qubes-builder-alpine/README.md

# qubes-builder-alpine
Upstream: https://ayakael.net/forge/qubes-builder-alpine

## Description

This repository contains an implementation of a template builder for Alpine
Linux for usage by qubes-builder. Packages are pulled from a community repo
and packaged in an RPM that is installable by QubesOS.

### Current state
Alpine Linux as a QubesOS template is still a work in progress. It is highly
encouraged to make bug reports.

#### The yet-to-be-implemented list 
Thus the following use cases are still not supported / tested:
 * sys-net service VM
 * sys-firewall service VM
 * `qubes-vm-kernel-support` Not adapted for use on Alpine yet, due to it providing a Dracut module. In most cases, it is not necessary as Qubes provides the kernel. 
   This package is only neccessary when VM uses its own kernel, thus a hook is added to Dracut to generate the initrd for use within qubes.

## How to install

First, we need to transfer to dom0 the template key.

**Within VM, download template key:**

```
curl -JO https://ayakael.net/api/packages/forge/rpm/repository.key
```

**On dom0, transfer and copy key to key store:**

```
qvm-run -p <curl-vm> 'cat </path/to/downloaded/key ' > repository.key
sudo mv repository.key /etc/qubes/repo-templates/keys/RPM-GPG-KEY-ayakael-forge
```

For installation, you have two options.

### Using qvm-template

**1) Create repository definition**

On dom0, create and edit `/etc/qubes/repo-templates/ayakael-templates.repo` to match the following

```
[ayakael-templates]
name=Ayakael templates
baseurl=https://ayakael.net/api/packages/forge/rpm/qubes/r$releasever
enabled=1
gpgcheck=1
gpgkey = file:////etc/qubes/repo-templates/keys/RPM-GPG-KEY-ayakael-forge
```

**2) Install template**

```
qvm-template install alpine320
```

### Manually

**1) Download and transfer template RPM**


On VM, download desired template RPM available in `Packages` section
```
curl -JO https:<url/rpm>
```

On dom0, transfer RPM

```
qvm-run -p <curl-vm> 'cat </path/to/downloaded/rpm ' > qubes-template-alpine.rpm
```

**2) Install template**

```
qvm-template --keyring /etc/qubes/repo-templates/keys/RPM-GPG-KEY-forge-ayakael install $(pwd)/qubes-template-alpine.rpm
```

## How to build

Since this template builder uses pre-built Alpine Linux packages for QubesOS template support, it by defaults does not build everything locally. If you want to build them locally, you can follow these steps. If not, you can skip to the next section.

### Build packages

**1) Set-up build environment on Alpine Linux**
```
apk add alpine-sdk lua-aports
addgroup <yourusername> abuild
mkdir -p /var/cache/distfiles
chmod a+w /var/cache/distfiles
abuild-keygen -a -i
cp /home/user/.abuild/*.pub /etc/apk/keys
```
(see [Creating an Alpine package](https://wiki.alpinelinux.org/wiki/Creating_an_Alpine_package) on Alpine Linux Wiki for more details)

**2) Create work directory and clone `qports` with appropriate branch**

```
mkdir work
cd work
git clone https://ayakael.net/forge/qports -b <desired Qubes Rel, i.e r4.2>
```

**3) Build all packages using `buildrepo`**

`buildrepo -a <path/to/qports> -d <path/to/work/dir>/packages qports` 

**4) Make these packages available on an HTTP server and export the following variables that will be picked up by template build**

```
export QUBESALPINE_MIRROR=<https://url-to-custom-repo>
export QUBESALPINE_KEYFILE=<https://url-to-custom-repo-key>
```

### Build template

**1) Create work directory and clone `qubes-builder-alpine` with appropriate branch**

```
mkdir work
cd work
git clone https://ayakael.net/forge/qubes-builder-alpine -b <desired Qubes Rel, i.e r4.2>
```

**2) Set-up build environment for QubesOS template build**

```
git clone https://github.com/QubesOS/qubes-builder
mkdir qubes-builder/qubes-src
ln -s $(pwd) qubes-builder/qubes-src/builder-alpine
cp builder.conf qubes-builder/.
git clone https://github.com/QubesOS/qubes-linux-template-builder qubes-builder/qubes-src/linux-template-builder
```

**3) Setup build information**

```
echo "%define _arch x86_64" >> qubes-builder/qubes-src/linux-template-builder/templates.spec
echo "4.2.0" > qubes-builder/qubes-src/linux-template-builder/version
```
If you want to build a different Alpine version than default, you can modify `qubes-builder/builder.conf` on line `DIST_VM` to alpine<desired-version-without-dot> (i.e alpine320).

**4) Build template**

```
cd qubes-builder
make linux-template-builder
```

**5) Install produced RPM on dom0**

```
qvm-run --pass-io <build-vm> 'cat <path/to/work/dir>/qubes-builder/qubes-src/linux-template-builder/rpm/noarch/qubes-template-*.rpm' > qubes-template-alpine.rpm
qvm-template install --nogpgcheck $(pwd)/qubes-template-alpine.rpm
```

## Issues, recommendations and proposals
**To report an issue or share a recommendation**

This repo is also mirrored on Codeberg. This facilitates receiving pull requests, and managing issues. You can open an issue [here](https://codeberg.org/ayakael/qubes-builder-alpine/issues)

You can also post on the [Qubes OS forums](https://forum.qubes-os.org/t/alpine-linux-template-non-official-available-for-testing/20595/33).

**To make a merge request**
 * Fork the repo from Codeberg's mirror [here](https://codeberg.org/ayakael/qubes-builder-alpine)
 * Clone your fork locally. (`git clone $repo`)
 * Make a branch with a descriptive name (`git checkout -b $descriptivename`)
 * Make the changes you want to see in the world, commit, and push to the GitLab's remote repo
 * Request a merge [here](https://codeberg.org/ayakael/qubes-builder-alpine/pulls)