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This page exists to provide a basic overview to get started. Before actually installing, it can help to skim through the [[Alpine_Linux:FAQ| Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)]], as well as to refer to the official installation guide at [https://docs.alpinelinux.org/ docs.alpinelinux.org].
 
 
This page explains the basics to get started. But before actually installing, it can also help to skim through the [[Alpine_Linux:FAQ| Frequenty Asked Questions (FAQ)]].


{{Tip|This is a wiki!
{{Tip|This is a wiki!
If something isn't correct (anymore), or still incomplete, you will have to try figuring it out, or ask for the correct solution in the [https://alpinelinux.org/community/ community].
If something isn't correct, or is incomplete, you will have to figure it out, or ask for the correct solution in the [https://alpinelinux.org/community/ community].


And then carefully edit the wiki page.
And then carefully edit the wiki page.


Just as those before you did it for you.
Just as those before who did it for you.}}
}}
 


== Minimal Hardware Requirements ==
== Minimal Hardware Requirements ==
{{Main|Requirements}}
* At least 128 MB of RAM. [A graphical desktop system may require up to 512 minimum.]. Note that an installation itself (from ISO) generally requires at least 320 MB during installation.
* At least 0-700 MB space on a writable storage device. [Only required in [[#System Disk Mode|"sys"]] or [[#Data Disk Mode|"data"]] mode installations. It is optional in [[#Diskless Mode|"diskless"]] mode, where it may be used to save newer data and configurations states of a running system.]
* A working internet connection is required to complete [[#System Disk Mode|"sys"]] mode installation.


* At least 100 MB of RAM. [A graphical desktop system may require up to 1 GB minimum.]
{{Note| Most of the steps outlined on this page applies to all [[:Category:Architectures|Architectures]] supported by Alpine Linux. For more specific installation instructions, refer to their respective pages. Refer [[#Custom Installation Instructions|custom installation instructions]] for headless system, virtualization etc.}}
* At least 0-700 MB space on a writable storage device. [Only required in "sys" or "data" mode installations (explained below). It is optional in "diskless" mode, where it may be used to save newer data and configurations states of a running system.]
 
For more information please check [[Requirements]]


== Installation Overview ==
== Installation Overview ==


=== The general course of action ===
Alpine Linux can be installed and run in [[Setting_up_disks_manually#Alpine_Linux_modes|three modes]]  i.e [[#Diskless_Mode|Diskless Mode]], [[#Data_Disk_Mode|Data Disk Mode]] and [[#System_Disk_Mode|System Disk Mode]]. The installation procedure for Alpine Linux '''requires basic understanding of the three modes''' explained in brief below:
{{Note|For single-board-computer (SBC) architectures which can not boot .iso images, see [[Alpine_on_ARM|Alpine on ARM]] for peculiarities.}}


As usual, the regular installation procedure starts with three basic steps (additional details for all the steps follow [[Installation#additional details|below]]):<br>
====Diskless Mode====
In Diskless mode the entire operating system with all applications are first loaded into RAM and then only run from there. Alpine Linux uses this method to boot the .iso installation images. The <code>[[Alpine_setup_scripts#setup-alpine|setup-alpine]]</code> script configures the installed system to continue to boot like this if "disk=none" is specified. The mode is extremely fast and can save on unnecessary disk spin-ups, power, and wear. For further info, refer [[Setting_up_disks_manually#Diskless_Mode| Diskless Mode]].


# Downloading and verifying the proper [http://alpinelinux.org/downloads stable-release ISO installation image-file] for the computer's architecture, and the corresponding <code>sha256</code> (checksum) and <code>GPG</code> (signature) files.
====Data Disk Mode====
# Either burning the ISO image-file onto a blank CD/DVD/Blu-ray disk with disk burning software, or flashing the installation image onto a bootable storage device (USB-device, CF-/MMC-/SD-card, floppy, ...).
In Data Disk mode also the operating system  runs from system RAM, thus it enjoys the same accelerated operation speed as "diskless" mode. However, swap storage and the entire {{Path|/var}} directory tree get mounted from a persistent storage device. This mode is useful for having RAM accelerated servers with variable amounts of user-data that exceed the available RAM size. For further info, refer [[Setting_up_disks_manually#Data_Disk_Mode| Data Disk Mode]].
# Booting the computer from the prepared disk or storage device.


The boot process of the installation image first copies the entire operating system into the RAM memory, and then already starts a complete Alpine Linux system from there. It will initially only provide a basic command line environment that does not depend on reading from any (possibly slow) initial boot media, anymore.
====System Disk Mode====


Log-in is possible as the user <code>root</code>. Initially, the root user has no password.
System or '''sys''' Disk Mode is the traditional hard-disk install. <code>[[Alpine_setup_scripts#setup-alpine|setup-alpine]]</code> script based [[#setup-alpine based System Disk Install|install]] supports only [[Setting_up_disks_manually#Default_Layout|default layout]]. For further info, refer [[Setting_up_disks_manually#System_Disk_Mode|System Disk Mode]].  


At the command prompt, an interactive script named <code>[[Alpine_setup_scripts#setup-alpine|setup-alpine]]</code> is available to configure and install the initial Alpine Linux system.
=== General course of action ===


The question-and-answer dialog of <code>[[Alpine_setup_scripts#setup-alpine|setup-alpine]]</code> takes care of the base configuration and allows to configure the system to boot into one of three different '''Alpinelinux disk modes''', '''"diskless"''', '''"data"''', and '''"sys"'''. These are explained in more detail in the following subsections.
{{Note| It is really helpful for many use cases to [[#Preparing_for_the_installation|prepare]] and complete the [[#Installation_Step_Details|Installation]] until the [[#Base_configuration|base configuration]] step, then proceed with installation of the target system with any one of the various [[#Alternate courses of action|alternate]] courses of action.}}


Note however that it is possible to first only complete the base configuration of the initial "diskless" installation system, e.g. to prepare the system, possibly downloading and installing some specific driver or software tool, and to call more specific [[Alpine_setup_scripts|setup-scripts]] afterwards, to proceed with the installation. The base configuration of the "diskless" system may be completed by running <code>[[Alpine_setup_scripts#setup-alpine|setup-alpine]]</code> and answering "none" when asked for the disk to use, and where to store configs, as well as for the location for the package cache.
=== Alternate courses of action ===


Some specific preparation options:
Examples of preparation options:
* Download and install some specific driver or software tool.
* Do a [[Setting_up_disks_manually#Manual_partitioning|Manual partitioning]] of the harddisk that avoids overwrite of an entire disk.
* Installing something that may be missing in the live system to configure the hardware, e.g. by using the alpine package manager <code>[[Alpine_Package_Keeper|apk]]</code>.
* Use more specific [[Alpine_setup_scripts|setup-scripts]] in order to proceed with the final installation in a custom way.


