alpm-split-package(7)  Miscellaneous Information Manual  alpm-split-package(7)



NAME
       split package - an ALPM based package that is built along other
       packages from the same package sources.


DESCRIPTION
       Split packages refer to two or more ALPM based packages that are built
       from the same package sources.  These types of packages can be created
       for arbitrary reasons, e.g.:

              o   split different types of functionality (e.g. one package
                  providing the graphical user interface and another the
                  terminal user interface of a project)

              o   split out specific documentation (e.g. developer
                  documentation is not useful for all users)

              o   various functionalities of a project are optional, are e.g.
                  provided as plugins and can be enabled by installing
                  additional split packages

       Split packages built from the same package sources share some PKGINFO
       package metadata (i.e. pkgbase, pkgver, makedepends), while other
       metadata may be set specifically per individual split package.

       All PKGINFOv2 files for split packages define one xdata value of
       `pkgtype=split`, indicating that the metadata describes a split
       package.

       Split packages are handled like any other ALPM based package by a
       package manager and require their various package relations upon
       installation.


EXAMPLES
       The following PKGBUILD example defines two split packages, that share
       `example-split` as (virtual - without any actual package of that name)
       pkgbase:

              pkgbase=example-split
              pkgname=(example-a example-b)
              pkgver=0.1.0
              pkgrel=1
              pkgdesc="A split package example"
              arch=(any)
              url="https://archlinux.org"
              license=(GPL-3.0-or-later)
              makedepends=(
                meson
              )
              depends=(
                bash
                gcc-libs
              )

              package_example-a(){
                pkgdesc+=" - A"
                license+=(LGPL-2.1-or-later)
                depends+=(bash-completions)
              }

              package_example-b(){
                pkgdesc+=" - B"
                depends=(zsh)
              }


SEE ALSO
       PKGBUILD(5), PKGINFO(5), SRCINFO(5), alpm-package-name(7),
       alpm-package-relation(7)

                                                         alpm-split-package(7)