path: root/prologue/standards.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<!DOCTYPE sect1 PUBLIC "-//OASIS//DTD DocBook XML V4.5//EN"
  "http://www.oasis-open.org/docbook/xml/4.5/docbookx.dtd" [
  <!ENTITY % general-entities SYSTEM "../general.ent">
  %general-entities;
]>

<sect1 id="pre-standards">
  <?dbhtml filename="standards.html"?>

  <title>LFS and Standards</title>

  <sect2>
    <title/>

     <para>The structure of LFS follows Linux standards as closely as 
     possible.  The primary standards are:</para>

    <itemizedlist>
      <listitem>
        <para><ulink url="http://www.unix.org/single_unix_specification">The 
        Single UNIX Specification Version 3 (POSIX)</ulink>.  Note: 
        Free registratration is required.</para>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
        <para><ulink url="http://www.pathname.com/fhs/pub/fhs-2.3.html">Filesystem 
        Hierarcy Standard (FHS)</ulink></para>

      </listitem>
      <listitem>
        <para><ulink url="http://refspecs.freestandards.org/LSB_4.0.0/">Linux 
        Standard Base (LSB) Core Specification 4.0</ulink></para>

        <para>The LSB has five separate standards: Core, C++, Desktop,
        Runtime Languages, and Printing. In addition to generic requirements
        there are also architecture specific requirements.  LFS attempts to
        conform to the architectures discussed in the previous section.</para>

        <note><para>Many people do not agree with the requirements of LSB.  The
        main purpose of defining it is to ensure that proprietary software will
        be able to be installed and run properly on a compliant system.  Since LFS
        is source based, the user has complete control over what packages are
        desired and many choose not to install some packages that are specified
        by the LSB.  </para></note>

      </listitem>
    </itemizedlist>

    <para>Creating a complete LFS system capable of passing the LSB
    certifications tests is possible, but not without many additional ipackages
    that are beyond the scope of LFS.  Most of these additional packages have
    intallation instructions in BLFS. </para> 

  </sect2>

  <sect2>
    <title>Why is each package in the book?</title>

    <para>As stated earlier, the goal of LFS is to build a complete and usable 
    foundation-level system.  This includes all packages needed to replicate 
    itself while providing a relativly minimal base from which to customize
    a more complete system based on the choices of the user.  This does not
    mean that LFS is the smallest system possible.  Several important packages
    are included that are not strictly required.  The lists below document the
    rationale for each package int he book.</para>


    <itemizedlist>

      <listitem>
        <para>Autoconf</para>

        <para>This package contains programs for producing shell scripts that
        can automatically configure source code from a developer's
        template. It is often needed to rebuild a package after updates
        to the build procedures.</para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>Automake</para>

        <para>This package contains programs for generating Make files from
        a template. It is often needed to rebuild a package after updates
        to the build procedures.</para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>Bash</para>

        <para>This package satifies an LSB core requirement to provide
        a Bourne Shell interface to the system.  It was chosen over
        other shell packages bacause of its common usage and extensive
        capabilities beyond basic shell functions. </para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>Binutils</para>

        <para>This package package contains a linker, an assembler, and other 
        tools for handling object files.  It contains programs required by
        LSB core. 
        </para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>Bison</para>

        <para>This package contains the GNU version of yacc (Yet Another
        Compiler Compiler) needed to build several other LFS  programs.
        </para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>Bzip2</para>

        <para>This package contains programs for compressing and decompressing 
        files.  It is required to decompress many LFS packages.</para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>Coreutils</para>

        <para>This package contains a number of essential programs for viewing 
        and manipulating files and directories.  It also contains programs 
        required by LSB core.
        </para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>DejaGNU</para>

        <para>This package contains a framework for testing other programs.
        It is only installed in the temporary toolchain.</para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>Diffutils</para>

        <para>This package contains programs that show the differences 
        between files or directories.  It contains programs required by
        LSB core.</para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>Expect</para>

        <para>This package contains a program for carrying out scripted 
        dialogues with other interactive programs.  It is commonly used
        for testing other packages.  It is only installed in the temporary 
        toolchain.</para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>E2fsprogs</para>

        <para>This package contains the utilities for handling the ext2, ext3
        and ext4 file systems.  These are the most common and thouroughly
        tested file systems that Linux supports.</para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>File</para>

        <para>This package contains a utility for determining the type of a 
        given file or files.  It is required by LSB core. </para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>Findutils</para>

        <para>This package contains programs to find files in a file system.
        They are required by LSB core. </para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>Flex</para>

        <para>This package contains a utility for generating programs that 
        recognize patterns in text.  It is the GNU version of the lex 
        (lexical analyzer) program.  It is required to build several 
        LFS packages. </para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>Gawk</para>

        <para>This package contains programs for manipulating text files.
        It is the GNU version of awk (Aho-Weinberg-Kernighan) that
        is required by LSB core.</para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>Gcc</para>

        <para>This package is the Gnu Compiler Collection.  It contains the 
        C and C++ compilers as well as several others not built by LFS.  It
        also contins the standard C++ libraries required by the LSB
        C++ standard.</para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>GDBM</para>

        <para>This package contains the GNU Database Manager library.  It
        is used by one other LFS packages.
        </para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>Gettext</para>

        <para>This package contains utilities and libraries for 
        internationalization and localization of numerous packages.
        </para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>Glibc</para>