* Preparing a custom partitioning or filesystem scheme that avoids to use and/or overwrite an entire disk ([[Installation#Custom_partitioning_of_the_harddisk|details below]]).
Examples of proceeding options:
* <code>[[Alpine_Linux_package_management|apk]]</code>, the alpine package manager, to install any desired tool that may be missing in the live system to configure available hardware.


Proceeding options:
* To install Alpine Linux on an '''entire hard disk''' with [[Setting_up_disks_manually#Default_Layout|default layout]] proceed with [[#setup-alpine_based_System_Disk_Install|setup-alpine based System Disk Install]]
* <code>[[Alpine_setup_scripts#setup-lbu|setup-lbu]]</code> to configure a "local backup" location for the diskless system, and <code>[[Alpine_local_backup|lbu commit]]</code> to then save the local configuration state.
* Use <code>[[Alpine_setup_scripts#setup-lbu|setup-lbu]]</code> to configure a "local backup" location for the [[#Diskless Mode|diskless]] system, and <code>[[Alpine_local_backup|lbu commit]]</code> to then save the local configuration state.
* <code>[[Alpine_setup_scripts#setup-apkcache|setup-apkcache]]</code> to configure a local package cache storage location.
* Use <code>[[Alpine_setup_scripts#setup-apkcache|setup-apkcache]]</code> to configure a local package cache storage location.
* <code>[[Alpine_setup_scripts#setup-disk|setup-disk]]</code> may be run to add a "data" mode partition, or do a classic full install of the "diskless" system onto a "sys" disk or partition.
* Use <code>[[Alpine_setup_scripts#setup-disk|setup-disk]]</code> to add a [[#Data Disk Mode|"data"]] mode partition  
* Use <code>[[Alpine_setup_scripts#setup-disk|setup-disk]]</code> to complete a [[Setting_up_disks_manually#Custom_Layout|traditional hard-disk installation]] or to [[Dualbooting|Dualboot]] or to configure [[Setting_up_disks_manually#RAID|RAID]], [[Setting_up_disks_manually#Encryption|encryption]] or [[Setting_up_disks_manually#LVM|LVM]] for both [[#Data Disk Mode|"data"]] disk and  [[#System_Disk_Mode|"system"]] disk mode or to use [[Setting_up_disks_manually#Environment_variables|environment variables]].
* Use <code>[[Alpine_setup_scripts#setup-bootable|setup-bootable]]</code> to create a [[Create_a_Bootable_Device#Using_setup-bootable|customizable boot media]] for '''[[Installation#Diskless_Mode|diskless]]''' or '''[[Installation#Data_Disk_Mode|data]]''' disk-mode i.e a boot device with a writable filesystem.  


More [[Alpine_setup_scripts|setup-scripts]] are available to configure other specifics. All these may be run separately to configure system, or to adjust some specific parts later. For example, to set up a graphical environment (covered in [[Installation#Post-Install|Post-Install]] below).
There are many more [[Alpine_setup_scripts|setup-scripts]] available. All these tools may also be run later to adjust specific configurations. For example, to set up a graphical environment as covered under [[Installation#Post-Installation|Post-Installation]] below.


==='''Diskless Mode'''===  
== Preparing for the installation ==
This is the way the .iso installation images boot. <code>[[Alpine_setup_scripts#setup-alpine|setup-alpine]]</code> configures this if "disk=none" is selected during installation. It means the entire operating system and all applications are loaded into, then run from, RAM. This is extremely fast and can save on unnecessary disk spin-ups, power, and wear. It is similar to what other linux distributions may call a "frugal" install and running with the "toram" option.
<!--
{{Note|This "Additional Details" section needs to be consolidated with the work at '''[https://docs.alpinelinux.org https://docs.alpinelinux.org] (not finished)'''
(Restructuring things there, moving and linking from here or there?).}}
-->


Custom configurations and package selections may optionally be preserved or "persist" across reboots using the Alpine local backup tool <code>[[Alpine_local_backup|lbu]]</code>. It enables committing and reverting system states using .apkovl files that are saved to writable storage and loaded when booting. If additional or updated packages have been added to the system, these may also be made available for automatic (re)installation during the boot phase without (re)downloading, by enabling a [[Alpine_Linux_package_management#Local_Cache|local package cache]] on the writable storage.
=== Downloading installation image ===


[[https://gitlab.alpinelinux.org/alpine/alpine-conf/-/issues/10473 FIXME-1]: Storing local configs and the package cache on an ''internal'' disk still requires [[Alpine_local_backup#Saving_and_loading_ISO_image_customizations|some manual steps]] to have the partition listed, i.e. making a /etc/fstab entry, mountpoint, and mount, *before* running setup-alpine. And requires manually committing the configuration to disk afterwards.]
Download the [https://alpinelinux.org/downloads/ stable-release installation image-file] for the target computer's architecture with their corresponding <code>sha256</code> (checksum) and <code>GPG</code> (signature) files.  


To allow for local backups, <code>setup-alpine</code> can be told to store the configs and the package cache on a writable partition. (Later, directories on that same partition or another available partition may also be mounted as /home, or for important applications, e.g. to keep their run-time and user data on it.)
{{Note|Download <code>sha256</code> (checksum) and <code>GPG</code> (signature) files only from [https://alpinelinux.org/downloads/ official] site and not from mirrors.}}


The boot device of the newly configured local "diskless" system may remain the initial (and possibly read-only) installation media. But it is also possible to copy the boot system to a partition (e.g. /dev/sdXY) with <code>[[Alpine_setup_scripts#setup-bootable|setup-bootable]]</code>.
Now you have three files of the following format..  


