I am thinking to make the following tool, but wanted to get opinions before I embark on this journey.

The tool builds container images.

The images are optionally distroless: meaning, they do not include an entire distro. They only include the application(s) you specify and its dependencies.

What else does the tool give you?

  • the build tool uses a package manager to do dependency resolution, so you don't have to manually resolve them like many docker files do. (NOTE: The package manager is not installed on the container image. It is only used by the build tool)
  • uses gentoo's portage to build the software from source (if not previously cached). This is helpful when you're using versions of software that aren't built against each other in the repos you download from
  • allows specifying compile flag customizations per package.
  • makes use of gentoo's existing library of package build or install recipes, so that you only have to write them for uncommon apps rather than in every docker file.

I find it crazy that so many dockerfiles are doing their own dependency resolution when we already have package managers.

What do you think? Is this tool useful or am I missing a reason why it wouldn't be?

  • 2xsaiko@discuss.tchncs.de
    ·
    5 months ago

    Unless you specifically want ebuilds, take a look at nixpkgs dockerTools. It does everything you list here.

    https://nixos.org/manual/nixpkgs/stable/#sec-pkgs-dockerTools

    • matcha_addict@lemy.lol
      hexagon
      ·
      5 months ago

      I had a feeling nixos would have something, but I avoided it because it seemed more than a day's worth of learning (and also its a bit opinionated). But I will revisit it one day!