Package: wnpp
Severity: wishlist
Owner: Niels Thykier <ni...@thykier.net>
X-Debbugs-Cc: debian-de...@lists.debian.org, ni...@thykier.net
* Package name : debputy
Version : 0.1.1
Upstream Contact: Niels Thykier <ni...@thykier.net>
* URL : https://salsa.debian.org/debian/debputy/
* License : GPL-2+
Programming Lang: Python
Description : Manifest style debian package builder
Binary package being dh-debputy:
Package builder that provides a declarative manifest for building
debian packages.
This version integrates with the debhelper sequencer dh and will
replace several of debhelper's tools that are covered by debputy.
The debputy package builder aims to reduce cognitive load for the
packager and provide better introspection to better support to
packagers, linters and the Debian janitor.
The early versions will integrate into the debhelper sequencer dh and
will replace several of debhelper's tools that are covered by debputy.
However, the goal is that debputy will be a standalone tool capable of
packaging work from start to end.
In the early phase, I plan to keep debputy in experimental to allow for
more aggressive prototyping.
Rationale:
==========
My work on debputy is aimed at exploring an alternative packaging format
that focuses on a single manifest (think Kubernetes helm charts or
docker compose files). A key goal is introspection and, for errors, a
clear link to the part of the configuration that was involved or
triggered the error.
Maintenance:
============
I am looking for people, who are interested in exploring this area with
me and are:
1) Interested in trying the prototype, or/and
2) Interested in helping me design the manifest format, or/and
3) Interested in helping me develop the tool, or/and
4) Interested in integrating with the tool.
- Whether third-party plug-in (a la dh add-ons) or linters/fixers
As some concrete suggestions for what a contributor might be helping me
with. The list is not exhaustive and you are welcome to help regardless
of whether your interest is mentioned above. :)
Trying out debputy:
===================
There is a getting started guide at
https://salsa.debian.org/debian/debputy/-/blob/main/GETTING-STARTED-WITH-dh-debputy.md.
If you do not use any overrides/hook targets, it is question of running:
# (Remove --no-act to actually perform the change)
$ debputy migrate-from-dh --no-act
And then add `dh-sequence-zz-debputy` to Build-Depends (the `zz-` is a
hack for ordering debputy after other addons).
Key features:
-------------
Some high lighted features in debputy that are currently not available
in other Debian packaging tools that might be interesting for you :)
1) debputy supports setting static ownerships inside the debs without
relying on fakeroot. This means that packages never need fakeroot
for the Debian packaging side (i.e., you should always be able to
use `Rules-Requires-Root: no` as long as the upstream build system
behaves).
This feature is mentioned in the GETTING-STARTED-WITH-dh-debputy.md
document, so you can see how to use it / try it out.
2) If a binary package does not have a Multi-Arch field, debputy will
automatically deduce if it is safe to set "Multi-Arch" to "same".
The mechanics are based on rules by Helmut Grohne, who proposed this
feature on IRC. In the rare cases, that debputy is wrong here,
you can explicitly set "Multi-Arch: no"
On the flip side, there are tons of features *not* supported by debputy
at the moment.
Thanks,
~Niels