==='''Data Disk Mode'''===
<pre>
This mode also runs from system RAM, thus it enjoys the same accelerated operation speed as "diskless" mode. However, swap storage and the entire {{Path|/var}} directory tree get mounted from a persistent storage device (two newly created partitions). The directory {{Path|/var}} holds e.g. all log files, mailspools, databases, etc., as well as <code>[[Alpine_local_backup|lbu]]</code> backup commits and the package cache. This mode is useful for having RAM accelerated servers with variable amounts of user-data that exceed the available RAM size. It enables the entire current system state (not just the boot state) to survive a system crash in accordance with the particular filesystem guarantees.  
alpine-standard-*.iso
alpine-standard-*.iso.sha256
alpine-standard-*.iso.asc
</pre>
''alpine-standard-3.20.3-x86_64.iso'' is the '''3.20.3''' version '''Standard''' image file in '''iso''' format for '''x86_64''' architecture. Image file can also be '''gz''' for certain cases.


[[https://gitlab.alpinelinux.org/alpine/alpine-conf/-/issues/10474 FIXME-2]]: Setup-alpine will create the data partition and mount it as /var, but can not yet configure lbu storage settings automatically. It is currently necessary to select "none" at the 'where to store configs' prompt (the new data partition is not listed) and configure lbu manually. For example, after running <code>setup-alpine</code> and before rebooting:
=== Verifying downloaded image ===
# Set LBU_MEDIA=sdXY in  /etc/lbu/lbu.conf
# Execute a corresponding <code>echo "/dev/sdXY /media/sdXY <fstype> rw 0 0" >> /etc/fstab</code>
# Save the configuration for the next boot with <code>lbu commit</code>.


In data disk mode, the boot device may also remain the initial (and possibly read-only) installation media, or be copied to a partition (e.g. /dev/sdXY) with <code>[[Alpine_setup_scripts#setup-bootable|setup-bootable]]</code>.
From Security point of view, verify the downloaded image file for both checksum and GPG signature before proceeding further. The three required utilities i.e <code>sha256</code>, <code>curl</code> and <code>gpg</code> or their equivalents are available in every operating system including Linux, windows, Mac and BSD derivaties.  


==='''System Disk Mode'''===
{{Tip|Ensure that all the three downloaded files remain in the same folder. If not, adjust the commands accordingly.}}
This is a traditional hard-disk install.


If this mode is selected, the <code>[[setup-alpine]]</code> script creates three partitions on the selected storage device, {{Path|/boot}}, {{Path|swap}} and {{Path|/}} (the filesystem root). This mode may, for example, be used for generic [[Desktops|desktop]] and development machines.
The <code>sha256</code> checksum verifies the integrity of the downloaded image i.e no modifications occurred during download.
{{Cmd|sha256sum -c alpine-*.iso.'''sha256'''}}


For custom partitioning, see [[Setting_up_disks_manually]].
The <code>GPG</code> signature verifies the link between the downloaded image to the individual who signed it. Signature verification involves two steps:


To install along side another operating systems, see [[Installing_Alpine_on_HDD_dualbooting]].
Step 1. Download and import the gpg signature from official website
{{Cmd|curl https://alpinelinux.org/keys/ncopa.asc &#124; gpg --import ;}}


== Additional Details ==
Step 2. Verify that the image signature matches with the one downloded in Step 1.
{{Cmd|gpg --verify alpine-*.iso.'''asc''' alpine-*.'''iso'''}}


{{Expand| }}
=== Preparing installation media  ===
{{Seealso|Burning ISOs}}


This "Additional Details" section needs to be consolidated with the work at '''[https://docs.alpinelinux.org https://docs.alpinelinux.org] (not finished)'''
{{Note|These instructions are exclusively for x86_64 and x86. For ARM boards, see [[Alpine on ARM#Preparing installation media|Alpine on ARM]].}}
(Restructuring things there, moving and linking from here or there?).  


All data currently on the installation media will be '''lost''', when the Alpine Linux image is written on it. Be extremely careful to correctly identify the device name for the installation media.


=== Verifying the downloaded image-file ===
In Linux, <code>dd</code> command can write the downloaded image file to the installation media i.e target device. To identify the target device, all connected "bulk storage devices" can be listed with <code><nowiki>lsblk</nowiki></code> and <code><nowiki>blkid</nowiki></code>.
 
<pre>
{|  class="wikitable" style="width:95%; align=center"
|+ Commands to verify the checksum and GPG signature of a downloaded image-file on different systems.
|-
! width=100px |  OS type
!  <code>SHA256</code> check !! <code>SHA256</code> calculation (to be compared manually) !! <code>GPG</code> signature verification
|-
! Linux
| <code>sha256sum -c alpine-*.iso.sha256</code> ||        || <code>curl https://alpinelinux.org/keys/ncopa.asc &#124; gpg --import ;</code>
<code> gpg --verify alpine-<version>.iso.asc alpine-<version>.iso</code>
|-
! MACOS 
| - ? -  || <code>shasum -a 256 alpine-*.iso</code> || - ? -
|-
! OpenBSD 
| <code>sha256 -C alpine-*.sha256 alpine-*.iso</code> ||        || <code>doas pkg_add gnupg;
ftp -o - https://alpinelinux.org/keys/ncopa.asc &#124; gpg --import ;
gpg --verify alpine-<version>.iso.asc alpine-<version>.iso</code>
|-
! FreeBSD 
| - ? - || <code>/usr/local/bin/shasum -a 256 alpine-*.iso</code> || - ? -
|-
! NetBSD 
| - ? - || <code>/usr/local/bin/shasum -a 256 alpine-*.iso</code> || - ? -
|-
! Windows (PowerShell installed)
|                - ? -            || <code>Get-FileHash .\alpine-<image-version>.iso -Algorithm SHA256</code> || - ? -
|}
 
=== Flashing (direct data writing) the installation image-file onto a device or media  ===
 
==== Unix/Linux ====
 
Under Unix (and thus Linux), "everything is a file" and the data in the image-file can be written to a device or media with the <code>dd</code> command. Afterward, executing the <code>eject</code> command removes the target device from the system and ensures the write cache is completely flushed.
 
dd if=<iso-file-to-read-in> of=<target-device-node-to-write-out-to> bs=4M oflag=sync status=progress; eject <target-device-node-to-write-to>
 
Be careful to correctly identify the target device as any data on it '''will''' be lost! All connected "bulk storage devices" can be listed with <code><nowiki>lsblk</nowiki></code> and <code><nowiki>blkid</nowiki></code>.
 
