slapt-src is a command-line tool that helps automate the building and installation of SlackBuilds in Slackware Linux. SlackBuilds are scripts that automate the process of building a package from source code. While they are powerful tools, SlackBuilds can be time-consuming to set up and maintain, especially when working with many packages or dependencies.
slapt-src automates this process by fetching the source code, configuring the build, and building the package. It is similar to slapt-get, which manages pre-built binary packages, but slapt-src works with source packages instead. By using slapt-src, Slackware users can easily install, update, and manage software packages that are not included in the official repositories.
To use slapt-src, you need to configure the sources in the slapt-srcrc configuration file. This file contains information about the sources, including the URLs of the source repositories, the versions of the source code, and the build options. You can edit the slapt-srcrc file using a text editor like nano or vi.
slapt-src Command Examples
1. Update the list of available slackbuilds and versions:
# slapt-src --update
2. List all available slackbuilds:
# slapt-src --list
3. Fetch, build and install the specified slackbuild(s):
# slapt-src --install {{slackbuild_name}}
4. Locate slackbuilds by their name or description:
# slapt-src --search {{search_term}}
5. Display information about a slackbuild:
# slapt-src --show {{slackbuild_name}}
Summary
In summary, slapt-src is a powerful tool that can automate the process of building and installing SlackBuild packages in Slackware Linux. By using slapt-src, Slackware users can easily manage software packages that are not available in the official repositories, without having to manually configure and build each package themselves.