Particle-OS

A Debian-based immutable operating system following the ublue-os pattern, built from the ground up using modern container technologies.

🎯 Project Vision

Create the Debian equivalent of the ublue-os ecosystem:

• Debian CoreOS (immutable server OS using apt-ostree)
• Debian Desktop variants (immutable desktop OS using apt-ostree)
• Complete bootc integration for Debian systems
• Modern immutable workflow following established best practices

🚀 Quick Start

Prerequisites

• Podman - Container runtime
• Just - Command runner (install with cargo install just)

Build Your First Image

# Validate prerequisites
just validate-prereqs

# Build the minimal bootable image (Phase 1 goal)
just build-minimal

# Test the image
just test-image

One-Command Setup

# Complete quick start (build + test)
just quick-start

🛠️ Available Commands

Image Building

• just build-image - Build base Debian bootc image
• just build-minimal - Build minimal bootable image (Phase 1)
• just build-server - Build server-focused image (Phase 2)
• just build-desktop - Build desktop variant (Phase 3)

Testing & Validation

• just test-image - Test built image in VM
• just test-bootupd - Test deb-bootupd functionality
• just test-ostree - Test apt-ostree functionality

Utility Commands

• just clean - Clean up build artifacts
• just status - Show current build status
• just help - Show help message

🏗️ Architecture

Base Image Strategy

debian:trixie-slim → bootc image → bootable OS

Technology Stack

• Base: debian:trixie-slim
• Immutable Layer: apt-ostree (your project)
• Bootloader Management: deb-bootupd (your project)
• Container Integration: bootc
• Image Building: bootc-image-builder

Key Differences from ublue-os

• Base: Debian instead of Fedora
• Package System: APT/DPKG instead of RPM
• OSTree: apt-ostree instead of rpm-ostree
• Bootloader: deb-bootupd instead of bootupd

🔗 Related Projects

This project is part of a larger ecosystem of Debian immutable technologies. The following projects work together to create the complete Debian immutable experience:

Core Technologies

• apt-ostree - Debian equivalent to rpm-ostree

  • Provides immutable package management for Debian systems
  • Handles system updates and rollbacks
  • Core dependency for Particle-OS

• deb-bootupd - Debian equivalent to bootupd

  • Manages bootloader updates and configuration
  • Handles UEFI boot entries
  • Critical for system deployment and updates

• bootc-image-builder Debian fork of bootc-image-builder

Build Tools

• bootc-image-builder - Comprehensive Debian-adapted bootc image builder
  • Not just a fork - Complete osbuild module development project
  • Adapts Debian's mutable toolchain (apt/dpkg) to immutable paradigm (OSTree)
  • Provides Debian-specific osbuild stages for creating bootable images
  • Includes EFI support, bootloader management, and OSTree integration
  • Critical for Particle-OS: Handles the complex build process we need

Integration

These projects are designed to work together seamlessly:

1. apt-ostree provides the immutable base system
2. deb-bootupd manages the bootloader and deployment
3. debian-bootc-corrected builds the container images
4. Particle-OS combines everything into a complete operating system

For more information about these projects, visit their respective repositories or check the Integration Guide.

📋 Development Phases

Phase 1: Foundation & Core Technologies 🔄 IN PROGRESS

• Goal: Establish foundational Debian immutable technologies
• Deliverable: Working Debian bootc image
• Status: Building minimal bootable image

Phase 2: Debian CoreOS Foundation 📋 PLANNED

• Goal: Create minimal, server-focused Debian immutable OS
• Deliverable: Debian CoreOS equivalent

Phase 3: Desktop Variants 📋 PLANNED

• Goal: Create specialized desktop images
• Deliverable: Debian Aurora/Bazzite/Bluefin equivalents

Phase 4: Distribution & Ecosystem 📋 PLANNED

• Goal: Establish complete Debian immutable ecosystem
• Deliverable: Distributable OS images

🔧 Current Focus

Immediate Priority: Complete Phase 1 by testing deb-bootupd and creating the first minimal bootable image.

Next Steps:

1. Test deb-bootupd in particle-os VM
2. Build minimal debian:trixie-slim → bootc image
3. Validate boot process and OSTree functionality
4. Document the process for future phases

📚 Documentation

• Roadmap - Detailed development plan
• Terminology - Key concepts and definitions
• Archive - Previous project approaches and research

🤝 Contributing

This project is building the first Debian immutable ecosystem from the ground up. Contributions are welcome as we establish the foundation and build upon it.

📄 License

[Add your license here]

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Particle-OS - Building the future of Debian, one immutable layer at a time.