New build method was developed since the VyOS team dropped support for the Jenkins build method. The new method is much simplified (thanks to removal of Jenkins), has few steps and only basic dependencies. This should make it easier to run anywhere (compared to the old method). The only external services it uses is the Docker. It doesn't modify anything in the system apart from using the docker to manage its own container. Thus, the new method is big shift from the Jenkins method - they have practically nothing in common.
This quick start guide is made for Debian or Ubuntu (tested on Debian Bookworm and Ubuntu 24.04) but it can be easily adopted to any other distro that also uses the APT package manager. There is no real dependency on the distro so if you install dependencies manually then you can run this on any other Linux system.
This quick start script will prepare the build environment with new vyos_bld user, but you may as well use your
user or any other regular user. If you want to use different or existing user then simply adapt or skip the steps
with the vyos_bld user.
If you want to use other APT-based distro than Debian/Ubuntu then please install Docker first according to your distro and then continue.
Execute installation as root or use sudo -i if you don't have root account.
apt update -y && apt install -y git sudo
useradd -s /bin/bash -m vyos_bld
sudo -u vyos_bld -i git clone https://github.com/dd010101/vyos-jenkins.git
/home/vyos_bld/vyos-jenkins/new/install-dependencies.sh
usermod -aG docker vyos_bldThe root account can't be used for the build due to limitation of build scripts. That's why you need to use any
regular user. Thus, the root privileges are used only to for this part and everything following is executed
as regular user.
Now you should have the environment ready to use. You can use it to build or update package repository as well to build images (ISO). You should keep the environment around since then only changed packages are rebuilt and this will make the next build faster.
If you want you may as well build everything every time - then delete the vyos-jenkins directory and clone again.
There is no reason you need to use distro with APT, you can use any distro you want.
To do so you need to install dependencies via other means than APT, follow the contents of the
vyos-jenkins/new/install-dependnecies.sh to see what you need to install with your package manager.
This shall be the only distribution-dependent part.
Log-in as the vyos_bld user or user of your choice:
sudo -u vyos_bld -iTo update the scripts:
git -C ~/vyos-jenkins pullFirstly build or update the packages (this will take long time, mostly for the first time):
~/vyos-jenkins/new/package_builder.py circinusIf you call package builder again it will check if any packages received new commits and automatically only rebuild those packages where it's needed.
Then you can build image (ISO) from those packages (this will take some time):
~/vyos-jenkins/new/image_builder.py circinusNow you should have ISO image available in your current directory.
Both commands have optional arguments for customization and debugging, use --help to see all options:
~/vyos-jenkins/new/package_builder.py --help
~/vyos-jenkins/new/image_builder.py --help- ./apt/ - This directory contains the APT repository containing packages, and it's used to build the image.
- ./build/ - Temporary directory used for build of packages and images, you can delete these files, they will be recreated on next build. These files are also used to speed up and save resources when checking if packages were updated so it's better to leave them between builds to speed up the next build.
- ./data/ - Persistent data used for the build, you shouldn't delete those files unless you know what you're doing,
mainly the
./data/.gnupgdirectory is important to keep because otherwise you need to delete everything and rebuild everything since this directory stores the key to sign packages. - ./lib/, ./resources/, ./scripts/ - Internally used files, they shall not be modified.