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From: Timur Fayzrakhmanov <tim.fayzrakhmanov@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 28 Mar 2018 23:38:54 +0300
Message-ID: <CAEQMig3N95AM=GY1OXFFVt4Le9cc+62H_p=nQ5SDC-icJ3mESg@mail.gmail.com>
Subject: [alpine-user] Lack of a minimal documentation on Alpine's overall architecture, run-from-RAM feature, mkinitfs, modloop etc.
To: alpine-user@lists.alpinelinux.org
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Dear all,

I think Alpine Linux is the most technical-grounded (and clean)
distribution I've ever seen among wide-spread ones. That is why I want to
thank you all who participate in such a "hardened" project. However, it
comes to price if you're newbie you're probably doomed to search solutions
by your own and unlikely get help or much of documentation. My last point -
before I decided to write this messege - was no response for week after I
posted two questions on Alpine's forum and SuperUser. The one that is still
good to get attention:
https://forum.alpinelinux.org/forum/installation/what-%E2%80%9Cmodloop%E2%80%9D-option-alpine.
Yep, sometimes Arch's wiki helps and it's a good resource if you didn't
find Alpine's corresponding one. But in many cases it isn't enough.

So let's get more constructive. I faced with a situation when there is so
little information for one of the most thoroughly designed Alpine's feature
(besides security) and the least covered topic on how it's actually
organized/designed. It's run-from-RAM feature. Another example can be
mkinitramfs tool. It is quite complex script with almost 1k LOC of logic
for init. However, there is no even one line of readme (there same goes for
source code) where one can understand what's going on inside, if you are
not Natanael Copa however. He works like a machine. Certainly, God bless
him. But getting back - I found a lot of such repos. I think the things
getting like "one knows everything and everyone else do it on trust" :).
It's ok but understand things on conceptual level in our activity is
"highly recommended" :).

There are other things in question:
- Alpine overall architecture;
- What is modloop!?
  (certainly set of kernel modules but what the design decision behind is
unknown)
- Booting process description;
  (from Alpine originator's perspective)
- How kernel, initramfs (its init script) and init (OpenRC) are related to
each other;
  (you can doubt it but Alpine tends to adopt things in its own way and I
think it should be covered somehow)

Please, don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to criticise someone or
complain. I'm really inspired by Alpine and spend a lot of time to dig in.
I just want to make an attention to the quite fundamental things
(especially) from newbie perspective.

Live long and prosper,
Timur Fayzrakhmanov.

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<div dir=3D"ltr"><div><div>Dear all,<br><br>I think Alpine Linux is the mos=
t technical-grounded (and clean) distribution I&#39;ve ever seen among wide=
-spread ones. That is why I want to thank you all who participate in such a=
 &quot;hardened&quot; project. However, it comes to price if you&#39;re new=
bie you&#39;re probably doomed to search solutions by your own and unlikely=
 get help or much of documentation. My last point - before I decided to wri=
te this messege - was no response for week after I posted two questions on =
Alpine&#39;s forum and SuperUser.   The one that is still good to get atten=
tion:=20
<a href=3D"https://forum.alpinelinux.org/forum/installation/what-%E2%80%9Cm=
odloop%E2%80%9D-option-alpine">https://forum.alpinelinux.org/forum/installa=
tion/what-%E2%80%9Cmodloop%E2%80%9D-option-alpine</a>.
 Yep, sometimes Arch&#39;s wiki helps and it&#39;s a good resource if you d=
idn&#39;t find=C2=A0Alpine&#39;s corresponding one. But in many cases it is=
n&#39;t enough.<br><br>So let&#39;s get more constructive. I faced with a s=
ituation when there is so little information for one of the most thoroughly=
 designed Alpine&#39;s feature (besides security) and the least covered top=
ic on how it&#39;s actually=20
organized/designed. It&#39;s
run-from-RAM feature. Another example can be mkinitramfs tool. It is quite =
complex script=20
with almost 1k LOC of logic for init. However, there is no even one line
 of readme (there same goes for source code) where one can understand what&=
#39;s going on inside, if you are=20
not Natanael Copa however. He works like a machine. Certainly, God bless
 him. But getting back - I found a lot of such repos. I think the things=20
getting like &quot;one knows everything and everyone else do it on trust&qu=
ot; :). It&#39;s ok but understand things on conceptual level in our activi=
ty is &quot;highly recommended&quot; :).<br><br>There are other things in q=
uestion:<br>- Alpine overall architecture;<br>- What is modloop!? <br>=C2=
=A0 (certainly set of kernel modules but what the design decision behind is=
 unknown)<br></div>- Booting process description;<br>=C2=A0 (from Alpine or=
iginator&#39;s perspective)<br></div>- How kernel, initramfs (its init scri=
pt) and init (OpenRC) are related to each other;<br>=C2=A0 (you can doubt i=
t but Alpine tends to adopt things in its own way and I think it should be =
covered somehow)<br><div><div><div><div><br></div><div>Please, don&#39;t ge=
t me wrong. I&#39;m not trying to criticise someone or complain. I&#39;m re=
ally inspired by Alpine and spend a lot of time to dig in. I just want to m=
ake an attention to the quite fundamental things (especially) from newbie p=
erspective.<br><br></div><div>Live long and prosper,<br></div><div>Timur Fa=
yzrakhmanov.<br></div></div></div></div></div>

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