Update Packages

Soar provides efficient commands to keep your packages up to date. This guide covers all update operations and options.

Quick Start

To update all installed packages to their latest versions:

soar update

To update specific packages:

soar update <package1> <package2>

Example: Update specific packages

soar update 7z bat

Update Options

The update command supports the following options:

Option	Description
`--ask`	Prompt for confirmation before updating each package
`--keep`	Keep the current version (only refresh metadata)
`--no-verify`	Skip checksum and signature verification

Version Determination

Repository Packages

For packages installed from repositories, Soar determines the latest version from the package database:

soar update bat

This will update bat to the latest version available in the repository it was installed from.

Local Packages

Packages installed from URLs retain their installation specifications. Updates check for newer versions at the same URL or based on version detection:

soar update https://example.com/app.AppImage

Profile Handling

Warning: The profile flag has no effect on package installation path; it’ll use the profile used at the time of installation.

The update process respects the original installation profile. If a package was installed with a specific profile, updates will maintain that profile setting.

Update Options Details

Ask for Confirmation

To prompt for confirmation before updating each package:

soar update --ask
soar update <package> --ask

This is useful when you want to review changes before updating:

soar update --ask
# Soar will prompt for each package update

Keep Current Version

To refresh package metadata without updating to a newer version, use --keep:

soar update <package> --keep

This updates the package database entry but maintains the current installed version. Useful for:

Refreshing package information
Re-verifying installations
Testing without version changes

Skip Verification

To skip signature and checksum verification during updates (not recommended):

soar update <package> --no-verify

Security Warning: Skipping verification exposes you to potentially compromised updates. Only use with trusted sources.

Cross-Repository Update Behavior

Warning: The update process ignores updates from another repository than the one the package is installed from.

Important update behaviors:

Single Repository Source: A package always updates from the same repository it was installed from
No Repository Switching: Even if a newer version exists in a different repository, it won’t be used
Explicit Override: To switch repositories, use soar remove followed by soar add <package>:<new-repo>

Example: Update from the original repository

# Installed from 'official', will only check 'official' for updates
soar update bat

To update from a different repository:

# Remove from original repository
soar remove bat

# Install from new repository
soar add bat:bincache

Update Behavior Details

What Happens During Update

When you update a package, Soar:

Checks for newer versions in the source repository
Verifies signatures and checksums (unless --no-verify is used)
Downloads the new version
Backs up the current installation
Extracts the new version
Updates symlinks and database entries
Removes the old version (if successful)

graph TD
    A["soar update"] --> B["Check source repository"]
    B --> C{"Newer version
available?"}
    C -->|"No"| D["Skip — already up to date"]
    C -->|"Yes"| E["Verify signatures & checksums"]
    E --> F["Download new version"]
    F --> G["Backup current installation"]
    G --> H["Extract & install new version"]
    H --> I["Update symlinks & database"]
    I --> J{"Success?"}
    J -->|"Yes"| K["Remove old version"]
    J -->|"No"| L["Restore from backup"]

    style D fill:#1c2128,stroke:#8b949e,color:#e6edf3
    style K fill:#1c2128,stroke:#3fb9a2,color:#e6edf3
    style L fill:#1c2128,stroke:#f85149,color:#e6edf3

Backup and Recovery

Soar maintains backups during updates:

# If update fails, the previous version remains intact
soar update bat

Batch Updates

Update multiple packages in one command:

soar update bat ripgrep fd
soar update --ask bat ripgrep fd

Best Practices

Regular Updates: Keep packages up to date for security fixes and features
```
soar update
```
Test Before Production: Use --ask to review updates
```
soar update --ask
```
Verify Trust: Always verify package sources before updating
```
soar info <package>
```
Backup Important Data: For critical applications, backup data before updating
```
soar update --ask <critical-app>
```
Selective Updates: Update specific packages if concerned about compatibility
```
soar update <package1> <package2>
```

Scenarios

Update All Packages

soar update

This updates all installed packages to their latest versions from their original repositories.

Update with Confirmation

soar update --ask

Review each package update before proceeding.

Update Specific Package

soar update ripgrep

Update only the ripgrep package.

Refresh Metadata Without Updating

soar update --keep

Update package metadata in the database without changing installed versions.

Update from Different Repository

# Current setup uses 'official' repository
soar remove bat

# Switch to 'bincache' repository
soar add bat:bincache

# Future updates will use 'bincache'
soar update bat

Troubleshooting

Update Fails with Signature Error

Verify the package source is trusted:

soar info <package>
soar update --no-verify <package>  # Only if source is trusted

Update Stuck or Slow

Check network connection and repository status:

soar sync
soar update <package>

Version Didn’t Change

Verify the package actually has a newer version available:

soar query <package>

Can’t Update from Different Repository

This is by design. Remove and reinstall from the new repository:

soar remove <package>
soar add <package>:<new-repo>

For more help, see Health Check

Keyboard shortcuts

soar documentation