        <para>This package contains the main C library.  Linux programs would
        not run without it. </para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>GMP</para>

        <para>This package package contains math libraries and have
        useful functions for arbitrary precision arithmetic.  It
        is required to build Gcc. </para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>Grep</para>

        <para>This package contains programs for searching through files.
        It is required by LSB core. </para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>Groff</para>

        <para>This package contains programs for processing and formatting text.
        One important function of these programs is to format man pages.
        </para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>GRUB</para>

        <para>This package is the Grand Unified Boot Loader.  It is one 
        of several boot loaders available, but is the most flexible.
        </para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>Gzip</para>

        <para>This package contains programs for compressing and 
        decompressing files.  It is required by LSB core.
        </para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>Iana-etc</para>

        <para>This package provides data for network services and protocols.
        It is needed to enable proper networking capabilities.
        </para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>Inetutils</para>

        <para>This package contains programs for basic network 
        administration.  
        </para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>IProute2</para>

        <para>This package contains programs for basic and advanced IPv4 and
        IPv6 networking.  It was chosen over the other common network
        tools package (net-tools) for its IPv6 capabilities.  </para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>Kbd</para>

        <para>This package contains key-table files and keyboard utilities
        for non-US keyboards. </para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>Less</para>

        <para>This package contains a very nice text file viewer that
        allows scolling up or down when viewing a file.   
        </para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>Libtool</para>

        <para>This package contains the GNU generic library support 
        script. It wraps the complexity of using shared libraries in a 
        consistent, portable interface.  It us needed by the test
        suites in other LFS packages.
        </para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>Linux Kernel</para>

        <para>This package is the Operating Ststem.  It is the Linux in
        the GNU/Linux environment.
        </para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>M4</para>

        <para>This package contains a general text macro processor. It is 
        required by LSB core.
        </para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>Make</para>

        <para>This package contains a program for directing the building
        of packages.  It is required by almost every package in LFS.
        </para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>Man-DB</para>

        <para>This package contains programs for finding and viewing man pages.
        It was chosen instead of the <application>man</application> package
        due to superior internationalization capabilities.  It supplies
        the man program required by LSB core. </para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>Man-pages</para>

        <para>This package contains the actual contents of the basic
        Linux man pages. </para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>Module-Init-Tools</para>

        <para>This package contains programs needed to administer Linux
        kernel modules.  </para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>MPFR</para>

        <para>This package contains functions for multiple precision 
        arithmetic.  It is required by Gcc.
        </para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>Ncurses</para>

        <para>This package contains libraries for terminal-independent 
        handling of character screens.  It is often used to provide 
        cursor control for a menuing system.  It provides libraries required
        by LSB core. </para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>Patch</para>

        <para>This package a program for modifying or creating files by 
        applying a <emphasis>patch</emphasis> file typically created 
        by the <application>diff</application> program.  It is needed by
        the build procedure for several LFS packages. </para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>Perl</para>

        <para>This package is an interpreter for the runtime language
        PERL.  It is required by the LSB Runtime Languages standard.
        </para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>Pkg-config</para>

        <para>This package contains a tool for passing the include path 
        and/or library paths to build tools during the configure and make 
        processes.  It is needed by many LFS packages. </para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>Procps</para>

        <para>This package contains programs for monitoring processes.
        It contains programs required by LSB core. </para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>Psmisc</para>

        <para>This package contains programs for displaying information 
        about running processes.  It contains programs required by LSB 
        core. </para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>Readline</para>

        <para>This package is a set of libraries that offers command-line 
        editing and history capabilities.  It is used by Bash. </para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>Sed</para>

        <para>This package allows editing of text without opening it in a 
        text editor. It is also needed by most LFS packages' configure 
        scripts. It is required by LSB core.</para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>Shadow</para>

        <para>This package contains programs for handling passwords 
        in a secure way.  It provides programs required by LSB core.
        </para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>Sysklogd</para>

        <para>This package contains programs for logging system messages, 
        such as those given by the kernel or daemon processes when unusual 
        events occur.  
        </para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>Sysvinit</para>

        <para>This package provides the <application>init</application>
        program which it the parent of all other processes on the Linux
        system. </para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>Tar</para>

        <para>This package provides archiving and extraction capabilities
        of virtually all packages used in LFS.  It is required by
        LSB core. </para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>Tcl</para>

        <para>This package contains the Tool Command Language used
        in many testsuites in LFS packages.  It is only installed in 
        the temporary toolchain. </para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>Texinfo</para>

        <para>This package contains programs for reading, writing, and 
        converting info pages.  It is used in the installation 
        procedures of many LFS packages. </para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>Udev</para>

        <para>This package contains programs for dynamic creation of 
        device nodes.  It is an alternative to creating thousands of
        static devices in the /dev directory.  
        </para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>Util-linux-ng</para>

        <para>This package contains miscellaneous utility programs. 
        Among them are utilities for handling file systems, consoles, 
        partitions, and messages.  It contains programs required by
        LSB core. </para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>Vim</para>

        <para>This package an editor.  It was chosen because its compatibility
        with the classic vi editor and its huge number of powerful
        capabilities.  An editor is a very personal choice for
        many users and any other editor could be substituted if desired.
        </para>
      </listitem>

      <listitem>
        <para>Zlib</para>

        <para>This package contains compression and decompression routines 
        used by some programs.  It is required by LSB core.
        </para>
      </listitem>

    </itemizedlist>

  </sect2>

</sect1>