  # lsblk
  # lsblk
  NAME            MAJ:MIN RM  SIZE RO TYPE  MOUNTPOINT
  NAME            MAJ:MIN RM  SIZE RO TYPE  MOUNTPOINT
Line 145: Line 112:
  /dev/sdX1: LABEL="some" UUID="..." TYPE="vfat"
  /dev/sdX1: LABEL="some" UUID="..." TYPE="vfat"
  /dev/sdX2: LABEL="other" UUID="..." TYPE="ext4"
  /dev/sdX2: LABEL="other" UUID="..." TYPE="ext4"
</pre>


For example, if /dev/sdX is the desired target device, first make sure you un-mount all mounted partitions of the target device. For example sdX1 and sdX2:
For example, if /dev/sdX is the desired target device, ensure that all mounted partitions of the target device are un-mounted first. In the above case, for device sdX with partitions sdX1 and sdX2, the partition sdX2 needs to be unmounted:
{{Cmd|# umount /dev/sdX2}}


umount  /dev/sdX1  /dev/sdX2
{{Note| In <code>dd</code> command, do not specify partition number for target device i.e use '''/dev/sdX''' and not '''/dev/sdX1'''}} 


The syntax for <code>dd</code> command is as follows:
{{Cmd|# dd if{{=}}<iso-image-file> of{{=}}<target-device> bs{{=}}4M status{{=}}progress; eject <target-device>}}


For <code>dd</code>'s output-file (<code>of=</code>), however, do '''not''' specify a partition number. For example, write to sdX, '''not''' sdX1:
If your version of <code>dd</code> does not support the option "status=progress", remove it. The <code>eject</code> command removes the target device from the system and ensures the write cache is completely flushed.


Warning: '''This will overwrite the target device /dev/sdX''', so before executing, make sure you have a backup of the data if you can't afford to lose it.
A complete example for <code>dd</code> command with image file ''alpine-standard-3.20.3-x86_64.iso'' and target device '''/dev/sdd''' is shown below:


dd if=~/Downloads/alpine-standard-3.00.0-x86_64.iso of=/dev/sdX bs=4M oflag=sync status=progress; eject /dev/sdX
{{Warning|Below command will overwrite data on target device '''/dev/sdd'''. Modify '''if''' and '''of''' according to the name of your image file and target device}}


==== Windows ====
{{Cmd|# dd if{{=}}~/Downloads/alpine-standard-3.20.3-x86_64.iso of{{=}}/dev/sdd bs{{=}}4M status{{=}}progress; eject /dev/sdd}}


For example, there is the [https://rufus.ie/ Rufus] program. Rufus will enable you to create bootable USB flash drives under Windows.  
In Windows, [https://rufus.ie/ Rufus] has been tested to create bootable USB flash drives and worked for Alpine Linux 3.12.x with the following settings:
* '''Partition scheme''': <code>MBR</code>  '''Target system''': <code>BIOS or UEFI</code>
* '''File system''': <code>FAT32</code>      '''Cluster size''': <code>4096 bytes (default)</code>


Rufus has been tested and works for Alpine Linux 3.12.x with the following settings:
===  Verifying Installation media ===
* '''Partition scheme''': <code>MBR</code>
* '''Target system''': <code>BIOS or UEFI</code>
* '''File system''': <code>FAT32</code>
* '''Cluster size''': <code>4096 bytes (default)</code>


===  Verifying the written installation media ===
After detaching and re-attaching the device, a bit-wise comparison can verify the data written to the device (instead of just data buffered in RAM). If the comparison terminates with an end-of-file error on the .iso file side, all the contents from the image have been written (and re-read) successfully:
<pre>
# cmp ~/Downloads/alpine-standard-3.20.3-x86_64.iso /dev/sdX
cmp: EOF on alpine-standard-3.20.3-x86_64.iso
</pre>


After detaching and re-attaching the device, a bit-wise comparison can verify the data written to the device (instead of just data buffered in RAM). If the comparison terminates with an end-of-file error on the .iso file side, all the contents from the image have been written (and re-read) successfully:
=== Booting Installation Media ===


# cmp ~/Downloads/alpine-standard-3.00.0-x86_64.iso /dev/sdX
Insert the [[#Preparing_installation_media|Installation media]] to a proper drive or port of the computer and turn the machine on, or restart it, if already running.
cmp: EOF on alpine-standard-3.00.0-x86_64.iso
{{Note| To successfully boot and install Alpine Linux, disable [[Alpine_and_UEFI#How_to_boot_unsigned_code?|secure boot]] in the BIOS. Once Alpine Linux is installed, this can be [[UEFI_Secure_Boot|enabled]].}}
If the computer does not automatically boot from the desired device, one needs to bring up the boot menu and choose the media to boot from. Depending on the computer, the menu may be accessed by repeatedly pressing a key quickly when booting starts. Some computers require that you press the button ''before'' starting the computer and hold it down while the computer boots. Typical keys are:  {{key|F9}}-{{key|F12}}, sometimes {{key|F7}} or {{key|F8}}. If these don't bring up the boot menu, it may be necessary to enter the BIOS configuration and adjust the boot settings, for which typical keys are: {{key|Del}} {{key|F1}} {{key|F2}} {{key|F6}} or {{key|Esc}}.


=== Booting from external devices ===
== Installation Step Details ==


Insert the boot media to a proper drive or port of the computer and turn the machine on, or restart it, if already running.
=== Boot Process ===


If the computer does not automatically boot from the desired device, one needs to bring up the boot menu and choose the media to boot from. Depending on the computer, the menu may be accessed by repeatedly pressing a key quickly when booting starts. Some computers require that you press the button ''before'' starting the computer and hold it down while the computer boots. Typical keys are:  `F9`-`F12`, sometimes `F7` or `F8`. If these don't bring up the boot menu, it may be necessary to enter the BIOS configuration and adjust the boot settings, for which typical keys are: `Del.` `F1` `F2` `F6` or `Esc.`
The boot process of the alpine installation image first copies the entire operating system into the RAM memory, and then already starts a complete Alpine Linux system from there. It will initially only provide a basic command line environment that does not depend on reading from any (possibly slow) initial boot media, anymore.


=== Custom partitioning of the harddisk ===
Local log-in is possible as the user <code>root</code>. Initially, the '''root''' user has no password.


