diff --git a/openspec/changes/batch-pacman-checks/.openspec.yaml b/openspec/changes/batch-pacman-checks/.openspec.yaml
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+schema: spec-driven
+created: 2026-04-14
diff --git a/openspec/changes/batch-pacman-checks/design.md b/openspec/changes/batch-pacman-checks/design.md
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+## Context
+
+Currently, `pkg/pacman/pacman.go` uses subprocess calls to query pacman for package existence:
+- `pacman -Qip <pkg>` to check local DB (per package)
+- `pacman -Sip <pkg>` to check sync repos (per package)
+
+For n packages, this spawns 2n subprocesses (up to ~300 for typical package lists). Each subprocess has fork/exec overhead, making this the primary performance bottleneck.
+
+The AUR queries are already batched (single HTTP POST with all package names), which is the desired pattern.
+
+## Goals / Non-Goals
+
+**Goals:**
+- Eliminate subprocess overhead for local/sync DB package lookups
+- Maintain batched AUR HTTP calls (single request per batch)
+- Track installed status per package in PackageInfo
+- Provide dry-run output showing exact packages to install/remove
+- Handle orphan cleanup correctly
+
+**Non-Goals:**
+- Parallel AUR builds (still sequential)
+- Custom pacman transaction handling (use system pacman)
+- Repository configuration changes
+- Package download/compile optimization
+
+## Decisions
+
+### 1. Use Jguer/dyalpm for DB access
+
+**Decision**: Use `github.com/Jguer/dyalpm` library instead of spawning subprocesses.
+
+**Rationale**:
+- Direct libalpm access (same backend as pacman)
+- Already Go-native with proper type safety
+- Supports batch operations via `GetPkgCache()` and `PkgCache()` iterators
+
+**Alternatives considered**:
+- Parse `pacman -Qs` output - fragile, still subprocess-based
+- Write custom libalpm bindings - unnecessary effort
+
+### 2. Single-pass package resolution algorithm
+
+**Decision**: Process all packages through local DB → sync DBs → AUR in one pass.
+
+```
+For each package in collected state:
+  1. Check local DB (batch lookup) → if found, mark Installed=true
+  2. If not local, check all sync DBs (batch lookup per repo)
+  3. If not in sync, append to AUR batch
+
+Batch query AUR with all remaining packages
+Throw error if any package not found in local/sync/AUR
+
+Collect installed status from local DB
+(Perform sync operations - skip in dry-run)
+(Mark ALL currently installed packages as deps - skip in dry-run)
+(Then mark collected state packages as explicit - skip in dry-run)
+(Cleanup orphans - skip in dry-run)
+Output summary
+```
+
+**Rationale**:
+- Single iteration over packages
+- Batch DB lookups minimize libalpm calls
+- Clear error handling for missing packages
+- Consistent with existing behavior
+
+### 3. Batch local/sync DB lookup implementation
+
+**Decision**: For local DB, iterate `localDB.PkgCache()` once and build a map. For sync DBs, iterate each repo's `PkgCache()`.
+
+**Implementation**:
+```go
+// Build local package map in one pass
+localPkgs := make(map[string]bool)
+localDB.PkgCache().ForEach(func(pkg alpm.Package) error {
+    localPkgs[pkg.Name()] = true
+    return nil
+})
+
+// Similarly for each sync DB
+for _, syncDB := range syncDBs {
+    syncDB.PkgCache().ForEach(...)
+}
+```
+
+**Rationale**:
+- O(n) iteration where n = total packages in DB (not n queries)
+- Single map construction, O(1) lookups per state package
+- libalpm iterators are already lazy, no additional overhead
+
+### 4. Dry-run behavior
+
+**Decision**: Dry-run outputs exact packages that would be installed/removed without making any system changes.
