Is there any guideline for different packages with conflicting names?
Hey there! I'm reaching out because I didn't find any reference to the topic in the wiki [1] or in the discussion page. I'm making a package around an app called Thrive [2], but I found that there is already a completely different package with the same name. For the package I'm making there's an app and a cli version, so I'm guessing in this case they could perfectly be named `thrive-app` and `thrive-cli`. In any case, with a growing number of packages in the AUR, it would be reasonable to think this kind of things will happen more frequently. Is there any guideline or ideas for this? Should a discussion (maybe RFC) be started? Thanks! Fermín Olaiz. [1] https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Arch_package_guidelines#Package_naming [2] https://github.com/horia141/thrive
I am just someone maintaining a package in the AUR and not an admin. Perhaps a descriptive package name like "thrive-life-planner" maybe accepted. However, if you set `conflicts=('thrive')` in your PKGBUILD, that will create problems. The best way to avoid this is to rename your app completely, but that may not be possible in some cases. I am interested in seeing how this issue will be handled. I just checked the AUR Submission Guidelines, and there seem to be no guidelines for this situation. Regards, H On Mon, 9 Feb 2026, 6:11 am Fermín Olaiz, <ferminolaiz@gmail.com> wrote:
Hey there! I'm reaching out because I didn't find any reference to the topic in the wiki [1] or in the discussion page.
I'm making a package around an app called Thrive [2], but I found that there is already a completely different package with the same name. For the package I'm making there's an app and a cli version, so I'm guessing in this case they could perfectly be named `thrive-app` and `thrive-cli`.
In any case, with a growing number of packages in the AUR, it would be reasonable to think this kind of things will happen more frequently.
Is there any guideline or ideas for this? Should a discussion (maybe RFC) be started?
Thanks!
Fermín Olaiz.
[1] https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Arch_package_guidelines#Package_naming
El dom, 08-02-2026 a las 20:22 -0300, Fermín Olaiz escribió:
Hey [..]
Hi!
I'm making [..] `thrive-app` and `thrive-cli`.
The names you have chosen are perfectly acceptable; I don't see any problem with them. They are descriptive and avoid conflict.
In any case, with a growing number of packages in the AUR, it would be reasonable to think this kind of things will happen more frequently.
Is there any guideline or ideas for this? Should a discussion (maybe RFC) be started?
This is not really necessary, as conflicts over names have existed since the dawn of time. When this happens, the second party generally has to adapt their name in an imaginative way to avoid having the same name. From there, if over time the original package disappears (or becomes irrelevant) and the new package becomes much more relevant, the new package may adapt the original name, but this is something that only happens over time and in a natural, organic way. In short, I don't think it's necessary to complicate things.
Thanks!
You're welcome! -- Óscar García Amor | ogarcia at moire.org | http://ogarcia.me
participants (3)
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devlinman
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Fermín Olaiz
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Óscar García Amor