debian-forge/debian-forge-docs/flowchart-debian.md

Debian Atomic Ecosystem: Top-Down Linear Flow

Overview

This flowchart shows the proposed Debian Atomic ecosystem, mapping Fedora bootc components to Debian equivalents and discussing implementation options.

The Proposed Debian Flow

graph TD
    %% Start: Package Sources
    A[Debian Package Sources] --> B[Debian Build Infrastructure]
    B --> C[Build Environments]
    C --> D[Debian Packages in Repositories]
    
    %% Configuration Management
    D --> E[debian-atomic-config Repository]
    E --> F[Treefiles (YAML)]
    F --> G[Package Groups & Variants]
    G --> H[Debian Package Group Sync]
    
    %% Build Process (with apt-ostree)
    D --> I[apt-ostree compose tree]
    F --> I
    I --> J[OSTree Repository with Commits]
    J --> J1[ostree-importer to official repo]
    J1 --> K[apt-ostree compose container-encapsulate]
    K --> L[Special bootc containers]
    
    %% Base Images Created
    L --> M[quay.io/debian/debian-bootc:13]
    L --> N[Debian Silverblue]
    L --> O[Debian Kinoite]
    L --> P[Other Debian Atomic variants]
    
    %% User Customization Paths
    M --> Q[Users build FROM base images]
    Q --> R[Custom bootc containers]
    
    %% Path 1: Direct Containerfile
    Q --> S[Write Containerfile directly]
    S --> T[Container-First build path]
    
    %% Path 2: BlueBuild equivalent
    Q --> U[Write recipe.yml]
    U --> V[Debian BlueBuild generates Containerfile]
    V --> T
    
    %% Debian BlueBuild processing
    U --> W[Debian BlueBuild CLI processes recipe.yml]
    W --> X[Generates Containerfile automatically]
    X --> T
    T --> Y[Custom Debian Atomic Images]
    Y --> Z[ISO, QCOW2, RAW formats]
    
    %% Production conversion tools
    R --> AA[deb-bootc-image-builder]
    M --> AA
    AA --> BB[Standard bootable images]
    
    R --> CC[osbuilder/osbuild for Debian]
    M --> CC
    CC --> DD[Advanced custom images]
    CC --> DD1[OSTree composition]
    CC --> DD2[Package management]
    CC --> DD3[Complex build orchestration]
    
    %% Traditional Debian path
    D --> EE[Debian Installer System]
    EE --> FF[Traditional Debian ISOs]
    
    %% User experience limitations
    Y --> GG[Steep Learning Curve]
    Y --> HH[Compatibility Gaps]
    Y --> II[Slow apt-ostree Operations]
    Y --> JJ[Hardware/Driver Issues]
    
    %% User lifecycle operations
    M --> KK[apt-ostree upgrade]
    M --> LL[apt-ostree rollback]
    M --> MM[apt-ostree rebase]
    
    %% These affect the user experience
    KK --> NN[System updates]
    LL --> OO[System rollbacks]
    MM --> PP[System rebasing]

Key Components for Debian Atomic

1. Package Infrastructure

• Input: Debian Package Sources
• Output: Debian Packages in Repositories
• Tools: Debian Build Infrastructure, Build Environments
• Options:
  • Use existing Debian build infrastructure
  • Build custom build system
  • Integrate with existing Debian CI/CD

2. Configuration Management

• Input: Debian Packages + Debian package groups
• Output: Treefiles (YAML) defining variants
• Tools: debian-atomic-config repository, Debian Package Group Sync
• Options:
  • Create new debian-atomic-config repository
  • Extend existing Debian configuration tools
  • Use Debian's existing package grouping system

3. Build Process

• Input: Debian Packages + Treefiles
• Output: Special bootc containers
• Tools: apt-ostree compose tree → ostree-importer → apt-ostree compose container-encapsulate
• Options:
  • Implement apt-ostree from scratch
  • Fork and adapt rpm-ostree for Debian
  • Use existing Debian package management tools

4. Base Images

• Input: Special bootc containers
• Output: Official Debian bootc containers and variants
• Examples: quay.io/debian/debian-bootc:13, Debian Silverblue, Kinoite
• Options:
  • Build Debian-specific variants
  • Adapt existing Debian live images
  • Create minimal Debian base

5. User Customization

• Input: Base bootc images
• Output: Custom bootc containers
• Paths:
  • Direct: Containerfile → Custom container
  • Debian BlueBuild: recipe.yml → Debian BlueBuild → Containerfile → Custom container
• Options:
  • Adapt BlueBuild for Debian
  • Create Debian-specific customization tools
  • Use existing Debian image building tools

6. Production Tools

• Input: Custom bootc containers
• Output: Bootable disk images
• Tools:
  • deb-bootc-image-builder: Standard bootable images
  • osbuilder/osbuild for Debian: Advanced customization, OSTree composition, package management, complex build orchestration
• Options:
  • Adapt existing Debian image building tools
  • Extend osbuilder for Debian
  • Create Debian-specific tools

