To install programs that are in the official repositories, you have two equivalent options:

• Use the graphical interface called CachyOS Package Installer (easier and more visual).
• Use the terminal with the pacman command. Both methods do the same thing: manage official Arch and CachyOS packages. The difference is just how you use them.

Example in terminal:

sudo pacman -S package-name

In the graphical interface, just search for the program and click install.

Remember: It’s good practice to keep your system updated with:

sudo pacman -Syu

Method for AUR (Arch User Repository)

If the program isn't in the official repositories, you look for it in AUR. To install from AUR, you use a tool called paru (or another similar).

Example:

paru equibop-bin

⚠️ Important: Don’t use sudo with paru. This command must be run without administrator privileges, or it will give you an error.

What does “-bin” mean?

• The suffix -bin indicates that the package is distributed as precompiled binaries, meaning it is ready to install and use without needing to compile on your machine.
• This speeds up installation and avoids having to wait a long time compiling code.
• Whenever possible, it’s recommended to use the “-bin” version because it simplifies and speeds up the process.
• If there is no “-bin” version, you can install the version that compiles from source (usually the package without that suffix).

Warning about AUR

AUR packages are created by the community and are not as controlled as the official ones. Therefore:

• Be careful when installing little-known or recent packages.
• Check comments and votes before installing.
• Popular and well-rated packages usually pose no problem.

Quick Summary

If you want to dive deeper, check official documentation at the Arch Linux wiki and the CachyOS wiki.

I created this documentation because in the CachyOS wiki I couldn’t find anything explained this simply, and because a friend named Nakarer, who is new to Arch and only knew Debian (apt), needed help understanding how to install programs here.

#Tutorials #linux #EN