How to build OpenSUSE zypper package for Golf

First, install the RPM tools:

sudo zypper --non-interactive in --replacefiles --force-resolution rpmlint sshpass rpm-build rpmdevtools wget

Then get the spec file:

wget 'https://github.com/golf-lang/golf/blob/main/golf.spec?raw=true' -O golf.spec

Create RPM build tree:

rpmdev-setuptree

Fetch the Golf source code:

rpmdev-spectool -g -R golf.spec

Install dependencies (zypper doesn't have the tool for this like apt or dnf, so we just parse golf.spec, which is the next best thing):

sudo zypper -n install --replacefiles --force-resolution $(rpmspec --parse golf.spec | grep BuildRequires|sed 's/^.*:\(.*\)$/\1/g')

Build the package:

rpmbuild -ba golf.spec 

In the home directory, this will produce file ~/rpmbuild/RPMS/x86_64/golf-<version>-1.x86_64.rpm, where <version> is the Golf's current version, and you can now copy that file to another system with the same Linux installed, and install Golf with (ignore the fact that we didn't sign the package):

sudo zypper install ./golf-<version>-1.x86_64.rpm  

Fragmentation of Linux and impact on packaging

Linux fragmentation (meaning many distros out there), while positive in some ways (spurring innovation, customization and freedom of choice), makes it more difficult to properly address diverging packaging methods between them. There are services online that make it possible to manage packaging for Linux, and some are quite easy, while some are (incredibly) difficult to use.

What's in packaging? For one, the list of third party packages that your package depends on.