Building the Next Generation OS: Programming an OS Distribution

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Why Use Only One Programming Language for an Operating System
3. Challenges of Working on an Operating System
4. Functional Package Managers
   • Main Idea of a Functional Program
   • Applying Functional Programming to Package Management
   • Package Structure in a Functional Package Manager
   • Ensuring Reproducible Builds
   • Benefits of Reproducible Builds
5. Introduction to Gig Scheme and Gigs Package Manager
   • Exploring Gigs API
   • Building Packages with Gigs
   • Exploring Package Metadata with Gigs
   • Building Object Files and Local Files
   • Interacting with External Applications
6. Building an Operating System with Gigs
   • Configuration Files in Gigs
   • Building Profile and Activation Script
   • Building the Home Environment
7. Removing Parts from the Operating System
   • Removing Appearance and Font Features
   • Dealing with Dependencies
   • Removing Notification Features
   • Impact on the System
8. Conclusion

Article

Building and Managing Operating Systems with Functional Package Managers

Welcome, everyone! Today, We Are going to explore how to use a single programming language to Create and maintain an entire operating system distribution. It may sound unusual, but in today's world, where power users and developers are essentially building their own operating systems, it makes perfect Sense.

Introduction

When You use an operating system, you are not just a user; in many cases, you become a developer of the operating system yourself. Every time you make a change to a configuration file or install a package, you are modifying the source code and potentially impacting the entire software project. However, most of the time, we don't treat our operating systems as such. We don't have shippable solutions; we only have our individual machines.

But what if we could have a maintainable system? What if we could have the ability to reproduce our operating system on any machine? This is where functional package managers come into play. In a functional package manager, the build process of a package is a pure function. It only depends on its inputs and produces the same output given the same inputs. By enforcing this behavior, we can eliminate side effects and ensure the reliability and reproducibility of our builds.

Why Use Only One Programming Language for an Operating System

Using only one programming language for an entire operating system may seem like a strange idea, but it has its advantages. It allows for a consistent development environment and reduces the complexity of managing multiple programming languages. With a functional package manager like Gigs, the entire build process becomes more predictable and testable, leading to more reliable operating systems.

Challenges of Working on an Operating System

Working on an operating system can be challenging, especially when traditional development practices are not followed. Often, modifications to the operating system are made without considering the impact on other components. Without a proper version control system in place, it becomes difficult to track changes and understand the state of the system. Additionally, dependencies between packages can become tangled, making it hard to manage updates and ensure the compatibility of different components.

Functional Package Managers

1. Main Idea of a Functional Program

In a functional program, the main idea is to have pure functions that accept inputs and provide deterministic outputs. These functions have no side effects and do not modify the state of the system. They are predictable, easy to test, and have desirable properties.

2. Applying Functional Programming to Package Management

When it comes to package management, the idea of functional programming can be applied by treating the build process of a package as a pure function. This function takes the package's inputs, which include source code and dependencies, and produces a result, which is a directory containing the built package. By running the build process in a sandboxed environment, we can ensure that it doesn't have any side effects on the system.

3. Package Structure in a Functional Package Manager

A package in a functional package manager consists of metadata, such as source code and dependencies, and the build phase, which is the pure function that builds the package. By attaching a hash of the source code to the package definition, we can ensure that we are using the same inputs every time we build the package. This guarantees reproducible builds and prevents unauthorized modifications to the source code.

4. Ensuring Reproducible Builds

Reproducible builds are a key feature of functional package managers. By using hashes of the source code and other inputs, we can verify that we are using the same inputs every time we build a package. This ensures consistency and allows us to build the same package on different machines, making it easier to distribute and deploy software.

5. Benefits of Reproducible Builds

Reproducible builds offer numerous benefits for developers and users alike. They provide a reliable and consistent build process, making it easier to debug and troubleshoot issues. Reproducible builds also improve security by allowing users to verify the integrity of the software they are installing. Additionally, reproducible builds make it easier to share and distribute software packages across different platforms and environments.