It is possible to specify configurations for RAID, encryption, LVM, etc. as well as manual partitioning.
At the command prompt, an interactive script named <code>setup-alpine</code> is available to configure and install the initial Alpine Linux system. Using [[Setting_up_disks_manually#Environment_variables|environment variables]] at this stage is optional. Launch the Alpine Linux Installation by running the <code>setup-alpine</code> script :


For "diskless" or "data disk" mode installs, manual partitioning may be needed to prepare the harddisk for committing local backups of the system state with <code>[[Alpine_local_backup|lbu commit]]</code>, a package cache, or to use it as the /var mount.
{{Cmd| #setup-alpine}}


For a "sys" install, custom partitioning is needed only if the desired scheme differs from overwriting an entire disk, or creating the default /boot, swap and root partitions.
=== Base configuration ===
The question-and-answer dialog of <code>setup-alpine</code> takes care of the base configuration.  


See [[Setting_up_disks_manually]] for the alpine options for RAID, encryption, LVM, etc. and manual partitioning.
It allows to configure the system to boot into one of three different '''Alpine Linux "disk" modes''':  [[Installation#Diskless_Mode|'''"diskless"'''(none)]], [[Installation#Data_Disk_Mode|'''"data"''']]  or [[Installation#System_Disk_Mode|'''"sys"''']].


=== Questions asked by <code>setup-alpine</code> ===
[[File:Installation-alpine-alpine-setup-3-setup-scripts.png|350px|thumb|right|Example <code>[[Alpine_setup_scripts#setup-alpine|setup-alpine]]</code> session]]
[[File:Installation-alpine-alpine-setup-3-setup-scripts.png|350px|thumb|right|Example <code>setup-alpine</code> session]]


The <code>[[setup-alpine]]</code> script offers the following configuration options:
The <code>[[Alpine_setup_scripts#setup-alpine|setup-alpine]]</code> script offers the following configuration options:


* '''Keyboard Layout''' (Local keyboard language and usage mode, e.g. ''us'' and variant of ''us-nodeadkeys''.)
* '''Keyboard Layout''' (Local keyboard language and usage mode, e.g. ''us'' and variant of ''us-nodeadkeys''.)
* '''Hostname''' (The name for the computer.)
* '''Hostname''' (The name for the computer.)
* '''Network''' (For example, automatic IP address discovery with the "DHCP" protocol.)
* '''Network''' (For example, automatic IP address discovery with the "DHCP" protocol.)
* '''DNS Servers''' (Domain Name Servers to query. For privacy reasons it is NOT recommended to route every local request to servers like google's <s>8.8.8.8</s> .)
* '''DNS Servers''' (Domain Name Servers to query. If unsure, leave DNS domain name blank and using <code>[https://quad9.net/ 9.9.9.9 2620:fe::fe]</code> for DNS is typically adequate.)
* '''Timezone'''
* '''Root password''' (the password used to login to the root account)
* '''Proxy''' (Proxy server to use for accessing the web. Use "none" for direct connections to the internet.)
* '''Timezone''' (Optionally display times/dates in your local time zone)
* '''HTTP/FTP Proxy''' (Proxy server to use for accessing the web/ftp. Use "none" for direct connections to websites and FTP servers.)
* '''Mirror''' (From where to download packages. Choose the organization you trust giving your usage patterns to.)
* '''Mirror''' (From where to download packages. Choose the organization you trust giving your usage patterns to.)
* '''SSH''' (Secure SHell remote access server. "Openssh" is part of the default install image. Use "none" to disable remote login, e.g. on laptops.)
* '''Setup a user''' (Setting up a regular user account)
* '''NTP''' (Network Time Protocol client used for keeping the system clock in sync with a time server. Package "chrony" is part of the default install image.)
* '''NTP''' (Network Time Protocol client used for keeping the system clock in sync with a time server. Package "chrony" is part of the default install image.)
* '''Disk Mode''' (Select between diskless (disk="none"), "data" or "sys", as described above.)  
* '''SSH''' (Secure SHell remote access server. "OpenSSH" is part of the default install image. Use "none" to disable remote login, e.g. on laptops.)
  {{Warning|The data on a chosen device will be overwritten!}}
* In most cases, either one of following line(s) is displayed as follows: '''No disks found.''' or ''' Available disks are: sda (128.0 GB JMicron  Tech )'''
* '''Disk Mode''' ( A pre-setup of the "diskless" system or base configuration is completed by answering "none" when asked for the following questions.)
** Which disk(s) would you like to use? (or '?' for help or 'none') '''none'''
** Enter where to store configs (/media/ or 'none') '''none'''
** The location of the package cache '''none'''
 
Base configuration is complete with the above step. Refer to the [[#Alternate courses of action|alternate courses of action]] to proceed further.
 
=== setup-alpine based System Disk Install === 
 
If you have ''' entire hard disk(s)''' for Alpine Linux and [[Setting_up_disks_manually#Default_Layout|default layout]] is acceptable to you, at the final step of [[#Base configuration|base configuration]] do not choose '''none''' for the prompts in the '''Disk Mode'''.
* At the '''Disk Mode''' stage, '''sda''' or relevant disk(s) must be chosen in the below screen:
* Which disk(s) would you like to use? (or '?' for help or 'none') '''sda'''
* Confirmation for the chosen disk(s) appears. ''The following disk is selected:'' '''sda    (128.0 GB JMicron  Tech ).'''
* For automatic RAID configuration, you can select multiple disks as explained in [[Setting_up_disks_manually#Default_Layout|default layout]] section.
* Pay close attention and verify that the disk(s) matches your requirement. Answering '''none''' in the next step or pressing '''Ctrl+c''' will exit/abort the installation process.
<br>
{{Warning| If you enter '''sys''' in the next step, data on the chosen disk(s) will be overwritten! No further questions will be asked. Proceed only if you are 100% sure.}}
* How would you like to use it? ('sys', 'data', 'lvm' or '?' for help) '''sys'''
 
If '''sys''' is chosen, the <code>setup-alpine</code> script will complete the traditional hard-disk installation of Alpine Linux on the chosen disk as per [[Setting_up_disks_manually#Default_Layout|default layout]].  Once the installation is complete, you can skip the next steps and proceed to [[#Reboot|reboot]] the system to [[#Completing_the_installation|complete the installation]].
 
