Linux

45501 readers

1617 users here now

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

Rules

Posts must be relevant to operating systems running the Linux kernel. GNU/Linux or otherwise.
No misinformation
No NSFW content
No hate speech, bigotry, etc

Related Communities

Community icon by Alpár-Etele Méder, licensed under CC BY 3.0

founded 5 years ago

MODERATORS

[email protected]

Should I make this: (distroless) containers builder, by taking list of packages or a gentoo ebuild file (lemy.lol)

submitted 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

12 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I am thinking to make the following tool, but wanted to get opinions before I embark on this journey.

The tool builds container images.

The images are optionally distroless: meaning, they do not include an entire distro. They only include the application(s) you specify and its dependencies.

What else does the tool give you?

the build tool uses a package manager to do dependency resolution, so you don't have to manually resolve them like many docker files do. (NOTE: The package manager is not installed on the container image. It is only used by the build tool)
uses gentoo's portage to build the software from source (if not previously cached). This is helpful when you're using versions of software that aren't built against each other in the repos you download from
allows specifying compile flag customizations per package.
makes use of gentoo's existing library of package build or install recipes, so that you only have to write them for uncommon apps rather than in every docker file.

I find it crazy that so many dockerfiles are doing their own dependency resolution when we already have package managers.

What do you think? Is this tool useful or am I missing a reason why it wouldn't be?

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Again, all you're describing is just scripting tools that already exist together.

My question is "WHY?". You've not been able to describe a problem that needs a solution. I'm seeing in these other comments that you're just deflecting that question, so do you know what you're trying to solve here?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 week ago

Please demonstrate how the example I gave above can be done with common scripting tools, such it would mimic the declarative experience I described. I don't think it is possible as you claim.

Can you please point to where I deflected any questions? I looked and could not find any instances of such.

I actually answered the question "why", please refer to previous comments. It is also answered in the main post. But I will rephrase and summarize again here:

when creating a container image that requires certain applications installed, most dockerfiles explicitly install the dependencies of said applications as well. With my tool, you only declare the package you need, and it will resolve dependencies automatically and install them for you.
the above would work with distroless containers too, as the package manager used is outside of the produced container.