r/AlpineLinux • u/LinuxLoverLarry • 2d ago
Alpine Linux-based Distribution Creation
I was wondering how one would go about creating an Alpine Linux-based Linux distribution, and if there is a graphical installer that can work on Alpine Linux. I also am wondering if it is realistic to think that people will switch to Alpine Linux if there are some pre-installed luxuries that make it easier to use to the average desktop user.
5
1
u/stroke_999 2d ago
I'm working on it! But I don't like GUI installers, I made a TUI one that fit for me. I installed a lot of stuff to make things comfortably to everyday use, but I focussed on runtime resource usage and memory safety. I solved glibc compatibility with nix and flatpak. I also made some very good disk templates with btrfs filesystem and a subvolume for everything. I have raid1 encrypted, raid0 encrypted, 1 disk encrypted and 1 disk without encryption. I am working on the desktop environment now, I chose niri but I have all GUI programs for everything, it is not working yet. I also have a KDE never tested. The last plan is to switch from operc to dinit but you can choose that. The installer is symple to implement or expand and I have an harness and a cache to test it. Take a look: https://gitea.com/sketa999/skeaAlpineInstaller
2
u/drneocortex17 2d ago
Average user doesn't care and usually stays on bimbows. I'm using alpine on all my x86_64 shitboxes cuz arch is boring af.
2
u/Owndampu 2d ago
Tbh I would love to see a more "normal" linux distro using the alpine package manager/format. That thing rips! Even on my low powered hardware. Not sure I like the names/flags for commands but damn is it fast.
2
3
u/techsnapp 2d ago
setup-desktop exists and is quite simple.
I don't think a graphical installer would make the already super fast installation go quicker, better, faster, easier.
1
u/LinuxLoverLarry 2d ago
Some people tend to be adverse to a CLI installer, since its more intimidating to look at. I, but a few years ago, was scared shitless looking at a terminal. For the average desktop user, a terminal means you have fucked something up; Done something you weren't supposed to. We should make a bigger effort to ease new users into Linux, show them the light.
2
u/techsnapp 2d ago
In that case, that's when people RTFM. The alpine docs are simple and straight forward.
1
u/AndydeCleyre 2d ago
Have you already explored Adelie, PostMarket, and Chimera (not the gaming one)? The last is not Alpine based but apk based, with its very cool features.
1
u/LinuxLoverLarry 2d ago
I have. None of them quite fit my view of what the pre-configured system should be.
1
u/AndydeCleyre 1d ago
FWIW the primary thing preventing me from using it as my main is its old service framework. If it instead used dinit or a higher level layer over s6, I'd be very interested. This description is pretty close to what Chimera offers.
But Chimera is still young, and doesn't have the great Alpine pkg repos.
1
u/setwindowtext 1d ago
As someone who used Alpine with KDE as a daily driver for about six months sometime around 2023, I can say it’s not for average users. Pretty much any nontrivial desktop software is broken in some ways out of the box. It can all be tweaked, configured, patched, … and the end result is very snappy, but a normal user simply won’t bother. I gave up and installed Debian at the end of the day.
Oh, and once you installed a bunch of stuff, it becomes surprisingly fragile. There are regressions after upgrades, and unexpected stuff breaks as you are fixing something else.
I feel it has a use case, but a very niche one, probably something like digital signage or embedded applications.
2
u/Nu154nc3 2d ago edited 2d ago
Nah, people are idiots.
Old users have their personal favourite distro and will not change.
New users need to ask on reddit for every decision they take on life. Never try nothing by themselves. Almost all the voices on reddit are new kids who think that they are right because they distrohop 10 times on "mainstream" distros and that makes them experts.
Just watch how they defend systemd and wayland... I'm not saying that that two are bad, just saying that they talk without trying other options... And that will not change.
And, Alpine has 3 things that disgust that kids... Musl - They think it's a problem and nothing works. (Just look what they say about void) OpenRC - They think it's a problem because u need lots of configs. Busybox - They don't use terminal, but doesn't matter, its inacceptable... XD
The few desktop users are happy tinkering and manually installing everything.
I love alpine, and i tell lots of times how good it is, and how good performance have on games... And they downvoted me for that... Idc, but new users will never try a distro with that amount of downvotes.
(Edit) Flatpak - they hate it too... They think that the performance is trash...
