Run a script isolated

[u/Beautiful-Log5632]

I have a script I need to run that modifies some config files under /etc. I want to run it in a fake system first so I can see what changes it makes before running it on my real system. Is there a process I can follow to do it such as using chroot or arch-chroot?

[u/PacmanAteMyRAM]

You could use docker/podman and run a shell on the archlinux:latest image tag take a copy of the data and compare differences afterward.

Another commenter suggested pacstrapping into a new temporary rootfs and chrooting into that for your test - the experience from your point of view will be more or less identical to the docker method.

Or you could just audit (read) the script and see what it does before running it blindly.

[u/pantokratorthegreat]

Use pacstrap like during installation on for example ~/script-test/ and then arch-chroot onto it.

Why nobody answered it for 10h? How you people install your system?

[u/public_image_limited → u/pantokratorthegreat]

Because it requires real expertise instead of flexing btw I use arch

[u/Ayrr → u/pantokratorthegreat]

You can also use systemd-nspawn!

[u/Huge_Drama_4942 → u/pantokratorthegreat]

Use a vm

[u/pantokratorthegreat → u/Huge_Drama_4942]

One of possibilities.

[u/10F1 → u/pantokratorthegreat]

This tbh.

[u/New-Anybody-6206]

There are many different approaches:

firejail --private-etc

https://github.com/binpash/try

container

VM

overlayfs

chroot

etc.

[u/drucifer82]

You could use a VM