Intro

A list of tools that can be used to build multi-package systems; in chroots, app/service containers, disk images, VMs or other formats.

Unpack/configure packages to a location

Tool

Language

Read-only/Writable

Formats

Comments

debootstrap

shell, Perl

directory

cdebootstrap

directory

multistrap

directory

multiple apt repos, docs

polystrap

directory

works without root

mmdebstrap

directory

crosshurd

directory

rinse

Perl

directory

only for rpm packages, build rpm distro chroot on Debian

fai-server

shell, Perl

directory

fai dirinstall creates a chroot

Wrappers

Tool

Language

Read-only/Writable

Formats

Comments

qemu-debootstrap

shell

directory

little shell wrapper around debootstrap, supports multiple architectures via qemu-user

DQIB

shell

ZIP file containing rootfs, kernel, initrd

wrapper around qemu-debootstrap

bdebstrap

Python

wrapper around mmdebstrap for YAML configuration

Package build tools

Tool

Language

Read-only/Writable

Formats

Comments

sbuild

Perl

chroot/unshare/schroot/autopkgtest(schroot/lxc/chroot/qemu/ssh) for isolation.

pbuilder

Bash

chroot for isolation

cowbuilder

C

chroot for isolation, cowdancer via LD_PRELOAD for copy-on-write

qemubuilder

C

qemu for isolation

conbuilder

Python

systemd-nspawn for isolation

debspawn

Python

systemd-nspawn for isolation

whalebuilder

Ruby

docker for isolation

voidbuilder

?JavaScript

docker for isolation

docker-buildpackage

Bash

docker for isolation

debocker

Python

docker for isolation

Tool

Language

Read-only/Writable

Formats

Comments

debian-installer

shell, C

calamares

used on the LiveCD

propellor

Haskell

propellor is d-i 2.0

??

ubiquity

Ubuntu/Mint installer, uses d-i in backend.

v-i

based on vmdb2, announcement

General tools

Tool

Language

Read-only/Writable

Formats

Comments

vmdebootstrap

python, shell

vmdb2

python, configuration specified in yaml

read/write

raw

vmdebootstrap successor

qemu-make-debian-root

grml-debootstrap

shell

virt-builder

ocaml

read/write

qcow2, raw

vmbuilder

ltsp-build-client

vserver build

build-simple-cdd

debootstick

mkosi

Kameleon

lxc-create

Linux containers create new buildroots from script templates

distrobuilder

debian-rootfs

Shell

WARNING: some questionable customizations

FAI

can do installations, chroots, disk images, cross architecture

debos

Go

Data driven rootless image creation tool. debos intro

image-bootstrap

python

Creates (chroots and) bootable virtual machine images

deb-ostree-builder

shell, python

apt2ostree

python

Tool

Language

Read-only/Writable

Formats

Comments

live-build

open-infrastructure-system-build

live-wrapper

grml-live

uses fai dirinstall

debirf

Read-only

initramfs

supermin

NEALE

Tool

Language

Read-only/Writable

Formats

Comments

freedom-maker

boxer

freedombox_dev

ISAR

ELBE

Tool

Language

Read-only/Writable

Formats

Comments

ganeti-instance-debootstrap

bootstrap-vz

Python

deprecated, removed from Debian 11

python-diskimage-builder

shell, python

openstack-debian-images

shell

packer

xen-tools

Perl

TKLDev

Ubuntu EC2 builds

Scaleway

fai-server

fai-diskimage, The Debian cloud team is using FAI for official cloud images

debian-cloud-images

wapper around FAI

Tool

Language

Read-only/Writable

Formats

Comments

linaro-media-create

Python

buildroot

apertis-image-customization

Armbian lib

spindle

shell

omap-image-builder

JBAT

FAI

Announcement for cross-architecture support

Tool

Language

Read-only/Writable

Formats

Comments

AppImageKit

limba

snappy

flatpak

Tool

Language

Read-only/Writable

Formats

Comments

docker

rkt

debuerreotype

reproducible rootfs builds

Derivatives

The derivatives census lists image and install tools.

Other

Tool

Language

Read-only/Writable

Formats

Comments

rootstrap

debian-knoppix

debix

bootcd

mklivecd

?CDDT

fsprotect

Discussions

Talks