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+---
+title: How I manage Suckless software packages
+date: 2025-11-30
+layout: post
+---
+
+Since <a href="https://suckless.org/" class="external" target="_blank"
+rel="noopener noreferrer">suckless</a> software requires users to modify the
+source code and recompile to customize, I need a way to maintain patches over
+the long term while retaining the ability to upgrade the software as new
+versions are released.
+
+## Initial setup
+
+When using a suckless program, I usually begin by cloning the project and
+setting the remote URL to push a copy of the source code with my patches to my
+own git repository:
+
+```
+git clone git://git.suckless.org/dwm
+git reset --hard <tag>
+git remote set-url --push origin git@git.asciimx.com:/repos/dwm
+```
+
+This way, I can pull updates from the upstream project whenever I want, while
+committing my changes to my own git repository. The git reset command aligns my
+branch head with a stable release before applying patches or installing the
+software.
+
+If all I want to do is reconfigure the software (e.g., change key bindings),
+which is what I need most of the time, the recommended approach is to modify
+the config.h file. If the config.h isn't yet in the project, the following
+command generates it from the defaults and compiles the software using `make
+clean <target>` here `<target>` is the name of the application (e.g., dwm)
+found in the Makefile. I modify the resulting config.h file and run `make clean
+install` to install the software before committing and pushing my changes to my
+git repo.
+
+## dwm and slstatus
+
+Since dwm and slstatus are always running, `make install` will likely fail for
+them. The operating system will prevent the installer from replacing running
+executables with new ones. Hence, we must first stop the running instances of
+these programs (Mod + Shift + q). Then, switch to a tty (Ctrl + Alt + F1),
+log in, and change the directory to where dwm/slstatus is. We can run `make
+install` to install the software and switch back to the graphical session
+(Ctrl + Alt + F5).
+
+The key combinations for switching to the tty and back may differ across
+systems. The ones listed above are for OpenBSD.
+
+## Subsequent upgrades
+
+When suckless releases a new version, I run `git pull --rebase` to fetch the
+upstream changes and rebase my patches on top of them. Because I tend to use
+stable versions, I perform another interactive rebase to drop the commits
+between the latest stable version tag and my patch before installing the
+software.
+
+Commit log before upgrading:
+
+```
+dt236  My patch.
+3fkdf  Version 6.5.
+```
+
+Commit log after pulling:
+
+```
+w467d  My patch.
+gh25g  A commit.
+g525g  Another commit.
+3fkdf  Version 6.6.
+vd425  Old commit.
+q12vu  Another old commit.
+3fkdf  Version 6.5.
+```
+
+Commit log after the interactive rebase:
+
+```
+h57jh  My patch.
+3fkdf  Version 6.6.
+vd425  Old commit.
+q12vu  Another old commit.
+3fkdf  Version 6.5.
+```
+
+And finally, commit and push all the changes to my own git repository.
+