+
+**Implementation**:
+- Skip `pacman -Syu` call
+- Skip `pacman -D --asdeps` (mark all installed as deps)
+- Skip `pacman -D --asexplicit` (mark state packages as explicit)
+- Skip `pacman -Rns` orphan cleanup
+- Still compute what WOULD happen for output
+
+**Note on marking strategy**:
+Instead of diffing between before/after installed packages, we simply:
+1. After sync completes, run `pacman -D --asdeps` on ALL currently installed packages (this marks everything as deps)
+2. Then run `pacman -D --asexplicit` on the collected state packages (this overrides them to explicit)
+
+This is simpler and achieves the same result.
+
+## Risks / Trade-offs
+
+1. **[Risk]** dyalpm initialization requires root privileges
+   - **[Mitigation]** This is same as pacman itself; if user can't run pacman, declpac won't work
+
+2. **[Risk]** libalpm state becomes stale if another pacman instance runs concurrently
+   - **[Mitigation]** Use proper locking, rely on pacman's own locking mechanism
+
+3. **[Risk]** AUR packages still built sequentially
+   - **[Acceptable]** Parallel AUR builds out of scope for this change
+
+4. **[Risk]** Memory usage for large package lists
+   - **[Mitigation]** Package map is ~100 bytes per package; 10k packages = ~1MB
+
+## Migration Plan
+
+1. Add `github.com/Jguer/dyalpm` to go.mod
+2. Refactor `ValidatePackage()` to use dyalpm instead of subprocesses
+3. Add `Installed bool` to `PackageInfo` struct
+4. Implement new resolution algorithm in `categorizePackages()`
+5. Update `Sync()` and `DryRun()` to use new algorithm
+6. Test with various package combinations
+7. Verify output matches previous behavior
+
+## Open Questions
+
+- **Q**: Should we also use dyalpm for `GetInstalledPackages()`?
+- **A**: Yes, can use localDB.PkgCache().Collect() or iterate - aligns with overall approach
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diff --git a/openspec/changes/batch-pacman-checks/proposal.md b/openspec/changes/batch-pacman-checks/proposal.md
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+## Why
+
+The current pacman implementation spawns multiple subprocesses per package (pacman -Qip, pacman -Sip) to check if packages exist in local/sync DBs or AUR. With many packages, this creates significant overhead. Using the Jguer/dyalpm library provides direct libalpm access for batch queries, eliminating subprocess overhead while maintaining the batched AUR HTTP calls.
+
+## What Changes
+
+- **Add dyalpm dependency**: Integrate Jguer/dyalpm library for direct libalpm access
+- **Batch local DB check**: Use `localDB.PkgCache()` to check all packages at once instead of per-package `pacman -Qip`
+- **Batch sync DB check**: Use `syncDBs[i].PkgCache()` to check all sync repos at once instead of per-package `pacman -Sip`
+- **Enhance PackageInfo**: Add `Installed bool` field to track if package is already installed
+- **New algorithm**: Implement unified package resolution flow:
+  1. Batch check local DB for all packages
+  2. Batch check sync DBs for remaining packages
+  3. Batch query AUR for non-found packages
+  4. Track installed status throughout
+  5. Perform sync operations with proper marking
+  6. Output summary of changes
+
+## Capabilities
+
+### New Capabilities
+
+- `batch-package-resolution`: Unified algorithm that batch-resolves packages from local DB → sync DBs → AUR with proper installed tracking
+- `dry-run-simulation`: Shows exact packages that would be installed/removed without making changes
+
+### Modified Capabilities
+
+- None - this is a pure optimization with no behavior changes visible to users
+
+## Impact
+
+- **Code**: `pkg/pacman/pacman.go` - refactored to use dyalpm
+- **Dependencies**: Add Jguer/dyalpm to go.mod
+- **APIs**: `ValidatePackage()` signature changes (returns installed status)
+- **Performance**: O(n) subprocess calls → O(1) for local/sync DB checks
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/openspec/changes/batch-pacman-checks/specs/batch-package-resolution/spec.md b/openspec/changes/batch-pacman-checks/specs/batch-package-resolution/spec.md
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+## ADDED Requirements
+
+### Requirement: Batch package resolution from local, sync, and AUR databases
+The system SHALL resolve packages in a single pass through local DB → sync DBs → AUR using batch operations to minimize subprocess/API calls.
