Using -Rc by itself is more or less the default behavior of a package removal command on most other distros. It removes the package you want remove and anything that has a required dependency on it. It is what I use 90% of the time.
Combining -Rc with -Rs requires some extra care as it cascades recursively. It basically walks both forwards and backwards in the package tree removing everything in it’s way. It is useful when you want to really rip and tear but you definitely need to carefully review the package list before confirming.
Replace “package maintenance” with almost anything, and that will still be a true statement. Generally, one has to think about what one is doing, or bad things will happen. Package management on Arch Linux is much less dangerous than, for example, boiling water for tea, or using an electric saw.
Take a couple of weeks and only use pacman, this will force you to learn it. It really is not that difficult and the Arch Wiki covers everything pacman pretty thoroughly.
Once learned feel free to go back to Pamac, continue using pacman, or a combination of both. Make an informed decision based on personal knowledge and experience, instead of asking others to make it for you.
You still have to apply the same update again though, timeshift only restores to a previous state. What if reapplying the update borks your system again?
Please don’t say re-install.
Avoiding learning is not a great way to approach maintaining a rolling Arch system.
It’s certainly safer with backups in place - I’m pretty gung-ho to be honest, lazy to read too much manual until after I borked it and restored it.
I had more issues with Mint - problems with PPA installs etc - in the past, I guess I’ll need more than a few months to see what goes wrong with this one.
Once the system is set up - with a switch to KDE I guess a bit longer than usual - after a month there shouldn’t be too much to do anyway.
I have really enjoyed this discussion. A real discussion showing that caution and planning should be your first plan. Sometimes, in our zeal to promote Linux, we often exaggerate how easy and fun it is. Both Pamac and Packman can do the job, but learn first, reread the discussions right here. And even, sometimes that is not enough. Things happen…
I think those who prefer a graphics program for a package update should use pamac, and those who are used to the terminal should use pacman and yay. The pamac is definitely a Swiss Army knife, so learning to use it after a while is inevitable.
I never use -Rc actually. Only -Rs which (I think) does what most people want: remove the dependencies pulled in by the package to be uninstalled. -Rc does of course have its use. But as mentioned it can be somewhat dangerous.
Also note that s can be specified twice to remove explicitly installed packages as well, although I’ve never used double-S.
I understand need for pamac for some people but gui not help understand what happening and when it all go wrong ( it will ) You turn to terminal . At that point you stuck because all you know is GUI… If use for just AUR I say use yay if you need helper or lazy … At end it your system so your rules
The problem with -Rs is that when something else is dependent on the package you are trying to remove it just fails. Some people may prefer that but I pretty much never want that. I want it to remove the package and anything that is dependent on it. I like removing packages from the bottom up where -Rs removes them from the top down.
Of course, I also read the list of packages marked for removal first to ensure I am not seeing something unexpected.
Personally, I have made it a habbit to use pamac as a search tool & a notifier only but I rely on pacman (or yay) so as to be in control of what is done to my system.
Cheers
I can only speak for myself, but I used to rely heavily on Pamac, then with me using antergos, I got a tiny but useful grip on pacman, and with EOS i don’t even miss pamac, even to check for packages; it’s all there and easy to find.
I feel I’ve been gently pushed in the right direction.
… At end it your system so your rules 
