Project 5: Source-Based Package Build System (Like Gentoo’s Portage)

A system that compiles packages from source with customizable build flags, USE flags, and dependency tracking.

Quick Reference

Attribute Value
Primary Language Python
Alternative Languages Bash, Rust, Go
Difficulty Level 3: Advanced (The Engineer)
Time Estimate 3-4 weeks
Knowledge Area Build Systems, Package Management
Tooling Portage, pkgsrc, autotools
Prerequisites Strong shell/Python, understanding of compilation

What You Will Build

A system that compiles packages from source with customizable build flags, USE flags, and dependency tracking.

Why It Matters

This project builds core skills that appear repeatedly in real-world systems and tooling.

Core Challenges

  • Defining a package recipe format (ebuild-like) (maps to package formats)
  • Implementing USE flag system for compile-time options (maps to build configuration)
  • Dependency resolution with optional dependencies (maps to constraint solving)
  • Sandboxed builds to prevent host contamination (maps to isolation)
  • Slot conflicts and multi-version packages (maps to version management)

Key Concepts

  • Build systems: “The GNU Make Book” Chapters 1-4 - John Graham-Cumming
  • Autotools: “Autotools: A Practitioner’s Guide” - John Calcote
  • Sandboxing: “The Linux Programming Interface” Chapter 28 - Michael Kerrisk
  • Dependency graphs: “Algorithms, Fourth Edition” Chapter 4.2 - Sedgewick & Wayne

Real-World Outcome

Deliver a working demo with observable output that proves the feature is correct.

Implementation Guide

  1. Reproduce the simplest happy-path scenario.
  2. Build the smallest working version of the core feature.
  3. Add input validation and error handling.
  4. Add instrumentation/logging to confirm behavior.
  5. Refactor into clean modules with tests.

Milestones

  • Milestone 1: Minimal working program that runs end-to-end.
  • Milestone 2: Correct outputs for typical inputs.
  • Milestone 3: Robust handling of edge cases.
  • Milestone 4: Clean structure and documented usage.

Validation Checklist

  • Output matches the real-world outcome example
  • Handles invalid inputs safely
  • Provides clear errors and exit codes
  • Repeatable results across runs

References

  • Main guide: LINUX_DISTRIBUTION_BUILDING_LEARNING_PROJECTS.md
  • “The GNU Make Book” - John Graham-Cumming