+
+#### Scenario: Package exists in local DB
+- **WHEN** a package from collected state exists in the local database
+- **THEN** the system SHALL mark it as found, set `Installed=true`, and exclude it from AUR queries
+
+#### Scenario: Package exists in sync DB
+- **WHEN** a package from collected state does NOT exist in local DB but exists in ANY enabled sync database
+- **THEN** the system SHALL mark it as found, set `Installed=false`, and exclude it from AUR queries
+
+#### Scenario: Package exists only in AUR
+- **WHEN** a package from collected state does NOT exist in local or sync databases but exists in AUR
+- **THEN** the system SHALL mark it as found with `InAUR=true`, set `Installed=false`, and use the cached AUR info
+
+#### Scenario: Package not found anywhere
+- **WHEN** a package from collected state is NOT in local DB, NOT in any sync DB, and NOT in AUR
+- **THEN** the system SHALL return an error listing the unfound package(s)
+
+#### Scenario: Batch AUR query
+- **WHEN** multiple packages need AUR lookup
+- **THEN** the system SHALL make a SINGLE HTTP request to AUR RPC with all package names (existing behavior preserved)
+
+### Requirement: Efficient local DB lookup using dyalpm
+The system SHALL use dyalpm's `PkgCache()` iterator to build a lookup map in O(n) time, where n is total packages in local DB, instead of O(n*m) subprocess calls.
+
+#### Scenario: Build local package map
+- **WHEN** initializing package resolution
+- **THEN** the system SHALL iterate localDB.PkgCache() once and store all package names in a map for O(1) lookups
+
+#### Scenario: Check package in local map
+- **WHEN** checking if a package exists in local DB
+- **THEN** the system SHALL perform an O(1) map lookup instead of spawning a subprocess
+
+### Requirement: Efficient sync DB lookup using dyalpm
+The system SHALL use each sync DB's `PkgCache()` iterator to check packages across all enabled repositories.
+
+#### Scenario: Check package in sync DBs
+- **WHEN** a package is not found in local DB
+- **THEN** the system SHALL check all enabled sync databases using their iterators
+
+#### Scenario: Package found in multiple sync repos
+- **WHEN** a package exists in more than one sync repository (e.g., core and community)
+- **THEN** the system SHALL use the first match found
+
+### Requirement: Track installed status in PackageInfo
+The system SHALL include an `Installed bool` field in `PackageInfo` to indicate whether the package is currently installed.
+
+#### Scenario: Package is installed
+- **WHEN** a package exists in the local database
+- **THEN** `PackageInfo.Installed` SHALL be `true`
+
+#### Scenario: Package is not installed
+- **WHEN** a package exists only in sync DB or AUR (not in local DB)
+- **THEN** `PackageInfo.Installed` SHALL be `false`
+
+### Requirement: Mark installed packages as deps, then state packages as explicit
+After package sync completes, the system SHALL mark all installed packages as dependencies, then override the collected state packages to be explicit. This avoids diffing before/after states.
+
+#### Scenario: Mark all installed as deps
+- **WHEN** package sync has completed (non-dry-run)
+- **THEN** the system SHALL run `pacman -D --asdeps` to mark ALL currently installed packages as dependencies
+
+#### Scenario: Override state packages to explicit
+- **WHEN** all installed packages have been marked as deps
+- **THEN** the system SHALL run `pacman -D --asexplicit` on the collected state packages, overriding their dependency status
+
+#### Scenario: Dry-run skips marking
+- **WHEN** operating in dry-run mode
+- **THEN** the system SHALL NOT execute any `pacman -D` marking operations
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diff --git a/openspec/changes/batch-pacman-checks/specs/dry-run-simulation/spec.md b/openspec/changes/batch-pacman-checks/specs/dry-run-simulation/spec.md
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+## ADDED Requirements
+
+### Requirement: Dry-run shows packages to install without making changes
+In dry-run mode, the system SHALL compute what WOULD happen without executing any pacman operations.
