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update-notify/README.md
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Daniele Fucini 7b30b24715 Refresh after pacman transactions and local repo builds
Add a pacman hook that runs update-notify for each logged-in user with the timer active, and a path unit that users can point at their local repo databases to refresh after aur build.
2026-10-16 09:34:19 +02:00

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# update-notify
Desktop notifications for pending updates on Arch Linux.
update-notify runs on a systemd user timer and checks:
- **Repo updates**, using `checkupdates` from pacman-contrib.
- **AUR updates** for packages in a local aurutils repository (`aur repo -u`).
- **Custom kernel rebuilds**: when a stock kernel (e.g. `linux-lts`) has a newer version than your custom build of it (e.g. `linux-lts-custom`).
It sends one notification, and only when its content changes since the last one:
- Update counts are shown once the total number of updates reaches a threshold (default 30). Reminders for `git-monitor` and pending firmware updates (`fwupdmgr`) are added when those tools are installed.
- Kernel rebuild reminders are always shown, even below the threshold.
## Requirements
- `pacman-contrib`
- `libnotify` and a running notification daemon
Optional:
- `aurutils`: check AUR packages in the local repository
- `fwupd`: check for firmware updates
- `git-monitor`: remind to check git packages
## Installation
Build and install the package with the included PKGBUILD:
```
makepkg -si
```
Or, with aurutils, build it into your local repository with `aur build` and install it with pacman.
Then enable the timer:
```
systemctl --user enable --now update-notify.timer
```
The timer runs 5 minutes after boot, then every 6 hours.
A pacman hook also runs update-notify after every pacman transaction, for each logged-in user whose timer is active, so the notification and the status bar file are current right after an upgrade.
### Refresh after building packages
Building into a local repository (`aur build`, `aur sync`) doesn't run pacman, so the hook can't catch it. To run update-notify whenever a repository changes, add the repository files to watch to `update-notify.path`:
```
systemctl --user edit update-notify.path
```
```
[Path]
PathChanged=/home/aur-local/aur-local.db.tar.gz.sig
PathChanged=/home/custom-pkgs/custom-pkgs.db.tar.gz.sig
```
Watch the `.db.tar.gz.sig` file for signed repositories, or `.db.tar.gz` for unsigned ones (`.db` is a symlink). Then enable it:
```
systemctl --user enable --now update-notify.path
```
## Usage
```
update-notify [threshold]
```
`threshold` is the minimum number of updates (repo + AUR) before update counts are shown. It overrides the `THRESHOLD` setting below.
## Configuration
Settings are read from `$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/update-notify/config` (default `~/.config/update-notify/config`), a bash file that is sourced by the script. All settings are optional:
- `THRESHOLD`: minimum number of updates before update counts are shown (default 30).
- `AUR_REPO`: name of the local aurutils repository (default `aur-local`).
- `KERNELS`: maps each stock kernel package to its custom build (default: `linux`, `linux-lts` and `linux-zen` to `<name>-custom`). Kernels where either package isn't installed are skipped. Set `KERNELS=()` to disable the kernel check.
A commented sample config is installed with the package. To start from it:
```
mkdir -p ~/.config/update-notify
cp /usr/share/doc/update-notify/config.example ~/.config/update-notify/config
```
Kernel versions are compared without `pkgrel`, so a stock packaging-only update doesn't trigger a rebuild reminder. A custom build already in the local repository but not installed yet counts as up to date.
The content of the last notification is stored in `$XDG_STATE_HOME/update-notify` (default `~/.local/state/update-notify`). Delete it to get the current notification again.
## Status bars
Each run also writes the pending updates to `$XDG_STATE_HOME/update-notify/pending`, whether or not the threshold is reached, for status bars such as xmobar to read:
```
threshold 30
repo <pkg> <newver>
aur <pkg> <newver>
kernel <custom-pkg> <stock-ver>
```
The file reflects the last run, which the pacman hook and `update-notify.path` keep close to current. To keep a bar current in between, drop entries whose installed version (`pacman -Q`) is no longer older than `newver`, or, for `kernel` lines, whose custom build has caught up with `stock-ver` (ignoring `pkgrel`). This only reads local data, so it's cheap to run often.
## License
GPL-3.0-or-later. See [LICENSE](LICENSE).