   

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4️⃣ Set Up a Repository for pacman

To create a repository compatible with pacman, you need a database file (.db) and signature file (.db.sig).

1. Generate the database:

   Run repo-add to create a repository database for your packages:

   repo-add myrepo.db.tar.gz mypackage-1.0-1-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst
   

   This will generate files like:

   • myrepo.db.tar.gz
   • myrepo.db.tar.gz.sig (if signed)

   Rename myrepo.db.tar.gz to myrepo.db for convenience:

   mv myrepo.db.tar.gz myrepo.db
   mv myrepo.db.tar.gz.sig myrepo.db.sig
   

2. Add repository files to GitHub:

   Copy the .db and .sig files to the repository and push them:

   git add myrepo.db myrepo.db.sig
   git commit -m "Add repository database"
   git push origin main
   

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5️⃣ Serve the Repository on GitHub Pages

1. Enable GitHub Pages for the repository:

   • Go to your repository’s Settings > Pages.
   • Under Source, select main (or the branch you’re using) and set the folder to /root or /docs.

2. Note the URL for your repository, which will be in the format:

   https://yourusername.github.io/arch-packages/
   

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6️⃣ Configure pacman to Use Your Repository

1. Add your repository to /etc/pacman.conf:

   [myrepo]
   SigLevel = Required
   Server = https://yourusername.github.io/arch-packages
   

2. Update pacman:

   sudo pacman -Syu
   

3. Install your package:

   sudo pacman -S mypackage
   

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🛠️ Automating Updates with GitHub Actions

To automate the deployment of new packages to GitHub, use GitHub Actions:

1. Create a .github/workflows/deploy.yml file in your repository:

   name: Deploy Arch Linux Package
   
   on:
     push:
       branches:
         - main
   
   jobs:
     deploy:
       runs-on: ubuntu-latest
       steps:
         - name: Checkout code
           uses: actions/checkout@v3
   
         - name: Install Arch tools
           run: |
             sudo apt update
             sudo apt install archlinux-keyring devscripts pacman
   
         - name: Generate repository database
           run: |
             repo-add myrepo.db.tar.gz *.pkg.tar.zst
             mv myrepo.db.tar.gz myrepo.db
             mv myrepo.db.tar.gz.sig myrepo.db.sig
   
         - name: Commit and push repository updates
           run: |
             git add myrepo.db myrepo.db.sig
             git commit -m "Update repository database"
             git push origin main
   

2. Push this file to your repository. The workflow will automatically run on every push to update the repository database.

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✅ Final Testing

1. Clone your repository to verify it’s accessible:

   git clone https://yourusername.github.io/arch-packages
   

2. Test package installation from your custom repository as described in step 6.

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By following these steps, you'll have a fully functional Arch Linux package repository hosted on GitHub, ready for others to use. 🎉