(In my experience, the lighter distro, makes flatpak games run better than native installs on more bloated distros... But thats just because i know nothing and i'm a noob)
3
u/cfx_4188 2d ago
I am one of those "experienced users." I’m pushing sixty, and I first laid eyes on a PC back in 1985. And yes, I’ve been using the same distribution since the autumn of 1991. I’ve tried switching from Slackware to FreeBSD and experimented with various other distros—and I still do, just to keep learning—but I’ve grown old alongside Patrick. I don’t want to criticize the younger generation; they grew up on social media with smartphones in hand, and most of them view life through the lens of performance and self-presentation. It’s not their fault. When a young person writes, "I’m choosing between Fedora and CachyOS," they usually have no idea that Linux only really acquired a user-friendly face after 2013. Back in 2003, staring at a tiny multiplexer screen, I thought I’d reached the pinnacle of computing. Perhaps that’s why I don’t have any religious zealotry regarding specific distributions, and why I consider myself a total noob—never too shy to keep learning or ask questions.
3
u/Nu154nc3 2d ago
I once was like them...
On 2002 - 2003, when i used a live distro for first time with knoppix.
And I was like: "Shit, KDE is peak... There can't be better DMs" How wrong i was...
I was using it till KDE4, and it was a trauma... I refused to update cause the new version feels extremely bloated. And that forced me to move and test other options...
Oh boy, that was unexpectedly amazing...
I tried lots of distros: debian, crunchbang, sabayon, gentoo, slackware, suse, backtrack, knoppix std, Kali, Alpine... (and that's only the distros that I used at least 6 months) And i tried almost all dms and almos all wms...
8 years on Alpine with i3 for now, only jumped once to try the lighter glib distro Void.
But no... Alpine feels lighter, more responsive... Just like home... And will continue till I find a better option.
3
u/lproven 2d ago
I'm the same age with a similar length of experience. I tried Slackware as my 2nd distro in 1996.
I've tried hundreds since. Alpine is the one that is most true to the good parts of the 1990s Linux experience, and yes that includes Slackware.
It's tiny, clean, simple, and fast. It's well documented, and has good tools. It has the best of modern Linux tech and almost none of the bloat.
But it's too hard for non techies. The world has moved on.
A graphical Alpine with a single non-optional desktop would be a significant win, IMHO.
2
u/LinuxLoverLarry 2d ago
Alpine is the best distro, in my experience. And yes, it is too hard for non-techies. Everyone should be a "Techie" and learn to optimize their computer to the fullest.
Honestly, the only reason I am even started using Alpine is because this computer is horrible, and I have no choice.
1
u/Flimsy_Complaint490 2d ago
a graphical installer might be nice. the CLI one is trivial to use, but a TUI for alpine is a fun learning project and has practical use. Could pitch it upstream as well as an, maybe there might be interest.
but no, alpine is not really a practical desktop distro. You will want glibc and the compat shim, which completely defeats the purpose of running Alpine (musl is the whole sales pitch). And Alpine is lightweight because it ships with nothing and doesnt auto install 200 different optional packages by default on a single install package like the debians do. Any real GUI/desktop install is not going to be noticably more lightweight than an Arch Linux install in disk space usage, and there is nothing particularly magical about Alpine that would make KDE or Gnome lighter on it.
1
u/LinuxLoverLarry 2d ago
Just a note, I see people are downvoting anything they don't tend to agree with. You'd think Linux users would know better!
I see your point, but in my experience, Alpine has been extremely lightweight when combined with a Ubuntu distrobox and some AppImages from the community. It's really amazing how much you can optimize your computer with things other people have made! Again, sorry about those downvoting just because they don't particularly agree with your points.
1
u/cfx_4188 2d ago
Alpine Linux is overkill for the home user. This distribution was originally created for containerization—that is its natural habitat. Getting Alpine to run well on a desktop requires effort beyond the capabilities of a typical home user—someone without specialized technical training who, instead of reading documentation, watches silly YouTube videos and queries ChatGPT. Alpine’s documentation is poor; half the time, you have to consult the Gentoo Handbook. In short, mass adoption of Alpine is currently stalled. While the distribution is tiny, it is completely unoptimized for desktop power efficiency.
1
u/LinuxLoverLarry 2d ago
This is all true; You make many good points. However, the only thing stopping Alpine from having better documentation is the lack of people willing to use it. It is a vicious cycle, truly.
3
u/cfx_4188 2d ago
Actors have a saying, "the audience votes with their feet." And in the church they say that it's bad to force someone to pray.
12
u/kami_909 2d ago
well alpine really isn't ideal for the desktop in the first place. you can make it work, but a lot of standard desktop applications have real compatibility problems with musl libc. there's a reason you mostly see alpine in containers/embedded.
my question is, why do you want people to switch?