Updated on November 4, 2025 in #linux

Bash + Awk + fzf to Manage Arch Packages

Here's a small script to help install, list and remove packages for both Arch's main repos and the AUR with Paru.

Here’s the official pages to find packages for Arch’s main repo and the AUR:

• https://archlinux.org/packages/
• https://aur.archlinux.org/packages

But what if you want to get a similar experience on the command line?

That was the main use case I had, so I whipped together a script which lets you search for package names and descriptions while the results get narrowed down in real-time with fzf.

It also handles installing and removing packages, which uses the same fzf interface.

It’s available in my dotfiles but the script itself is standalone.

Here’s its current help menu:

pkg install          # Install / search new packages
pkg install --aur    # Install / search new AUR packages
pkg list             # List locally installed packages
pkg list --aur       # List locally installed AUR packages
pkg remove           # Remove installed packages
pkg remove --aur     # Remove installed AUR packages

The video below shows it in action.

# Demo Video

Timestamps

• 0:11 – The Arch page for searching packages
• 0:30 – Finding new packages to install
• 1:29 – Listing packages
• 1:48 – Removing packages
• 2:41 – Combining bash, awk and fzf to write it

Do you think you’ll try this script? Let me know below.