Introduction to Gigs Scheme and Gigs Package Manager

Gigs is a functional package manager written in Guile Scheme. It provides a powerful API for building and managing packages. Let's explore some of the features of Gigs and how we can use them to build and manage our own operating systems.

1. Exploring Gigs API

The Gigs API allows us to Interact with packages and their metadata. We can access information such as the homepage, source code, and dependencies of a package. With the help of Gigs, we can easily retrieve and manipulate this data to build our operating system.

2. Building Packages with Gigs

Using the Gigs API, we can build packages by executing the build process, which is a pure function. By providing the necessary inputs, such as dependencies, compilers, and libraries, we can build packages in a reproducible manner. Gigs takes care of downloading the source code and verifying its integrity using hash checks.

3. Exploring Package Metadata with Gigs

Gigs allows us to inspect the metadata of packages, such as their source code, dependencies, and build processes. With this information, we can understand the structure of a package and its requirements. This makes it easier to manage dependencies and ensure the compatibility of different packages.

4. Building Object Files and Local Files

In addition to building packages, Gigs can also handle the compilation of object files and local files. By providing the path to the file or directory, we can build and store the resulting binaries or objects. This flexibility allows us to extend our operating system beyond just packages and include custom files and configurations.

5. Interacting with External Applications

Gigs provides functionalities to interact with external applications and execute commands. With the help of Gigs, we can seamlessly integrate external tools into our operating system builds. This allows us to extend the capabilities of our system and integrate with existing software.

Building an Operating System with Gigs

Using Gigs, we can build an entire operating system from scratch. A well-defined configuration file serves as the blueprint for our operating system. We define various aspects such as the host-specific configurations, user configurations, and package definitions. With Gigs, we can easily build profiles and activation scripts for our operating system.

1. Configuration Files in Gigs

Gigs allows us to define configuration files for our operating system. These files contain settings specific to the operating system, such as the host name, time zone, and email. By modifying these configuration files, we can customize our operating system Based on our needs.

2. Building Profile and Activation Script

The profile is a collection of packages formed using package definitions. It represents a specific configuration of our operating system. By executing Gigs' build function on the profile, we can build the entire system, including all the packages and their dependencies. The activation script ensures that the packages are correctly activated and available within the operating system.

3. Building the Home Environment

In addition to the entire operating system, we can also build a customized home environment using Gigs. The home environment represents the user-specific configuration and packages. By creating a separate profile and activation script for the home environment, we can customize our user experience without affecting the entire operating system.

Removing Parts from the Operating System

One of the advantages of using a functional package manager like Gigs is the ability to remove specific parts from the operating system. Let's explore how we can remove appearance and font features from our operating system and observe the impact it has.

1. Removing Appearance and Font Features

To remove appearance and font features, we can modify the configuration file and selectively exclude packages related to these features. By rebuilding the operating system using the updated configuration file, we can remove these unwanted components. This allows us to create a minimalistic operating system tailored to our needs.

2. Dealing with Dependencies

Removing features from the operating system may introduce new dependencies or break existing ones. Gigs handles dependency management automatically, ensuring that the system remains functional even after components are removed. If a package depends on a feature that we have removed, we either need to provide an alternative or remove the package altogether.

3. Removing Notification Features

One common feature in operating systems is notifications. We can remove notification-related packages and observe the effects on the system. By removing these packages, we eliminate unnecessary notifications and streamline the user experience.

4. Impact on the System

Removing parts from the operating system has a direct impact on its functionality and user experience. It reduces the overall footprint and streamlines the system to match our specific needs. However, it is important to carefully consider the dependencies and potential repercussions of removing certain components.

Conclusion

Using a functional package manager like Gigs, we can build and maintain our own operating systems with ease. By treating the build process as a pure function, we ensure reproducibility and reliability. From building packages to customizing our system and removing unnecessary components, Gigs offers a versatile and powerful toolset for managing operating systems. So why limit yourself to one programming language? Embrace the power of functional programming and take control of your operating system.