Update README: Major discovery - Debian already has most OSTree infrastructure

- Debian ostree-boot package provides 6/6 core OSTree systemd services
- Includes dracut integration, tmpfiles config, and GRUB integration
- Reduces scope from 35 files to ~15 files (57% reduction)
- Only need to create bootc and apt-ostree specific infrastructure
- Updated implementation strategy with 3 phases
- Added scope reduction summary and key insights
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robojerk 2025-09-01 17:11:14 -07:00
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# Debian Atomic Infrastructure Files
This directory contains the missing systemd services, configuration files, and infrastructure components needed to make Debian work with OSTree and bootc-image-builder, based on our analysis of the successful Fedora Atomic system.
This directory contains the **additional** systemd services, configuration files, and infrastructure components needed to make Debian work with OSTree and bootc-image-builder, based on our analysis of the successful Fedora Atomic system.
## 🎉 Major Discovery: Debian Already Has Most OSTree Infrastructure!
After examining the `ostree-boot` package in Debian, we discovered that **Debian already provides 6 of the 6 core OSTree systemd services** plus dracut integration! This significantly reduces what we need to create.
## 📁 Directory Structure
@ -15,27 +19,32 @@ debian-atomic-files/
## 🎯 Purpose
These files address the **critical missing infrastructure** that prevents Debian from working with OSTree and bootc-image-builder. Based on our analysis of the successful Fedora Atomic system, we discovered that **28+ systemd services** are required for a functional OSTree system, and Debian packages are missing most of them.
These files address the **remaining missing infrastructure** that prevents Debian from working with OSTree and bootc-image-builder. Based on our analysis of the successful Fedora Atomic system, we discovered that while Debian already has the core OSTree services, it's missing the **bootc and apt-ostree specific infrastructure**.
## 📦 Package Structure
## ✅ What's Already Available in Debian
### 1. `ostree-systemd` Package
### `ostree-boot` Package (Install with: `apt install ostree-boot`)
**Purpose**: Provides essential OSTree systemd services and configuration files.
**Already Provides**:
- ✅ `ostree-prepare-root.service` - Prepare root filesystem in initramfs
- ✅ `ostree-remount.service` - Remount filesystem with overlays
- ✅ `ostree-state-overlay@.service` - State overlay management
- ✅ `ostree-finalize-staged.service` - Finalize staged deployments
- ✅ `ostree-finalize-staged-hold.service` - Hold service for finalization
- ✅ `ostree-boot-complete.service` - Boot completion service
- ✅ `98ostree/module-setup.sh` - OSTree dracut module (includes erofs, overlay)
- ✅ `ostree.conf` - Dracut configuration (adds ostree + systemd modules)
- ✅ `ostree-tmpfiles.conf` - Runtime directory creation and cleanup
- ✅ `ostree-prepare-root` - Binary executable
- ✅ `ostree-remount` - Binary executable
- ✅ `grub2-15_ostree` - GRUB integration script
- ✅ `ostree-system-generator` - Systemd system generator
**Files**:
- `systemd/system/ostree-prepare-root.service` - Handles OSTree deployment during initramfs
- `systemd/system/ostree-remount.service` - Manages OSTree bind mounts after boot
- `systemd/system/ostree-state-overlay@.service` - Template for OSTree state overlays
- `systemd/system/ostree-finalize-staged.service` - Finalizes staged deployments
- `systemd/system/ostree-finalize-staged-hold.service` - Prevents finalization conflicts
- `systemd/system/ostree-boot-complete.service` - Completes boot process
- `ostree/prepare-root.conf` - OSTree configuration (composefs, readonly sysroot)
