Pamac
What Pamac is
Pamac is Manjaro’s package manager for Linux, based on libalpm and supporting ALPM, AUR, Appstream, Flatpak, and Snap sources. It resolves dependencies and provides both an easy command line and a GTK4 graphical manager. A GTK3 tray icon and GNOME Shell extension can provide update notifications. CLI operations include searching, installing, building, removing, listing, inspecting, updating, and reinstalling packages. Preferences include update checks, package exclusions, downgrades, maximum parallel downloads, and cache version retention. AUR scripts can install or update packages and, when enabled, check AUR and development-package updates. Manjaro warns that AUR packages are user-produced, unofficial, and not thoroughly vetted. Pamac requests elevated rights when needed, and documentation warns against running it with sudo. Downloaded packages remain in a cache that can grow large. Pamac is free, GPL-3.0 licensed, and preinstalled on many Manjaro editions.
Who it suits
Pamac is intended for Manjaro Linux users who want graphical or command-line package management. It also suits users working with AUR and other listed package sources.
What it does well
- Supports ALPM, AUR, Appstream, Flatpak, and Snap
- Provides GTK4 GUI and CLI
- Includes dependency resolution
- Offers package exclusions and downgrade support
- Available free under GPL-3.0
What to know first
- AUR packages are unofficial and not thoroughly vetted
- Package cache can grow large
- Documentation warns against running with sudo
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Pamac | Graphical and CLI package manager for Manjaro Linux | Free |
As github.com lists them, read 12 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Verdict
Pamac gives Manjaro users broad package-source support through graphical and command-line interfaces. Its AUR access is useful but carries the risks Manjaro identifies for user-produced packages.
Facts from Pamac's own pages
- AUR integration
- Pamac can use AUR scripts to install or update packages, and can check for AUR and development package updates when enabled. · wiki.manjaro.org, 11 Oct 2026
- AUR risk
- Manjaro warns that AUR packages are user produced, unofficial, not thoroughly vetted, and used at the user’s own risk. · wiki.manjaro.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Build system
- Pamac uses Meson as its build system and documents installation from source. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Cache management
- Pamac retains downloaded package copies, and its preferences can manage how many versions are kept; the documentation warns the cache can grow large. · wiki.manjaro.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Command line
- The project describes pamac as an easy CLI. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Dependency resolution
- Yes · github.com, 22 Sept 2026
- Free plan
- Yes · github.com, 22 Sept 2026
- GUI
- The pamac-manager application is a Gtk4 GUI. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Installation
- Pamac is preinstalled on many Manjaro editions and can also be installed with pacman. · wiki.manjaro.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Intended users
- Pamac is described as a package manager for Manjaro Linux users. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Interfaces
- Pamac provides GTK and command-line front ends for libpamac. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Library language support
- libpamac can be used in Vala, C, C++, Python, JavaScript and languages that support GObject Introspection. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- License
- The Pamac repository identifies its license as GPL-3.0. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Linux packages
- Manjaro’s documentation lists GTK3, GTK4, CLI, Plasma tray, GNOME integration, and libpamac packages. · wiki.manjaro.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Notifications
- Pamac includes a Gtk3 tray icon and a GNOME Shell extension for update notifications. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Optional integrations
- The libpamac project lists AUR, Appstream, Flatpak and Snap support as optional features. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Package formats
- The project describes support for Alpm, AUR, Appstream, Flatpak, and Snap. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Package operations
- The CLI can search, install, build, remove, list, inspect, update, and reinstall packages. · wiki.manjaro.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Package sources
- The project lists support for Alpm, AUR, Appstream, Flatpak and Snap. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Permissions
- The documentation says not to run Pamac with sudo because it can cause permission issues, and says Pamac requests elevated rights when needed. · wiki.manjaro.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Pamac is a graphical package manager for Manjaro Linux. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Supported platforms
- Linux,especially Manjaro Linux · github.com, 22 Sept 2026
- Translations
- The project directs translation contributors to Transifex. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Update management
- The preferences include update checks, package exclusions, downgrade support, and a setting for maximum parallel downloads. · wiki.manjaro.org, 11 Oct 2026
Where Pamac stands on Freedom251
- Package Managers#62 of 93