pkgversion

Pkgversion, commonly referred to in packaging documentation as pkgver, is the version string used in a package’s metadata to identify the packaged artifact. It is distinct from the upstream project's version and is used to reflect changes made during packaging, such as patches, metadata adjustments, or packaging-specific revisions.

In practice, the pkgver is part of the information shown to users and consumed by package managers to determine upgrades. Package managers compare the current installed version with the available pkgver to decide whether an update is needed. The version string must increase monotonically compared with previously built packages to ensure reliable upgrade paths.

In Arch Linux and its PKGBUILD system, the version is stored in the pkgver variable, and a separate pkgrel variable captures the release number of the packaging itself. When the upstream software releases a new version, maintainers typically set pkgver to the new upstream version (and may adjust with patches or an epoch). If only packaging changes occur without upstream updates, they usually increase pkgrel while keeping the upstream portion of the version the same.

A typical packaging workflow involves updating pkgver to match a new upstream tag or using a pkgver() function to compute the appropriate value automatically. The release number (pkgrel) is bumped for packaging changes that do not alter the upstream version, signaling a new packaged build to users.

The concept of a packaged version is common across packaging ecosystems, though exact field names vary. The core idea is to provide a single, monotonic version string that drives upgrades and reflects both upstream and packaging changes. Some references may use the term pkgversion to describe this concept, but the canonical variable name in Arch packaging is pkgver.