Pacman's version comparison algorithm was designed over a decade ago to properly sort many categories of real-world version numbers, and is now set in stone, quirks and all. Later on, the AUR developed pkgver() conventions and templates which turn Git commits into version numbers that would sort properly in Pacman. But what are Pacman's requirements for sorting real-world version numbers, how does Pacman's version comparison algorithm work, and how are AUR pkgver() built around the algorithm?
