rhino-linux · cat-master21 · Jan 28, 2025 · Jan 28, 2025 · Jun 30, 2025 · Jul 1, 2025
diff --git a/pages/dev/_meta.json b/pages/dev/_meta.json
@@ -4,5 +4,6 @@
   "pacstall-101": "Pacscript 101",
   "hotfix-101": "Creating Hotfixes",
   "ubxi": "UBXI",
+  "os": "Image Builder",
   "wiki": "Wiki Page Tips"
 }
diff --git a/pages/dev/os/GitHub-Workflow.png b/pages/dev/os/GitHub-Workflow.png
diff --git a/pages/dev/os/_meta.json b/pages/dev/os/_meta.json
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+{
+  "intro": "Introduction",
+  "github-actions": "Building using GitHub Actions",
+  "repo-structure": "Repository Structure",
+  "build-system": "Tools Used"
+}
diff --git a/pages/dev/os/build-system.mdx b/pages/dev/os/build-system.mdx
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+---
+title: How Images are built
+description: Tools used
+---
+
+import { Callout } from 'nextra/components'
+
+## Tools (Build System) Utilized
+
+Inside the `rhino-linux/os` repository is where the production-ready images of RL are made.
+This was originally forked from [Vanilla-OS's ISO builder](https://github.com/Vanilla-OS/live-iso) which is forked from  [Ubuntu Cinnamon's ISO builder](https://github.com/ubuntucinnamon/iso-builder-devel).
+Images are built from scratch thanks to the Debian's [`live-build`](https://salsa.debian.org/live-team/live-build) tool in an automated fashion thanks to shell scripts.
+
+Different branches target different devices such as:
+`Main` generic target,
+`rpi` with Raspberry Pi code,
+and `pinetab` and `pinephone` targeting those respectively.
+
+### GitHub Actions
+
+While it is possible for manual building of each different architecture (e.g. `x86_64`) or type (e.g. `pinetab`),
+this is time consuming, so the team can schedule a [GitHub Workflow that builds all images](./github-actions) in a efficient and repeatable manner.
+
+### Installer
+
+RL primarily uses Calamares, a multi-distribution modular installer. Except for Raspberry Pi and Pine devices where it is unnecessary.
+Compared to Ubuntu's Calamares does not have a dependency on Snap and has the advantage of [being customized](./calamares) with our branding.
+
+### Bootloader
+
+For generic targets, GRUB and isolinux is used, u-Boot for Raspberry Pi targets, and Extlinux to install SYSLINUX to Pinephone and pinetab.
+* GRUB: `etc/config/boatloaders/grub-pc` & https://github.com/rhino-linux/grub/tree/main (branding)
+* Isolinux: `etc/config/boatloaders/isolinux`
+* U-Boot: `scripts/setup-system-boot.sh`
+* Extlinux: `etc/config/boatloaders/extlinux`
+
+<Callout type="info" emoji="✎">
+  **Note:** Some bootloaders may be in other branches, but are unused.
+</Callout>
+
+
+### Package Management
+
+For most things, APT is used, packages installed are under `etc/config/package-lists.calamares`:
+* `desktop.list.chroot_install` (unavailable on Raspberry Pi & Pine devices): Packages installed by Calamares onto system
+* `desktop.list.chroot_live` (unavailable on Raspberry Pi & Pine devices): Packages only in the live environment
+* `pool.list.binary`: Packages on the disk image
+
+Pacstall packages are installed under `etc/config/hooks/live/099-install-custom-apps.chroot`.
diff --git a/pages/dev/os/github-actions.mdx b/pages/dev/os/github-actions.mdx
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+---
+title: Using GitHub Actions
+description: How to build using GitHub Actions
+---
+
+import { Callout } from 'nextra/components'
+
+<Callout emoji="ⓘ">
+  **Notice:** This guide assumes familiarity with [manually building images](./intro)
+</Callout>
+
+To build an image, simply go to the *Actions* tab of the GitHub repository, run the
+`Rhino Linux Image Generation (Meta) [Legacy Workflow]` Action, defined under `legacy.yml` file
+![An image of a successful GitHub Actions Workflow](./GitHub-Workflow.png)
+
+After completion, the disk images can be downloaded below the matrix (as pictured above).
diff --git a/pages/dev/os/intro.mdx b/pages/dev/os/intro.mdx
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+---
+title: Building an image
+description: How to build an image of RL
+---
+
+import { Callout } from 'nextra/components'
+
+## How to get started building Rhino Linux images
+
+<Callout type="warning" emoji="⚠">
+  **Warning:** This can only be built with the latest release of Ubuntu and derivatives such as Rhino Linux!
