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Packages

Ekansh Bhavik edited this page Jan 6, 2026 · 3 revisions

Packages

This page explains how packages are handled in Hyprland Rice.

The package system is designed to be modular, distro-aware, and non-blocking. Nothing is assumed, and nothing is forced.


Package structure overview

Packages are organized into simple text files inside the packages/ directory. Each file contains a list of package names, one per line.

The installer reads these files and installs packages based on:

  • Your Linux distribution
  • Your choices during installation
  • Package availability on your system

Core packages

Core packages are required for Hyprland to function properly.

These include:

  • Hyprland and Wayland components
  • Portals and session integration
  • Input, graphics, and audio basics

Core packages are listed in:

packages/core.txt

These are installed automatically on supported distributions.


Distro-specific packages

Some packages have different names or availability depending on the distribution.

To handle this, Hyprland-Rice uses distro-specific package lists:

packages/distros/
├── arch.txt
├── fedora.txt
├── opensuse.txt

Only the file matching your detected distribution is used.

This avoids:

  • Installing incorrect package names
  • Hardcoding distro logic into scripts
  • Breaking the installer on unsupported systems

Optional packages (extras)

Optional packages are grouped into categories called extras.

These include:

  • Status bars
  • Launchers
  • Notification daemons
  • Utilities and tools

Extras are stored in:

packages/extras/

Each category is optional and only installed if you agree during the installer prompts.


Why some packages are skipped

It is normal to see messages indicating that a package was skipped.

This may happen if:

  • The package is already installed
  • The package does not exist on your distribution
  • The package name differs between distros

Skipped packages do not mean the installation failed.

The installer is intentionally designed to continue even if a package cannot be installed.


Why the installer does not fail on missing packages

Different distributions package Hyprland and related tools differently.

Aborting the installer because a single optional package is unavailable would:

  • Break installations unnecessarily
  • Reduce compatibility across distros
  • Create a poor user experience

For this reason, Hyprland-Rice treats missing packages as non-fatal.


Adding or removing packages

Advanced users can customize the package lists easily.

To do so:

  • Edit the relevant file in packages/
  • Add or remove package names (one per line)
  • Re-run the installer if desired

No changes to the installer script are required.


NixOS and Gentoo users

NixOS and Gentoo do not use the package installer logic.

For these distributions:

  • Package lists are provided for reference only
  • Installation must be handled manually
  • Configs and assets can still be reused safely

Refer to the NixOS and Gentoo installation pages for details.


Summary

  • Packages are organized, readable, and distro-aware
  • Nothing is installed without user confirmation
  • Skipped packages are expected and safe
  • The installer favors flexibility over strictness

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