Every package is a plain POSIX shell script that describes how to compile and install one piece of software. Nothing more — no manifests, no metadata files, no build databases. The recipe is the package.

Layout

TEMPLATE.sh      starting point for new recipes
busybox.sh       easy-tier example (autotools-ish, static build)
runit.sh         advanced-tier example (custom fetch/patch, pkg_post)

Recipe syntax (quick)

name=busybox
version=1.36.1
url=https://busybox.net/downloads/busybox-1.36.1.tar.bz2
deps=()                  # build-time deps (AUR-style: built then purged)

build()   { make defconfig; make -j"$JOBS"; }   # configure + compile
install() { make install CONFIG_PREFIX="$pkgdir"; }  # stage into $pkgdir

Kama handles download, extraction, staging, and temp-dep cleanup. For advanced needs (custom fetch, patches, post-install hooks, splitting), override pkg_fetch, pkg_post, or pkg_split. See the full format spec.

Every package a kiln-load — fire it from source.