=== Custom partitioning  ===
 
Refer [[Setting up disks manually|Setting up disks manually]] page for specific configurations related to [[Setting_up_disks_manually#RAID|RAID]], [[Setting_up_disks_manually#Encryption|encryption]], [[Setting_up_disks_manually#LVM|LVM]], etc. as well as to [[Setting_up_disks_manually#Manual_partitioning|manually partition]] the harddisk for "sys" mode install using [[Setting_up_disks_manually#Custom_Layout|custom layout]].
 
For "diskless" or "data disk" mode installs, manual partitioning may be needed to prepare the harddisk for committing local backups of the system state with <code>[[Alpine_local_backup|lbu commit]]</code>, to have a place for a package cache, or to use it for a /var mount.


=== Preparing for the first boot ===
=== Preparing for the first boot ===
 
If [[#System_Disk_Mode|System Disk Mode]] of installation was performed, ignore this section and proceed to [[#Reboot|reboot]].
If <code>setup-alpine</code> has finished configuring the "sys" disk mode, the system should be ready to reboot right away (see next subsection).


If the new local system was configured to run in "diskless" or "data" mode, and you do not want keep booting from the initial (and possibly read-only) installation media, the boot system needs to be copied to another device or partition.
If the new local system was configured to run in "diskless" or "data" mode, and you do not want keep booting from the initial (and possibly read-only) installation media, the boot system needs to be copied to another device or partition.


The target partition may be identified using <code><nowiki>lsblk</nowiki></code> (after installing it with <code>apk add lsblk</code>) and/or <code>blkid</code>, similar to previously identifying the initial installation media device.
The target partition may be identified using {{ic|lsblk}} (after installing it with {{ic|apk add {{pkg|lsblk}}}}) and/or {{ic|blkid}}, similar to previously identifying the initial installation media device.


The procedure to copy the boot system is explained at <code>[[Alpine_setup_scripts#setup-bootable|setup-bootable]]</code>
The procedure to copy the boot system is explained at [[Alpine_setup_scripts#setup-bootable|setup-bootable]].


Once everything is in place, save your customized configuration with <code>lbu commit</code> before rebooting.
Once everything is in place, save your customized configuration with {{ic|lbu commit}} before rebooting.


=== Rebooting and testing the new system ===
=== Reboot ===


First, remove the initial installation media from the boot drive, or detach it fron the port it's connected to.
First, remove the initial installation media from the boot drive, or detach it from the port it's connected to.


The system may now be power-cycled or rebooted to confirm everything is working correctly.
The system may now be power-cycled or rebooted to confirm everything is working correctly.


The relevant commands for this are <code>poweroff</code> or <code>reboot</code>.
The relevant commands for this are {{ic|poweroff}} or {{ic|reboot}}. Login into the new system with the root account.


=== Completing the installation ===
=== Completing the installation ===


The installation script installs only the base operating system. '''No''' applications e.g. web server, mail server, desktop environment, or web browser are installed, and <code>root</code> is the only user.
The installation script installs only the base operating system. '''No''' applications e.g. web server, mail server, desktop environment, or web browsers are installed.


Please look under "Post-Install" below, for some common things to do after installation.
Please look under [[Installation#Post-Installation|Post-Installation]] below, for some common things to do after installation.


== Custom Installation Instructions ==


= Additional Documentation =
<!-- This has to be moved to headless installation page -->
Custom-made headless apkovl can be done by first booting the install media on some computer with a display and keyboard attached, or in a virtual machine, and doing an intermediate "diskless" setup of just the boot media (more details below), i.e. using the offical <code>[[Alpine_setup_scripts#setup-alpine|setup-alpine]]</code> to configure the system's network, possibly for dhcp if needed, a ssh server, and a login user. Choosing "disks=none" for now, yet, configure to store configs on the boot media (if it is writable, otherwise on a separate storage media). And afterwards calling <code>[[Alpine_local_backup|lbu commit]]</code> to store the configs as local backup. Then your completed setup, including its securely created own private keys, will readily get (re)loaded on every subsequent (headless) boot from your custom-build <code><hostname>.apkovl.tar.gz</code> stored on the boot media (or on an auxilary media or server location, in case the boot media is read-only).


=== Installing ===
<!-- COMMENT FOR EDITORS
Specific topics should be kept on separate pages and manageable category-pages only must get listed with direct reference on this general page.
-->


* [https://github.com/macmpi/alpine-linux-headless-bootstrap/ Bootstrap Alpine Linux on a headless system] using pre-built <code>apkovl</code> overlay file.
* [[Kernels]] ''(kernel selection, e.g. for VMs or RPi)''
* [[Kernels]] ''(kernel selection, e.g. for VMs or RPi)''
* [[How to make a custom ISO image with mkimage]] ''(installation media with its own configuration)''
* [[Directly booting an ISO file]] ''(without flashing it to a disk or device)''
* [[Directly booting an ISO file]] ''(without flashing it to a disk or device)''
* [[Dualbooting|Dual/multi-boot install to HDD partition]]
* [[Netboot Alpine Linux using iPXE]]
* [[Tutorials_and_Howtos#Networking|Setting up Networking]] ''(including non-standard configurations)''
* [[:Category:Virtualization|Virtualization]]
<br>
 
* [[How to make a custom ISO image with mkimage]] ''(installation media with its own configuration)''
Also see other [[:Category:Installation|Installation Category]] pages.


