fases simple core utilities for a fully functional UNIX-like system.

While the fases project isn't complete by any means, there has been some effort into making a minimal standalone operating system out of it, using linux as the kernel. This combination is called fases+linux.

Preparation [link]

We need a root filesystem. First, create a work directory, like so:

$ mkdir fasespluslinux
$ cd fasespluslinux

Create the root filesystem:

$ mkdir rootfs
$ cd rootfs
$ mkdir bin etc root
$ cd ..

Now that we have a (incomplete) root filesystem, we need to compile fases.

You can compile fases separately or in a single binary; refer to the compiling instructions for more info. You do need to link statically. We recommend using the musl libc if on a GNU+Linux system or on an Alpine(-based) system.

After compiling fases, you can copy the binary/binaries to rootfs/bin/. For example, if you built fases box:

$ cd fases
<...>
$ cd ..
$ cp fases/box rootfs/bin/box

As the fases shell still isn't complete, it's encouraged to use a different shell implementation for the time being. If you want to use dash, for example:

# These commands will only work on a GNU system!
$ git clone https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/utils/dash/dash
$ cd dash
$ ./autogen.sh
$ ./configure CFLAGS=-static # Static linking.
$ make

Copy the dash binary to rootfs/bin/.

$ cd ..
$ cp dash/src/dash rootfs/bin/

Go back to the rootfs:

$ cd rootfs

Now we need to create an etc/passwd file. Create it and add the following:

root::0:0::/root:/bin/dash

Replace /bin/dash with whatever shell you used.

Optionally create an etc/os-release file:

NAME="fases+linux"
PRETTY_NAME="fases plus linux"
ID=fasespluslinux
BUILD_ID=rolling
ANSI_COLOR="';36"
HOME_URL="https://utils.vitali64.duckdns.org"
DOCUMENTATION_URL="https://utils.vitali64.duckdns.org"
SUPPORT_URL="https://web.libera.chat/#fases"
BUG_REPORT_URL="https://utils.vitali64.duckdns.org/BUGS.html"
LOGO=fases

Feel free to modify this file to your liking.

Create the init file. Feel free to modify it to your liking:

#!/bin/dash

# If you compiled fases box and want everything symlinked.

for u in basename cat chmod chown date dirname echo false head link ln ls \
mkdir more mv printf rm sleep tail test true uname unlink
do 
    box ln -s "/bin/box" "/bin/$u"
done

echo "Welcome to fases+linux!"
exec dash

Replace /bin/dash with whatever shell you used.

Now clone the linux source tree. You can use any source tree of your choice, such as linux-libre or linux-zen.

$ cd ..
$ git clone https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git
$ cd linux

Configure the kernel. Make at least the following selections:

General Setup --->
    Default init path
        /init
    [*] Initial RAM filesystem and RAM disk (initramfs/initrd) support
        Initramfs source file(s)
            ../rootfs/
Executable file formats --->
    [*] Kernel support for ELF binaries
    [*] Kernel supports for scripts starting with #!
Device Drivers --->
    Character devices --->
        [*] Enable TTY
Generic Driver Options -->
    [*] Maintain a devtmpfs filesystem to mount at /dev
    [*]   Automount devtmpfs at /dev, after the kernel mounted the rootfs

Build [link]

That's a very trivial process. In the kernel source tree, run:

$ make # -jX if you want multithreading.

And watch it compile!

Run [link]

The image is located at arch/$ARCH/boot/$IMAGE. This is not a disk image, in that, you cannot boot it directly. You need to use a bootloader to load it. You can also use QEMU to boot it up, like so:

$ qemu-system-x86_64 -kernel <image> ...

Have fun!