How to Install yay AUR Helper on Manjaro Linux

Yay, short for “Yet Another Yaourt,” is a powerful and user-friendly AUR helper for Arch Linux and its derivatives, including Manjaro Linux. It streamlines the process of installing, updating, and managing packages from the Arch User Repository (AUR). Written in the Go programming language, Yay stands out from other AUR helpers for its efficiency, speed, and reliability.

Key differences and advantages of Yay include:

• Simplicity: Yay offers a simple and intuitive command-line interface, making it accessible for both beginners and experienced users.
• Speed: Written in Go, Yay is designed to be fast and efficient, reducing the time spent on package management tasks.
• Dependency handling: Yay effectively manages dependencies, ensuring that packages are installed with all the required dependencies, thereby reducing the risk of broken installations.
• Search functionality: Yay provides an advanced search feature, enabling users to find packages quickly and easily within the AUR.
• Upgrades: Yay simplifies the process of upgrading AUR packages, keeping your system up-to-date with minimal effort.

With its numerous advantages, Yay is an excellent choice for managing AUR packages on your Manjaro Linux system. The following guide will demonstrate how to install the Yay AUR helper on Manjaro Linux and tips on using its commands to help you get started with the AUR.

Step 1: Update Manjaro

Installing Yay on your Manjaro Linux system requires updating your system and installing all available package upgrades. This ensures that your system remains well-maintained and avoids potential issues during installation.

To update your Manjaro system, run the following command in the terminal:

sudo pacman -Syu

Step 2: Install yay

There are two methods to install the yay AUR helper. The first method is to run the following command to install it from Arch’s repository:

sudo pacman -S yay

The second method involves compiling Yay on your Manjaro Linux system, which requires a few simple steps. First, ensure you have the Git and base-devel packages installed on your system by running the following command in the terminal:

sudo pacman -S git base-devel

Next, clone the Yay repository by running the following command:

git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/yay.git

Once the repository is cloned, change to the yay directory with the following command:

cd yay

Now you’re ready to build and install Yay. Execute the following command:

makepkg -si

This command will build the Yay package and install it on your system. After the installation is complete, remove the yay directory using the following command:

rm -rf yay

Yay is now installed on your Manjaro Linux system and ready for use. You can install packages from the AUR just as you would with pacman.

Common yay Commands for Manjaro Linux

Searching for Packages

Syntax: yay -Ss package_name

This command searches for the package in the Manjaro repositories and the AUR. For example, to search for the VLC media player package, run:

yay -Ss vlc

Installing Packages

Syntax: yay -S package_name

This command installs the specified package from the Manjaro repositories or the AUR. For example, to install the VLC media player package, run the following:

yay -S vlc

Updating Packages

Syntax: yay -Syu

This command updates all installed packages on the system, including packages from the Manjaro repositories and the AUR. For example, to update all installed packages, run:

yay -Syu

Upgrading Packages from AUR

Syntax: yay -Sua

This command upgrades all installed packages from the AUR. For example, to upgrade all installed packages from the AUR, run:

yay -Sua

Upgrade Only AUR Packages

Syntax: yay -Sua –aur

This command upgrades only the packages installed from the AUR. For example, to upgrade only AUR packages, run:

yay -Sua --aur

Updating Development and Standard Packages

Syntax: yay -Syyu –devel

The command “yay -Syyu –devel” updates the system, including development packages. The option “–devel” includes packages from the testing repositories, allowing users to test and use bleeding-edge software.

yay -Syyu --devel

Removing Packages

Syntax: yay -R package_name

This command removes the specified package from the system. For example, to remove the VLC media player package, run the following:

yay -R vlc

Cleaning the System

Syntax: yay -Yc

This command cleans the system by removing orphaned packages installed as dependencies but no longer required by any other package. For example, to clean the system, run the following:

yay -Yc

Searching for Orphaned Packages

Syntax: yay -Yua

This command searches for orphaned packages on the system. For example, to search for orphaned packages, run:

yay -Yua

Removing Orphaned Packages

Syntax: yay -Yr

This command removes all orphaned packages from the system. For example, to remove all orphaned packages, run:

yay -Yr

Removing Old Versions of Packages

Syntax: yay -Sc

This command removes old versions of packages from the system. For example, to remove old versions of packages, run:

yay -Sc

Removing Old Versions of Packages

Syntax: yay -Sc

This command removes old versions of packages from the system. For example, to remove old versions of packages, run:

yay -Sc

Display Information About a Package

Syntax: yay -Si package_name

This command displays information about the package, including its description, dependencies, size, and version. For example, to display information about the VLC media player package, run the following:

yay -Si vlc

Display Information About an Installed Package

Syntax: yay -Qi package_name

This command displays information about the installed package, including its name, version, and installed size. For example, to display information about the installed VLC media player package, run the following:

yay -Qi vlc

List All Packages in a Repository

Syntax: yay -Sl repository_name

This command lists all packages in the specified repository. For example, to list all packages in the core repository, run:

yay -Sl core

List All Installed Packages

Syntax: yay -Q

This command lists all installed packages. For example, to list all installed packages, run:

yay Q

List All Outdated Packages

Syntax: yay -Qu

This command lists all outdated packages.

yay -Qu

Download PKGBUILD from ABS or AUR

Syntax: yay -G package_name

This command downloads the PKGBUILD file of a package from the ABS or AUR. For example, to download the PKGBUILD file for the VLC media player package from the AUR, run:

yay -G vlc

Print to Stdout PKGBUILD from ABS or AUR

Syntax: yay -P package_name

This command prints the contents of the PKGBUILD file of a package to the terminal. For example, to print the PKGBUILD file for the VLC media player package from the AUR, run:

yay -P vlc

Generate Development Package Database

Syntax: yay -Y –gendb

This command generates a database of development packages on your system. For example, to generate the development package database, run the following:

yay -Y --gendb

Print Yay System Stats

Syntax: yay -Qi

This command displays system stats such as installed packages’ numbers and versions. For example, to display system stats, run:

yay -Qi

Read Yay Official Docs

Syntax: man yay

This command opens the Yay manual page in the terminal. For example, to read the Yay manual, run:

man yay

These are just a few yay commands for managing Manjaro Linux packages.

Conclusion

In conclusion, installing and using Yay on Manjaro Linux gives users a powerful tool for managing packages from the official repositories and the AUR. With its extensive feature set and user-friendly interface, Yay makes searching, installing, updating, and removing packages on Manjaro Linux easy.