+
+#### Scenario: Dry-run lists packages to install
+- **WHEN** dry-run is enabled and packages need to be installed
+- **THEN** the system SHALL populate `Result.ToInstall` with all packages that would be installed (both sync and AUR)
+
+#### Scenario: Dry-run lists packages to remove
+- **WHEN** dry-run is enabled and orphan packages exist
+- **THEN** the system SHALL NOT calculate or populate `Result.ToRemove` - orphan detection is skipped entirely in dry-run mode
+
+#### Scenario: Dry-run skips pacman sync
+- **WHEN** dry-run is enabled
+- **THEN** the system SHALL NOT execute `pacman -Syu` for package installation
+
+#### Scenario: Dry-run skips explicit/deps marking
+- **WHEN** dry-run is enabled
+- **THEN** the system SHALL NOT execute `pacman -D --asdeps` or `pacman -D --asexplicit`
+
+#### Scenario: Dry-run skips orphan cleanup
+- **WHEN** dry-run is enabled
+- **THEN** the system SHALL NOT execute `pacman -Rns` for orphan removal
+
+#### Scenario: Dry-run outputs count summary
+- **WHEN** dry-run is enabled
+- **THEN** the system SHALL still compute and output `Result.Installed` and `Result.Removed` counts as if the operations had run
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diff --git a/openspec/changes/batch-pacman-checks/tasks.md b/openspec/changes/batch-pacman-checks/tasks.md
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+## 1. Setup
+
+- [ ] 1.1 Add `github.com/Jguer/dyalpm` to go.mod
+- [ ] 1.2 Run `go mod tidy` to fetch dependencies
+
+## 2. Core Refactoring
+
+- [ ] 2.1 Update `PackageInfo` struct to add `Installed bool` field
+- [ ] 2.2 Create `Pac` struct with `alpm.Handle` instead of just aurCache
+- [ ] 2.3 Implement `NewPac()` that initializes alpm handle and local/sync DBs
+
+## 3. Package Resolution Algorithm
+
+- [ ] 3.1 Implement `buildLocalPkgMap()` - iterate localDB.PkgCache() to create lookup map
+- [ ] 3.2 Implement `checkSyncDBs()` - iterate each sync DB's PkgCache() to find packages
+- [ ] 3.3 Implement `resolvePackages()` - unified algorithm:
+  - Step 1: Check local DB for all packages (batch)
+  - Step 2: Check sync DBs for remaining packages (batch per repo)
+  - Step 3: Batch query AUR for remaining packages
+  - Step 4: Return error if any package unfound
+  - Step 5: Track installed status from local DB
+
+## 4. Sync and DryRun Integration
+
+- [ ] 4.1 Refactor `Sync()` function to use new resolution algorithm
+- [ ] 4.2 Refactor `DryRun()` function to use new resolution algorithm
+- [ ] 4.3 Preserve AUR batched HTTP calls (existing `fetchAURInfo`)
+- [ ] 4.4 Preserve orphan cleanup logic (`CleanupOrphans()`)
+
+## 5. Marking Operations
+
+- [ ] 5.1 Keep `MarkExplicit()` for marking state packages
+- [ ] 5.2 After sync, run `pacman -D --asdeps` on ALL installed packages (simplifies tracking)
+- [ ] 5.3 After deps marking, run `pacman -D --asexplicit` on collected state packages (overrides deps)
+- [ ] 5.4 Skip marking operations in dry-run mode
+
+## 6. Cleanup and Output
+
+- [ ] 6.1 Remove subprocess-based `ValidatePackage()` implementation
+- [ ] 6.2 Remove subprocess-based `GetInstalledPackages()` implementation
+- [ ] 6.3 Update output summary to show installed/removed counts
+- [ ] 6.4 In dry-run mode, populate `ToInstall` and `ToRemove` lists
+
+## 7. Testing
+
+- [ ] 7.1 Test with packages in local DB only
+- [ ] 7.2 Test with packages in sync DBs only
+- [ ] 7.3 Test with AUR packages
+- [ ] 7.4 Test with missing packages (should error)
+- [ ] 7.5 Test dry-run mode output
+- [ ] 7.6 Test orphan detection and cleanup
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