=== Post-Install ===
== Post-Installation ==


{{Tip| Alpine Linux packages stay close to the upstream design. Therefore, all upstream documentation about configuring a software package, as well as good configuration guides from other distributions that stay close to upstream, e.g. those in the [https://wiki.archlinux.org/ ArchWiki], or [https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/ Gentoo wiki] are to a large degree, also applicable to configuring the software on Alpine Linux, thus can be very useful.}}


<!-- COMMENT FOR EDITORS
<!-- COMMENT FOR EDITORS


If you edit post-install,
If you edit Post-Install,


   * Consider that there are already [[Tutorials_and_Howtos#Post-Install]], [[Developer_Documentation#Package_management]] and the Handbook, please work towards reducing duplication and providing an overview, and topic details of considerable size on their own pages.
   * Consider that there are already [[Tutorials_and_Howtos#Post-Install]], [[Developer_Documentation#Package_management]], {{:Daily driver guide}} and the Handbook, please work towards reducing duplication and providing an overview, and maintaining topic details of considerable size on their own pages.
   * Here, only the most relevant jumping off points are listed, not exact list duplicates!!!
   * Here, only the most relevant jumping off points are listed, not exact list duplicates!!!
   * Keep short-list of links here, as overview to more detailed topic specific pages.
   * Keep short-list of links here, as overview to more detailed topic specific pages.
Line 258: Line 266:


-->
-->
=== Daily driver guide  ===
<!-- COMMENT FOR EDITORS
Any topic related to configuring Alpine as Desktop workstation i.e as a daily driver must go to the [[Daily driver guide]] which is called below. Tutorial and How To should go to [[Tutorials_and_Howtos]].
-->
{{:Daily driver guide}}
=== Other topics ===


{{Note|A [[Post installation|Post Installation]] wiki page has been created, however, its information is better to be kept at their individually manageable topic pages and only directly referenced (linked) from the list in the [[Installation]] overview page in the future. If you would like to help with this process please go ahead.}}
Topics not strictly related to using Alpine Linux as desktop are listed below:


<br>
<!-- COMMENT FOR EDITORS
* [[Setting up a new user]] ''(to allow remote, console, or graphical logins)''
  * This section is meant to cover topics not related to Using Alpine as daily driver or as desktop workstation as there is already [[Daily driver guide]] and the Handbook. Please refer to the comment at the beginning of this wiki [[#Post-Installation]].  
<br>
-->
* [[Enable Community Repository]] ''(access to additional packages)''
* [[Upgrading Alpine|Upgrade your OS]], when a new version is [https://www.alpinelinux.org/releases/ released].
* [[Alpine Linux package management|Package Management (apk)]] ''(how to search/add/del packages etc.)''
* [[Change default shell]]
* [[Alpine setup scripts#setup-xorg-base|<code>setup-xorg-base</code>]] ''(setup graphical base environment)''
* [[Tutorials_and_Howtos#Networking_2|Setting up Networking]] ''(including non-standard configurations)''
** [[Xfce_Setup]] / [[Gnome_Setup]] / [[KDE]] / [[MATE]] (desktop environments)
* [[How to get regular stuff working]] ''(things one may miss in a too lightweight installation )''
<br>
* [[Alpine_local_backup|Local backup utility <code>lbu</code>]] ''(persisting RAM system configurations)''
* [[Alpine_local_backup|Local backup utility <code>lbu</code>]] ''(persisting RAM system configurations)''
** [[Back Up a Flash Memory Installation]] ''("diskless mode" systems)''
** [[Back Up a Flash Memory Installation]] ''("diskless mode" systems)''
** [[Manually_editing_a_existing_apkovl]] ''(the stored custom configs)''
** [[Manually editing a existing apkovl]] ''(the stored custom configs)''
<br>
* [[OpenRC|Init System (OpenRC)]] ''(configure a service to automatically boot at next reboot)''
* [[Alpine Linux Init System|Init System (OpenRC)]] ''(configure a service to automatically boot at next reboot)''
** [[Writing Init Scripts]]
** [[Multiple Instances of Services]]
** [[Multiple Instances of Services]]
** [[Writing Init Scripts]]
<br>
* [[Hosting services on Alpine]] ''(links to several mail/web/ssh server setup pages)''
* [[Hosting services on Alpine]] ''(links to several mail/web/ssh server setup pages)''
* Running applications and services in their own [[Firejail Security Sandbox]]
<br>
* [[Alpine_Linux_package_management#Upgrade_a_Running_System|Upgrading Alpine]] ''(checking for and installing updates)''


=== Additional Help and Information ===
== See also ==


* [[Tutorials and Howtos]]
* [[Alpine_Linux:FAQ|FAQs]]
* [[Comparison with other distros]] ''(how common things are done on Alpine)''
* [[Comparison with other distros]] ''(how common things are done on Alpine)''
* [[Running glibc programs]] ''(installation and development)''
* [[Alpine_Linux:Wiki_etiquette|Wiki etiquette]] ''(to collaborate on this documentation)''
 
----
<!-- * [[setup-acf]] ''(configures ACF (webconfiguration) so you can manage your box through https)''
* [[Changing passwords for ACF|Changing passwords]]
-->
 
* [[FAQ|FAQs]]
* [[Tutorials and Howtos]]
 
* [[Contribute|How to Contribute]]
* [[Developer Documentation]]
* [[Alpine_Linux:Wiki_etiquette|Wiki etiquette]] ''to collaborate on this documentation''
 
 
 
{{Tip| Alpine linux packages stay close to the upstream design. Therefore, all upstream documentation about configuring a software package, as well as good configuration guides from other distributions that stay close to upstream, e.g. those in the [https://wiki.archlinux.org/ Arch Wiki], are to a large degree, also applicable to configuring the software on alpine linux, thus can be very useful.}}
 
= Other Guides =
 
Please check the: [[:Category:Installation|Installation Category]] pages.
 
[[Category:Installation]]
[[Category:Installation]]

Latest revision as of 05:01, 24 October 2024


This page exists to provide a basic overview to get started. Before actually installing, it can help to skim through the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), as well as to refer to the official installation guide at docs.alpinelinux.org.

Tip: This is a wiki!

If something isn't correct, or is incomplete, you will have to figure it out, or ask for the correct solution in the community.

And then carefully edit the wiki page.

Just as those before who did it for you.

Minimal Hardware Requirements

  • At least 128 MB of RAM. [A graphical desktop system may require up to 512 minimum.]. Note that an installation itself (from ISO) generally requires at least 320 MB during installation.
  • At least 0-700 MB space on a writable storage device. [Only required in "sys" or "data" mode installations. It is optional in "diskless" mode, where it may be used to save newer data and configurations states of a running system.]
  • A working internet connection is required to complete "sys" mode installation.
Note: Most of the steps outlined on this page applies to all Architectures supported by Alpine Linux. For more specific installation instructions, refer to their respective pages. Refer custom installation instructions for headless system, virtualization etc.

