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NAME

epoch - version prefix to enforce a higher version consideration for ALPM based packages.

DESCRIPTION

The epoch format is a version format, that is used as prefix to pkgver in a composite version string. This format is used in build scripts or file formats for package data description or reproduction to indicate, that a composite version is to be considered newer than one without or a lower epoch component. This enables package maintainers to release downgraded versions of a package if needed.

The epoch value is represented by a non-negative integer and is considered to default to ‘0’ if unset.

When used in a composite version string, epoch is directly followed by a ‘:’ sign and the pkgver.

If two composite version strings are sorted, they are first sorted based on their epoch component and only afterwards based on their pkgver component.

As general rule, the sorting precedence is: epoch > pkgver.

EXAMPLES

The explicit 1 epoch component in the right hand composite version string overrules the implicit 0 epoch component of the left hand composite version string. Since the epoch takes precedence, 1:0.9.0 is considered “newer” than 1.0.0 even though the upstream version represented by the pkgver component is older.

    "1.0.0" < "1:0.9.0"

Composite version strings with the same pkgver component are also sorted according to their epoch component first.

    "1:1.0.0" < "2:1.0.0"

SEE ALSO

BUILDINFO(5), PKGBUILD(5), PKGINFO(5), SRCINFO(5), alpm-package-version(7), alpm-pkgrel(7), alpm-pkgver(7), vercmp(8)