pacvamp is a pacman frontend for installing, removing, and updating packages from distribution repositories and the AUR. It adds transaction previews, package manifests, commit-bound AUR review, confined builds, and verification of signed repository evidence. Pacman still performs package transactions.

Warning

pacvamp is a proof of concept: experimental, unsupported, and not ready for real use. Try it on a disposable machine. See the status and limitations.

Get started

Follow the installation guide to verify the registry key and install the signed Arch package. Then try a few commands:

pacvamp doctor                    # inspect policy and available protections
pacvamp search helix              # search configured repository databases
pacvamp install helix --dry-run   # preview packages and the pacman command
pacvamp install helix             # install after reviewing the plan

To record a lasting package choice, use pacvamp add helix: it writes your user manifest and installs the package. pacvamp plan previews changes needed to satisfy all declarations; pacvamp apply performs them. See first steps and manifests.

AUR packages require an explicit choice, such as pacvamp install --aur PACKAGE. Read the AUR guide before building. Approval applies to a recipe commit; it does not certify that the resulting package is safe.

Documentation

• Package operations, configuration, and updates
• Client CLI and repository CLI
• Architecture, design decisions, and roadmap

The repository also includes pacvamp-repo for publishing signed feeds, provenance, snapshots, and vendor packages, plus a mise tool-channel backend plugin. Start with the registry guide or the adoption guides. Packslip is an external crate and CLI used for signed vendor releases; it is maintained separately.

Develop

Install Rust and mise, then:

mise install
mise run build        # build the workspace
mise run test:unit    # Rust unit and integration tests
mise run test         # also run mandatory Arch E2E tests; requires Docker
mise run lint         # formatting and static checks
mise run docs:dev     # regenerate CLI docs and start VitePress

See development for prerequisites, documentation generation, and the distinction between fixture, Arch-container, and VM acceptance tests.