+</Callout>
+
+<Callout emoji="ⓘ">
+  **Important:** Looking how to do release builds? look at [building using Github Actions](./github-actions)
+</Callout>
+
+### Instructions
+
+First, make sure the proper dependencies are installed:
+```
+sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install --reinstall debootstrap mtools dosfstools qemu-user-static binfmt-support dpkg-dev git
+```
+
+The repository can be cloned into by Git (defaulting to the generic branch):
+<Callout emoji="!">
+  **Important:** Depending on the target, clone either the `rpi`, `pinetab`, or `pinephone` branch instead.
+</Callout>
+```
+git clone https://github.com/rhino-linux/os.git && cd ./os
+```
+
+Next, to install the live build dependency:
+```
+sudo dpkg -i debs/live-build_*_all.deb
+```
+
+Unfortunately, live-build has to be patched to support Ubuntu `devel` archives so multiple commands have to be run:
+```
+sudo mv /usr/share/debootstrap/functions functions && sudo patch -i 0002-remove-WRONGSUITE-error.patch && sudo mv functions /usr/share/debootstrap/functions && sudo cp binary_grub-efi /usr/lib/live/build/binary_grub-efi
+```
+
+The last step to get the repository running is making the scripts executable:
+```
+chmod -R +x build.sh etc/auto/config etc/terraform.conf etc/
+```
+
+Finally, images can be made:
+```
+sudo ./build.sh etc/terraform.conf
+```
+
+<Callout type="info" emoji="✎">
+  **Note:** Images can be rebuilt using `sudo ./build.sh etc/terraform.conf`
+</Callout>
+
+The resulting image to flash is found under `builds/[architecture]` where `[architecture]` is either `amd64` or `arm64`.
+The in addition, an SHA256 and SHA512 checksum is created to verify.
diff --git a/pages/dev/os/repo-structure.mdx b/pages/dev/os/repo-structure.mdx
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+---
+title: Structure
+description: Brief repo structure
+---
+
+## [Repository Structure](https://github.com/rhino-linux/os)
+This is subject to change, but here is the general of this repository:
+
+```.
+├── 0002-remove-WRONGSUITE-error.patch -> for devel apt archives
+├── binary_grub-efi -> Modified grub script for RL
+├── build.sh -> Main build script
+├── debs
+│   └── live-build_20220505_all.deb -> Modified for RL
+├── etc
+│   ├── auto
+│   │   └── config -> Is used to setup live-build
+│   ├── config
+│   │   ├── bootloaders -> Stores Bootloader configurations
+│   │   │   ├── grub-pc -> Is used in UEFI boot
+│   │   │   └── isolinux -> Is used in BIOS instead of Grub
+│   │   ├── hooks
+│   │   │   └── live -> Each step (shell script) that live-build runs incrementally from 000 to 999
+│   │   ├── includes.binary -> Media information
+│   │   ├── includes.chroot -> Files that are directly included in media
+│   │   └── package-lists.calamares -> Calamares installer packages
+│   │       ├── desktop.list.chroot_install -> Apt packages to install onto disk
+│   │       ├── desktop.list.chroot_live -> Packages only necessary while booting off a disk image (live boot)
+│   │       └── pool.list.binary -> Packages on media (mostly firmware)
+│   └── terraform.conf -> RL specific distribution information (shouldn't needed to be changed)
+├── LICENSE
+├── README.md
+├── rebuild-list -> Don't worry about this file
+└── ub2r.sh -> Script that converts Ubuntu into Rhino Linux
+```