---
name: "alpm-meta-package"
section: "7"
platform: "linux"
package: "alpm-docs"
version: "0.13.0-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/alpm-meta-package"
---

# alpm-meta-package(7)

an ALPM based package that solely defines package relations.

## NAME

meta package - an ALPM based package that solely defines **package relations**.

## DESCRIPTION

**Meta packages** refer to ALPM based packages that do not provide files, but instead only define **package relations**. They are used for defining the required **package relations** of an abstract scenario or use-case (e.g. “packages for a minimum system installation” or “all packages needed for a special development environment”).

**Meta packages** are handled like any other ALPM based package by a package manager and require their various **package relations** upon installation. A `-meta` suffix may be used in the **alpm-package-name** to more easily distinguish **meta packages** from other packages.

## EXAMPLES

The following **PKGBUILD** example defines a **meta package**, that upon installation pulls in the `bash` and `gcc-libs` packages:

```
pkgname=example-meta
pkgver=0.1.0
pkgrel=1
pkgdesc="A meta package example"
arch=(any)
url="https://archlinux.org"
license=('GPL-3.0-or-later')
depends=(
  bash
  gcc-libs
)
```

## SEE ALSO

[**PKGBUILD**(5)](/PKGBUILD/5.md), [**PKGINFO**(5)](/PKGINFO/5.md), [**alpm-package-name**(7)](/alpm-package-name/7.md), [**alpm-package-relation**(7)](/alpm-package-relation/7.md)