Create a Slackware package with SlackBuild

A well-made SlackBuild makes installation repeatable, removable, and shareable. Avoid manual installs in /usr/local without control.

1. Typical structure

programname/
  programname.SlackBuild
  slack-desc
  doinst.sh        # optional
  programname.info  # optional / SBo style
  sources/ or URL

2. Base variables in the SlackBuild

PRGNAM=myprogram
VERSION=${VERSION:-1.0}
BUILD=${BUILD:-1}
TAG=${TAG:-_vl}
ARCH=${ARCH:-x86_64}
TMP=${TMP:-/tmp/SBo}
PKG=$TMP/package-$PRGNAM
OUTPUT=${OUTPUT:-/tmp}

Using standard variables simplifies rebuilds, upgrades, and maintenance.

3. Recommended workflow

Clean temporary directories
Extract sources
Configure/build
Install into $PKG (never directly into the system)
Add slack-desc and correct permissions
Create the package with makepkg

4. Minimal SlackBuild example

#!/bin/sh
set -e

PRGNAM=helloapp
VERSION=${VERSION:-1.0}
BUILD=${BUILD:-1}
TAG=${TAG:-_vl}
ARCH=${ARCH:-x86_64}
TMP=${TMP:-/tmp/SBo}
PKG=$TMP/package-$PRGNAM
OUTPUT=${OUTPUT:-/tmp}

rm -rf $PKG
mkdir -p $TMP $PKG $OUTPUT
cd $TMP
rm -rf $PRGNAM-$VERSION
tar xf /path/to/$PRGNAM-$VERSION.tar.gz
cd $PRGNAM-$VERSION

./configure --prefix=/usr
make
make install DESTDIR=$PKG

mkdir -p $PKG/install
cp /path/to/slack-desc $PKG/install/slack-desc

find $PKG -type f -perm 777 -exec chmod 755 {} \;
chown -R root:root $PKG

cd $PKG
/sbin/makepkg -l y -c n $OUTPUT/${PRGNAM}-${VERSION}-${ARCH}-${BUILD}${TAG}.txz

5. `slack-desc` file

Describes the package in Slackware format (11 lines, package name prefix). Keep it clear and short.

helloapp: helloapp (example utility)
helloapp:
helloapp: Example utility to show the structure of a SlackBuild.
helloapp: Package created for Slackware.
helloapp:
helloapp:
helloapp:
helloapp:
helloapp:
helloapp:
helloapp:

6. Best practices

Always install into DESTDIR=$PKG
Avoid non-standard hardcoded paths unless necessary
Normalize ownership: root:root
Make the script repeatable (clean start)
Version BUILD and TAG sensibly

Do not run make install without DESTDIR during packaging: you dirty the system and the resulting package will be incomplete.

7. Install and test the package

installpkg /tmp/helloapp-1.0-x86_64-1_vl.txz
upgradepkg --install-new /tmp/helloapp-1.0-x86_64-1_vl.txz
removepkg helloapp

8. Quick debug

sh -x ./helloapp.SlackBuild
tree /tmp/SBo/package-helloapp   # if tree is installed
less /var/log/packages/helloapp-*

Final checklist

[ ] Script cleans TMP/PKG
[ ] Build repeatable
[ ] make install uses DESTDIR=$PKG
[ ] slack-desc present
[ ] makepkg creates .txz with correct naming
[ ] Package tested with installpkg/removepkg

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