7. Traditional Debian

• Input: Debian Packages
• Output: Traditional Debian ISOs
• Tools: Debian Installer System
• Options:
  • Use existing Debian installer infrastructure
  • Create new installer for atomic variants
  • Integrate with existing Debian tools

8. User Limitations

• Input: Custom Debian Atomic Images
• Output: User experience challenges
• Issues: Learning curve, compatibility gaps, slow operations, hardware limitations
• Options:
  • Address known Fedora limitations
  • Leverage Debian's strengths
  • Create better user experience

9. User Lifecycle Operations

• Input: Base bootc images
• Output: System management operations
• Operations: apt-ostree upgrade, rollback, rebase
• Purpose: Fundamental to the "atomic" nature of the system
• Options:
  • Implement apt-ostree commands
  • Adapt existing Debian package management
  • Create new atomic management tools

Implementation Options Discussion

apt-ostree Implementation Options

Option 1: Build from Scratch

• Pros: Complete control, Debian-specific optimizations
• Cons: Massive development effort, need to reimplement all functionality
• Timeline: 2-3 years minimum

Option 2: Fork and Adapt rpm-ostree

• Pros: Leverage existing codebase, proven functionality
• Cons: RPM-specific assumptions, significant adaptation needed
• Timeline: 1-2 years

Option 3: Debian Package Manager Integration

• Pros: Use existing Debian tools, familiar to Debian developers
• Cons: May not provide atomic guarantees, significant architectural changes
• Timeline: 1-2 years

Build Infrastructure Options

Option 1: Use Existing Debian Infrastructure

• Pros: Proven, maintained, integrated
• Cons: May not support OSTree workflows, limited customization
• Timeline: 6 months - 1 year

Option 2: Build Custom Infrastructure

• Pros: Complete control, optimized for atomic workflows
• Cons: Massive development effort, maintenance burden
• Timeline: 2-3 years

Option 3: Hybrid Approach

• Pros: Leverage existing tools where possible, custom where needed
• Cons: Integration complexity, potential conflicts
• Timeline: 1-2 years

Configuration Management Options

Option 1: New debian-atomic-config Repository

• Pros: Clean slate, atomic-specific design
• Cons: New tool to maintain, separate from existing Debian tools
• Timeline: 6 months - 1 year

Option 2: Extend Existing Debian Tools

• Pros: Integration with existing workflow, familiar to developers
• Cons: May not support atomic concepts well, architectural limitations
• Timeline: 1 year

Option 3: Adapt Fedora's workstation-ostree-config

• Pros: Proven approach, existing examples
• Cons: RPM-specific assumptions, significant adaptation needed
• Timeline: 6 months - 1 year

What Each Step Produces (Debian Context)

Step	Input	Output	Tool	Implementation Status
Package Sources	Source code	Debian Packages	Debian Build Infrastructure	✅ Exists
Configuration	Packages + package groups	Treefiles (YAML)	debian-atomic-config	❌ Needs Implementation
Build Process	Packages + Treefiles	OSTree commits	apt-ostree compose tree	❌ Needs Implementation
Import	OSTree commits	Official repo	ostree-importer	❌ Needs Implementation
Encapsulate	OSTree commits	bootc containers	apt-ostree compose container-encapsulate	❌ Needs Implementation
Base Images	bootc containers	Official variants	Container registry	❌ Needs Implementation
User Customization	Base images	Custom containers	Containerfile or Debian BlueBuild	❌ Needs Implementation
Production Tools	Custom containers	Bootable images	deb-bootc-image-builder/osbuilder	❌ Needs Implementation
Traditional Debian	Packages	ISOs	Debian Installer System	✅ Exists
User Lifecycle	Base images	System operations	apt-ostree commands	❌ Needs Implementation

Implementation Priority

Phase 1: Core Infrastructure (6-12 months)

1. apt-ostree implementation - Core tool for OSTree management
2. debian-atomic-config repository - Configuration management
3. Basic build pipeline - From packages to OSTree commits

Phase 2: Bootc Integration (6-12 months)

1. apt-ostree compose container-encapsulate - Create bootc containers
2. Base Debian bootc images - Official variants
3. Basic user customization - Containerfile support

Phase 3: User Tools (6-12 months)

1. Debian BlueBuild equivalent - User-friendly customization
2. deb-bootc-image-builder - Production image creation
3. User lifecycle management - upgrade, rollback, rebase

Phase 4: Advanced Features (6-12 months)

1. osbuilder/osbuild integration - Advanced customization
2. Performance optimizations - Address known limitations
3. Production deployment - Real-world testing and refinement

What This Shows

This flowchart demonstrates that Debian Atomic requires:

• Complete package infrastructure (mostly exists)
• Configuration management system (needs implementation)
• Specialized build tools (apt-ostree needs implementation)
• User abstraction layers (needs implementation)
• Multiple production conversion options (needs implementation)
• User lifecycle management (needs implementation)

The main challenge is implementing the apt-ostree ecosystem and bootc integration, as most of the existing Debian infrastructure can be leveraged or adapted.