apt-ostree/NEXT-STEPS.md

Next Steps for apt-ostree Development

🎯 Current Status: READY FOR DEVELOPMENT

The apt-ostree daemon and D-Bus communication are working correctly. Now we can focus on the next development phases.

🧪 Immediate Testing

1. Run the Complete Test

chmod +x test-everything.sh
./test-everything.sh

This will verify all components are working correctly.

2. Test Basic Commands

# Test daemon communication
apt-ostree daemon-ping
apt-ostree daemon-status

# Test package operations
apt-ostree list
apt-ostree search apt
apt-ostree info apt

# Test system commands
apt-ostree status
apt-ostree history

🚀 Development Priorities

Phase 1: OCI Integration (HIGHEST PRIORITY)

Goal: Enable testing in real OSTree environments via container images

1.1 Container Image Generation

• Implement apt-ostree compose build-image command
• Convert OSTree commits to OCI layers
• Generate Docker/OCI format images
• Add image tagging and registry integration

1.2 Base Image Resolution

• Implement pulling from OCI registries
• Add registry authentication
• Support image caching and version management

1.3 Bootc Compatibility

• Generate bootc-compatible images
• Add deployment metadata
• Implement image validation

Phase 2: Real OSTree Environment Testing

Goal: Test apt-ostree in actual OSTree environments

2.1 OSTree System Setup

• Create test OSTree environment
• Configure bootloader integration
• Set up deployment workflow

2.2 End-to-End Testing

• Test complete package installation workflow
• Validate deployment creation and boot
• Test rollback functionality

Phase 3: Production Readiness

Goal: Prepare apt-ostree for production use

3.1 Performance Optimization

• Profile package operations
• Optimize transaction handling
• Add performance monitoring

3.2 Error Handling

• Implement comprehensive error scenarios
• Add user-friendly error messages
• Create recovery mechanisms

3.3 Documentation

• Create user guides
• Write API documentation
• Add troubleshooting guides

📋 Available Commands (Current)

Daemon Communication

apt-ostree daemon-ping      # Test daemon communication
apt-ostree daemon-status    # Get daemon status

Package Management

apt-ostree install <packages>  # Install packages
apt-ostree remove <packages>   # Remove packages
apt-ostree list               # List installed packages
apt-ostree search <query>     # Search for packages
apt-ostree info <package>     # Show package information

System Management

apt-ostree status            # Show system status
apt-ostree history           # Show transaction history
apt-ostree init [branch]     # Initialize system

🔧 Development Environment

Source Code Available

• ✅ rpm-ostree: .notes/inspiration/rpm-ostree-main/
• ✅ ostree: .notes/inspiration/ostree-main/
• ✅ apt: .notes/inspiration/apt-main/
• ✅ dpkg: .notes/inspiration/dpkg-main/

Key Files

• src/bin/apt-ostreed.rs - Daemon implementation
• src/bin/simple-cli.rs - CLI interface
• src/daemon_client.rs - D-Bus client library
• src/daemon/org.aptostree.dev.conf - D-Bus policy

🎯 Recommended Next Action

Start with OCI Integration:

1. Research OCI specification for container image format
2. Study rpm-ostree's compose command implementation
3. Implement basic image generation from OSTree commits
4. Test with simple container images

This will enable testing apt-ostree in real environments and validate the core functionality.

📊 Success Metrics

• ✅ Daemon Communication: Working
• ✅ D-Bus Integration: Working
• ✅ Basic Package Operations: Working
• OCI Integration: Next priority
• Real Environment Testing: After OCI
• Production Readiness: Final phase

The foundation is solid - let's build on it! 🚀