=======
archiso
=======
The archiso project features scripts and configuration templates to build installation media (*.iso* images and
*.tar.gz* bootstrap images) as well as netboot artifacts for BIOS and UEFI based systems on the x86_64 architecture.
Currently creating the images is only supported on Arch Linux but may work on other operating systems as well.
Requirements
============
The following packages need to be installed to be able to create an image with the included scripts:
* arch-install-scripts
* awk
* dosfstools
* e2fsprogs
* erofs-utils (optional)
* findutils
* gzip
* libarchive
* libisoburn
* mtools
* openssl
* pacman
* sed
* squashfs-tools
For running the images in a virtualized test environment the following packages are required:
* edk2-ovmf
* qemu
For linting the shell scripts the following package is required:
* shellcheck
Profiles
========
Archiso comes with two profiles: **baseline** and **releng**. While both can serve as starting points for creating
custom live media, **releng** is used to create the monthly installation medium.
They can be found below `configs/baseline/ <configs/baseline/>`_ and `configs/releng/ <configs/releng/>`_
(respectively). Both profiles are defined by files to be placed into overlays (e.g. airootfs → the image's ``/``).
Read `README.profile.rst <docs/README.profile.rst>`_ to learn more about how to create profiles.
Create images
=============
Usually the archiso tools are installed as a package. However, it is also possible to clone this repository and create
images without installing archiso system-wide.
As filesystems are created and various mount actions have to be done when creating an image, **root** is required to run
the scripts.
When archiso is installed system-wide and the modification of a profile is desired, it is necessary to copy it to a
writeable location, as ``/usr/share/archiso`` is tracked by the package manager and only writeable by root (changes will
be lost on update).
The examples below will assume an unmodified profile in a system location (unless noted otherwise).
It is advised to consult the help output of **mkarchiso**:
.. code:: sh
mkarchiso -h
Create images with packaged archiso
-----------------------------------
.. code:: sh
mkarchiso -w path/to/work_dir -o path/to/out_dir path/to/profile
Create images with local clone
------------------------------
Clone this repository and run:
.. code:: sh
./archiso/mkarchiso -w path/to/work_dir -o path/to/out_dir path/to/profile
Testing
=======
The convenience script **run_archiso** is provided to boot into the medium using qemu.
It is advised to consult its help output:
.. code:: sh
run_archiso -h
Run the following to boot the iso using BIOS:
.. code:: sh
run_archiso -i path/to/an/arch.iso
Run the following to boot the iso using UEFI:
.. code:: sh
run_archiso -u -i path/to/an/arch.iso
The script can of course also be executed from this repository:
.. code:: sh
./scripts/run_archiso.sh -i path/to/an/arch.iso
Installation
============
To install archiso system-wide use the included ``Makefile``:
.. code:: sh
make install
Optional features
The iso image contains a GRUB environment block holding the iso name and version. This allows to
boot the iso image from GRUB with a version specific cow directory to mitigate overlay clashes.
.. code:: sh
loopback loop archlinux.iso
load_env -f (loop)/arch/grubenv
linux (loop)/arch/boot/x86_64/vmlinuz-linux ... \
cow_directory=${NAME}/${VERSION} ...
initrd (loop)/arch/boot/x86_64/initramfs-linux-lts.img
Contribute
==========
Development of archiso takes place on Arch Linux' Gitlab: https://gitlab.archlinux.org/archlinux/archiso.
Please read our distribution-wide `Code of Conduct <https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Code_of_conduct>`_ before
contributing, to understand what actions will and will not be tolerated.
Read our `contributing guide <CONTRIBUTING.rst>`_ to learn more about how to provide fixes or improvements for the code
base.
Discussion around archiso takes place on the `arch-releng mailing list
<https://lists.archlinux.org/listinfo/arch-releng>`_ and in `#archlinux-releng
<ircs://irc.libera.chat/archlinux-releng>`_ on `Libera Chat <https://libera.chat/>`_.
All past and present authors of archiso are listed in `AUTHORS <AUTHORS.rst>`_.
Releases
========
`Releases of archiso <https://gitlab.archlinux.org/archlinux/archiso/-/tags>`_ are created by their current maintainers
- `David Runge <https://gitlab.archlinux.org/dvzrv>`_ (``C7E7849466FE2358343588377258734B41C31549``)
- `nl6720 <https://gitlab.archlinux.org/nl6720>`_ (``BB8E6F1B81CF0BB301D74D1CBF425A01E68B38EF``)
Tags are signed using respective PGP keys.
To verify a tag, first import the relevant PGP key(s):
.. code:: sh
gpg --auto-key-locate wkd --search-keys dvzrv@archlinux.org
or
.. code:: sh
gpg --auto-key-locate keyserver --recv-keys BB8E6F1B81CF0BB301D74D1CBF425A01E68B38EF
Afterwards a tag can be verified from a clone of this repository:
.. code:: sh
git verify-tag <tag>
License
=======
Archiso is licensed under the terms of the **GPL-3.0-or-later** (see `LICENSE <LICENSE>`_).
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