usage
How to use gaur to manage packages
usage
gaur is designed for speed and productivity, with a focus on keyboard-driven interactions. Master its keybindings to navigate and manage packages efficiently.
Global Keybindings
These keybindings are available across the main interface:
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
i | Switch to Install mode |
d | Switch to Dashboard mode |
r | Switch to Remove mode |
u | Switch to Update mode / Check for updates |
, | Open Settings Menu |
q | Quit |
Ctrl+C | Force quit |
Navigation
Use these keys to move through lists and search for packages:
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
/ | Focus search input |
↑ / k | Move selection up |
↓ / j | Move selection down |
PgUp | Jump 10 items up |
PgDown | Jump 10 items down |
Esc | Defocus input / Clear selections |
Package Operations
Manage your packages with these actions:
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
Tab/m | Mark/unmark package for batch operation |
Enter | Install/remove selected or marked packages |
* | Toggle selection panel focus |
Update Mode
When viewing available updates, gaur provides two paths:
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
Enter | Proceed with a full system update |
s | Switch to Selective Update mode |
Note: Selective updates can break system dependencies. Use with caution.
Dashboard Mode
Monitor and manage your system in Dashboard Mode:
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
t | Jump to Remove mode → All packages |
e | Jump to Remove mode → Explicit packages |
f | Jump to Remove mode → Foreign (AUR) packages |
o | Jump to Remove mode → Orphan packages |
c | Open Cache Cleaning Menu |
R | Remove all orphan packages |
Confirmation Dialogs
When gaur prompts for confirmation, use these keys:
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
y / Enter | Confirm operation |
n / Esc | Cancel operation |
↑ / ↓ | Scroll package list |
Search Filters
gaur supports powerful search filters to narrow down your results.
Install Mode
Prefix your search with repository filters:
| Prefix | Repository |
|---|---|
c: | Core |
e: | Extra |
m: | Multilib |
a: | AUR |
Example: ae:firefox searches for “firefox” in both official repos and the AUR.
Remove Mode
Filter installed packages by type:
| Prefix | Filter |
|---|---|
t: | Total (all packages) |
e: / l: | Explicitly installed (local) |
f: / a: | Foreign (AUR) packages |
o: | Orphan packages |
Example: of:google searches for orphaned AUR packages matching “google”.