How to Package Third-Party Software for HaikuPorts
Write a reproducible recipe, separate build and runtime dependencies, preserve licenses, test clean builds, and submit a reviewable change.
Search HaikuPorts first and choose an upstream release with a verifiable source archive and license. Create a recipe with summary, description, homepage, source URI/checksum, architecture status, licenses, provides/requires, and build/install phases.
Patch only what Haiku needs and keep patches attributable. Build in the prescribed clean environment so undeclared host packages cannot leak into success. Inspect the generated HPKG contents, executable resources, paths, dependencies, and license files.
Install and remove it on a test system, run core functionality, then submit the recipe and patches through the project’s current review workflow. A package is maintainable only if another builder can reproduce it.
Sources: HaikuPorts wiki, Haiku package format source documentation