- `tmpfiles.d/ostree-tmpfiles.conf` - Runtime directory creation and cleanup
**This covers 6/6 core OSTree systemd services!**
**Installation Path**: `/usr/lib/systemd/system/`, `/usr/lib/ostree/`, `/usr/lib/tmpfiles.d/`
## 📦 What We Still Need to Create
### 2. `bootc` Package
### 1. `bootc` Package
**Purpose**: Provides bootc infrastructure for automatic updates, filesystem growth, and cleanup.
@ -51,7 +60,7 @@ These files address the **critical missing infrastructure** that prevents Debian
**Installation Path**: `/usr/lib/systemd/system/`
### 3. `bootc-dracut` Package
### 2. `bootc-dracut` Package
**Purpose**: Provides bootc dracut configuration for initramfs generation.
@ -60,7 +69,7 @@ These files address the **critical missing infrastructure** that prevents Debian
**Installation Path**: `/usr/lib/dracut.conf.d/`
### 4. `apt-ostree` Package (Enhanced)
### 3. `apt-ostree` Package (Enhanced)
**Purpose**: APT-OSTree package should include all systemd services and kernel installation hooks (like rpm-ostree does).
@ -84,14 +93,17 @@ These files address the **critical missing infrastructure** that prevents Debian
**Note**: These files should be bundled with the `apt-ostree` package itself, not as a separate package.
### 5. `ostree-dracut` Package
### 4. Missing Configuration Files
**Purpose**: Provides OSTree dracut module for initramfs integration.
**Purpose**: Additional configuration files needed for complete OSTree integration.
**Files**:
- `modules.d/98ostree/module-setup.sh` - OSTree dracut module setup script
- `ostree/prepare-root.conf` - OSTree configuration (composefs, readonly sysroot) - **Note: May need to be added to ostree-boot package**
- `kernel/install.conf` - Kernel install configuration (layout=ostree) - **Note: May need to be added to ostree-boot package**
**Installation Path**: `/usr/lib/dracut/modules.d/98ostree/`
**Installation Path**: `/usr/lib/ostree/`, `/usr/lib/kernel/`
**Note**: The OSTree dracut module is already provided by the `ostree-boot` package.
## 🔧 What Each File Does
@ -209,16 +221,35 @@ After installing these packages, Debian should have:
- ✅ **Filesystem growth and cleanup** capabilities
- ✅ **Compatibility with bootc-image-builder**
## 📋 Next Steps
## 🚀 Revised Implementation Strategy
1. **Create Debian packages** from these files
2. **Test package installation** on Debian system
3. **Build Debian Atomic container** with apt-ostree
4. **Test with bootc-image-builder** to create bootable image
5. **Boot test** the resulting image
### Phase 1: Install Existing Infrastructure
```bash
apt install ostree-boot # Provides 6/6 core OSTree systemd services + dracut integration
```
### Phase 2: Create Missing Packages
1. **Create `bootc` package** - 8 systemd services + dracut config
2. **Enhance `apt-ostree` package** - 7 systemd services + kernel hooks + configs
3. **Add missing config files** - prepare-root.conf, install.conf (may need ostree-boot package updates)
### Phase 3: Test Complete System
1. **Test with bootc-image-builder** using a Debian container
2. **Build and boot** a complete Debian Atomic system
3. **Iterate and improve** based on testing results
## 📊 Scope Reduction Summary
**Original Assessment**: 35 files needed (6 OSTree + 8 bootc + 7 apt-ostree + 14 configs)
**Revised Assessment**: ~15 files needed (8 bootc + 7 apt-ostree + 2 configs)
**Reduction**: ~57% fewer files needed thanks to existing `ostree-boot` package!
## 🔍 Key Insights
**The problem was not in the build process** - `bootc-image-builder` works fine. The problem was **missing package infrastructure** in Debian. These files provide the missing systemd services, configuration files, and hooks that make OSTree work properly.
**Major Discovery**: Debian already has 6/6 core OSTree systemd services in `ostree-boot` package!
**This approach is much more manageable** than initially thought - we just need to package these files and install them, then use the existing proven build process.
**The problem was not in the build process** - `bootc-image-builder` works fine. The problem was **missing bootc and apt-ostree specific infrastructure** in Debian.
**This approach is much more manageable** than initially thought - we just need to create the missing bootc and apt-ostree packages, then use the existing proven build process.