---
name: "alpm-package-version"
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-package-version"
---

# alpm-package-version(7)

package versions for ALPM based packages.

## NAME

package version - package versions for ALPM based packages.

## DESCRIPTION

The **package version** format represents version information for ALPM based packages. This format is used in build scripts or file formats for package metadata (e.g. in **PKGBUILD**, **PKGINFO**, **SRCINFO**, **alpm-repo-desc**, or **alpm-lib-desc**) to describe package versions, or component versions as part of a **package relation**.

The value is represented by a composite version string, which may consist of several components (**alpm-epoch**, **alpm-pkgver**, **alpm-pkgrel**). Various forms of composite version strings exist, but they are only used in specific contexts.

### Full

The value for this form consists of an **alpm-pkgver**, directly followed by a ‘-’ sign, directly followed by an **alpm-pkgrel** (e.g. `1.0.0-1`). This **alpm-package-version** form is used in various scenarios, such as:

- •

  package filenames

- •

  **package-relation** expressions

  - •

    **replaces**, **conflict**, **provides**, **depend**, **makedepend** and **checkdepend** in **PKGINFO** files

- •

  **pkgver** in **BUILDINFO** files

- •

  **pkgver** in **PKGINFO** files

- •

  as part of **buildtoolver** in **BUILDINFOv2** files

- •

  as part of **installed** in **BUILDINFO** files

### Full with epoch

The value for this form consists of an **alpm-epoch**, directly followed by a ‘:’ sign, directly followed by an **alpm-pkgver**, directly followed by a ‘-’ sign, directly followed by an **alpm-pkgrel** (e.g. `1:1.0.0-1`). This **alpm-package-version** form is used in various scenarios, such as:

- •

  package filenames

- •

  **package-relation** expressions

  - •

    **replaces**, **conflict**, **provides**, **depend**, **makedepend** and **checkdepend** in **PKGINFO** files

- •

  **pkgver** in **BUILDINFO** files

- •

  **pkgver** in **PKGINFO** files

- •

  as part of **buildtoolver** in **BUILDINFOv2** files

- •

  as part of **installed** in **BUILDINFO** files

- •

  as part of the **alpm-state-repo** contents

### Minimal

The value for this form consists of an **alpm-pkgver** (e.g. `1.0.0`). This **alpm-package-version** form is used in various scenarios, such as:

- •

  **package-relation** expressions

  - •

    **replaces**, **conflicts**, **provides**, **depends**, **makedepends** and **checkdepends** in **PKGBUILD** files

  - •

    **replaces**, **conflict**, **provides**, **depend**, **makedepend** and **checkdepend** in **PKGINFO** files

- •

  **pkgver** in **PKGBUILD** files

- •

  **pkgver** in **SRCINFO** files

- •

  as part of **buildtoolver** in **BUILDINFOv2** files

### Minimal with epoch

The value for this form consists of an **alpm-epoch**, directly followed by a ‘:’ sign, directly followed by an **alpm-pkgver** (e.g. `1:1.0.0`). This **alpm-package-version** form is used in various scenarios, such as:

- •

  as part of **package-relation** expressions

  - •

    **replaces**, **conflicts**, **provides**, **depends**, **makedepends** and **checkdepends** in **PKGBUILD** files

  - •

    **replaces**, **conflict**, **provides**, **depend**, **makedepend** and **checkdepend** in **PKGINFO** files

- •

  **pkgver** in **PKGBUILD** files

- •

  **pkgver** in **SRCINFO** files

- •

  as part of **buildtoolver** in **BUILDINFOv2** files

## EXAMPLES

```
"1.0.0-1"
```

A full package version.

```
"1:1.0.0-1"
```

A full package version with epoch.

```
"1.0.0"
```

A minimal package version.

```
"1:1.0.0"
```

A minimal package version with epoch.

## SEE ALSO

[**BUILDINFO**(5)](/BUILDINFO/5.md), [**PKGBUILD**(5)](/PKGBUILD/5.md), [**PKGINFO**(5)](/PKGINFO/5.md), [**SRCINFO**(5)](/SRCINFO/5.md), [**alpm-epoch**(7)](/alpm-epoch/7.md), [**alpm-package-relation**(7)](/alpm-package-relation/7.md), [**alpm-pkgrel**(7)](/alpm-pkgrel/7.md), [**alpm-pkgver**(7)](/alpm-pkgver/7.md), [**vercmp**(8)](/vercmp/8.md)