Adventures in oxidizing Arch Linux Package Management

In 2023 a small set of developers set out to work on a Rust-based framework for Arch Linux Package Management (ALPM) - see talks from FrOSCon 2023 and All Systems Go! 2023. After months spent on securing funding for the work ahead, in late 2024 the project has picked up work again in an extended capacity.

In this talk we will explore the technical challenges this project seeks to overcome and provide an overview of the work ahead. This will cover topics such as the writing of specifications for custom file types, dedicated metadata file parsers and writers, the design of libraries for package handling, the more generic verification of digital signatures for distribution artifacts and the integration with existing and upcoming package building and package management infrastructure.