xbps - Introduction and concepts
XBPS(7) Miscellaneous Information Manual XBPS(7)
NAME
xbps — Introduction and concepts
DESCRIPTION
The X Binary Package System (XBPS) is a binary package system designed and implemented from scratch. Its goal is to be fast, easy to use, bug-free, featureful and portable as much as possible.
The primary interface of XBPS is its suite of tools, including xbps-install(1) for installing packages, xbps-remove(1) for removing packages, and xbps-query(1) for searching repositories and querying package properties. A C library is also available, called libxbps.
PACKAGES
An XBPS package is a compressed archive of the package’s files and metadata.
Packages can also include scripts that run during installation and removal, during the “configuration” phase. These scripts can be re-run with xbps-reconfigure −f.
Packages can be checked for issues with xbps-pkgdb(1). If a package reports errors, it should be reinstalled with xbps-install −f.
Packages can mark files as conf_files, which will prevent them from being replaced upon package update if modified.
PACKAGE EXPRESSIONS
Packages can be referred to in several ways. A package expression is a form to match a pattern; currently xbps supports 3 ways to specify them:
−
by package name, i.e: “foo”.
−
by exact package name and version, i.e: “foo-1.0_1”.
−
by specifying a package name and version separated by any of the following version comparators:
<
less than
> greater than
<= less or equal than
>= greater or equal than
Example: “foo>=2.0”.
The first repository matching the package expression wins.
PACKAGE MODES
An installed package can have some specific modes of operation. Package modes can be changed with xbps-pkgdb(1). Currently the following modes are available:
hold
The package is on hold mode. Packages in this mode won’t be updated unless it’s explicitely declared to be updated. The only way to update packages in this mode is by using the −f, −-force option. To list packages in this mode use xbps-query −H.
manual
The package is in manual mode of installation and won’t be considered for removal when running xbps-remove −o. To list packages in this mode use xbps-query −m.
repolock
A package in repolock mode will only accept updates that are available in the same repository that was used for installing. To list packages in this mode use xbps-query −-list-repolock-pkgs.
REPOSITORIES
An XBPS repository is a directory containing XBPS packages and an <arch>-repodata repository index file. If the repository is remote (served via a web server), packages must be RSA-signed.
In XBPS configuration and command-line flags, repositories are specified by a complete url or absolute path to the directory where the <arch>-repodata resides. To synchronize configured remote repositories locally, use xbps-install −S.
Repositories are created and managed with xbps-rindex(1).
FILES
/etc/xbps.d
Default configuration directory. See also xbps.d(5).
/usr/share/xbps.d
Default system configuration directory. See also xbps.d(5).
/var/db/xbps/.<pkgname>-files.plist
Package files metadata.
/var/db/xbps/pkgdb-0.38.plist
Default package database (0.38 format). Keeps track of installed packages and properties.
/var/cache/xbps
Default cache directory to store downloaded binary packages.
ENVIRONMENT
XBPS_ARCH
Overrides uname(2) machine result with this value.
XBPS_TARGET_ARCH
Sets the target architecture to this value.
XBPS_SYSLOG
Overrides the xbps.d(5) syslog=true|false configuration option.
SEE ALSO
xbps-alternatives(1), xbps-create(1), xbps-dgraph(1), xbps-fbulk(1), xbps-fetch(1), xbps-install(1), xbps-pkgdb(1), xbps-query(1), xbps-reconfigure(1), xbps-remove(1), xbps-rindex(1), xbps.d(5), https://github.com/void-linux/xbps, https://xbps-api-docs.voidlinux.org
AUTHORS
Juan Romero Pardines
<[email protected]>
Duncan Overbruck <[email protected]>
BUGS
Probably, but I try to make this not happen. Use it under your own responsibility and enjoy your life.
Report bugs at https://github.com/void-linux/xbps/issues GNU May 20, 2025 XBPS(7)