Installation Overview

Alpine Linux can be installed and run in three modes i.e Diskless Mode, Data Disk Mode and System Disk Mode. The installation procedure for Alpine Linux requires basic understanding of the three modes explained in brief below:

Diskless Mode

In Diskless mode the entire operating system with all applications are first loaded into RAM and then only run from there. Alpine Linux uses this method to boot the .iso installation images. The setup-alpine script configures the installed system to continue to boot like this if "disk=none" is specified. The mode is extremely fast and can save on unnecessary disk spin-ups, power, and wear. For further info, refer Diskless Mode.

Data Disk Mode

In Data Disk mode also the operating system runs from system RAM, thus it enjoys the same accelerated operation speed as "diskless" mode. However, swap storage and the entire /var directory tree get mounted from a persistent storage device. This mode is useful for having RAM accelerated servers with variable amounts of user-data that exceed the available RAM size. For further info, refer Data Disk Mode.

System Disk Mode

System or sys Disk Mode is the traditional hard-disk install. setup-alpine script based install supports only default layout. For further info, refer System Disk Mode.

General course of action

Note: It is really helpful for many use cases to prepare and complete the Installation until the base configuration step, then proceed with installation of the target system with any one of the various alternate courses of action.

Alternate courses of action

Examples of preparation options:

  • Download and install some specific driver or software tool.
  • Do a Manual partitioning of the harddisk that avoids overwrite of an entire disk.
  • Installing something that may be missing in the live system to configure the hardware, e.g. by using the alpine package manager apk.
  • Use more specific setup-scripts in order to proceed with the final installation in a custom way.

Examples of proceeding options:

There are many more setup-scripts available. All these tools may also be run later to adjust specific configurations. For example, to set up a graphical environment as covered under Post-Installation below.

Preparing for the installation

Downloading installation image

Download the stable-release installation image-file for the target computer's architecture with their corresponding sha256 (checksum) and GPG (signature) files.

Note: Download sha256 (checksum) and GPG (signature) files only from official site and not from mirrors.

Now you have three files of the following format..

alpine-standard-*.iso
alpine-standard-*.iso.sha256
alpine-standard-*.iso.asc

alpine-standard-3.20.3-x86_64.iso is the 3.20.3 version Standard image file in iso format for x86_64 architecture. Image file can also be gz for certain cases.

Verifying downloaded image

From Security point of view, verify the downloaded image file for both checksum and GPG signature before proceeding further. The three required utilities i.e sha256, curl and gpg or their equivalents are available in every operating system including Linux, windows, Mac and BSD derivaties.

Tip: Ensure that all the three downloaded files remain in the same folder. If not, adjust the commands accordingly.

The sha256 checksum verifies the integrity of the downloaded image i.e no modifications occurred during download.

sha256sum -c alpine-*.iso.sha256

The GPG signature verifies the link between the downloaded image to the individual who signed it. Signature verification involves two steps:

Step 1. Download and import the gpg signature from official website

curl https://alpinelinux.org/keys/ncopa.asc | gpg --import ;

Step 2. Verify that the image signature matches with the one downloded in Step 1.

gpg --verify alpine-*.iso.asc alpine-*.iso

Preparing installation media

Note: These instructions are exclusively for x86_64 and x86. For ARM boards, see Alpine on ARM.

All data currently on the installation media will be lost, when the Alpine Linux image is written on it. Be extremely careful to correctly identify the device name for the installation media.

In Linux, dd command can write the downloaded image file to the installation media i.e target device. To identify the target device, all connected "bulk storage devices" can be listed with lsblk and blkid.

 # lsblk
 NAME            MAJ:MIN RM   SIZE RO TYPE  MOUNTPOINT
 sdX               0:0    0  64,0G  0 disk  
 ├─sdX1            0:1    0     2G  0 part  
 └─sdX2            0:2    0    30G  0 part  /mnt/sdX2
 
 # blkid
 /dev/sdX1: LABEL="some" UUID="..." TYPE="vfat"
 /dev/sdX2: LABEL="other" UUID="..." TYPE="ext4"

For example, if /dev/sdX is the desired target device, ensure that all mounted partitions of the target device are un-mounted first. In the above case, for device sdX with partitions sdX1 and sdX2, the partition sdX2 needs to be unmounted:

# umount /dev/sdX2

Note: In dd command, do not specify partition number for target device i.e use /dev/sdX and not /dev/sdX1

The syntax for dd command is as follows:

# dd if=<iso-image-file> of=<target-device> bs=4M status=progress; eject <target-device>

If your version of dd does not support the option "status=progress", remove it. The eject command removes the target device from the system and ensures the write cache is completely flushed.

A complete example for dd command with image file alpine-standard-3.20.3-x86_64.iso and target device /dev/sdd is shown below:

Warning: Below command will overwrite data on target device /dev/sdd. Modify if and of according to the name of your image file and target device


# dd if=~/Downloads/alpine-standard-3.20.3-x86_64.iso of=/dev/sdd bs=4M status=progress; eject /dev/sdd

In Windows, Rufus has been tested to create bootable USB flash drives and worked for Alpine Linux 3.12.x with the following settings:

  • Partition scheme: MBR Target system: BIOS or UEFI
  • File system: FAT32 Cluster size: 4096 bytes (default)

Verifying Installation media

After detaching and re-attaching the device, a bit-wise comparison can verify the data written to the device (instead of just data buffered in RAM). If the comparison terminates with an end-of-file error on the .iso file side, all the contents from the image have been written (and re-read) successfully:

 # cmp ~/Downloads/alpine-standard-3.20.3-x86_64.iso /dev/sdX
 cmp: EOF on alpine-standard-3.20.3-x86_64.iso

Booting Installation Media

Insert the Installation media to a proper drive or port of the computer and turn the machine on, or restart it, if already running.

Note: To successfully boot and install Alpine Linux, disable secure boot in the BIOS. Once Alpine Linux is installed, this can be enabled.

If the computer does not automatically boot from the desired device, one needs to bring up the boot menu and choose the media to boot from. Depending on the computer, the menu may be accessed by repeatedly pressing a key quickly when booting starts. Some computers require that you press the button before starting the computer and hold it down while the computer boots. Typical keys are: F9-F12, sometimes F7 or F8. If these don't bring up the boot menu, it may be necessary to enter the BIOS configuration and adjust the boot settings, for which typical keys are: Del F1 F2 F6 or Esc.

Installation Step Details

Boot Process

The boot process of the alpine installation image first copies the entire operating system into the RAM memory, and then already starts a complete Alpine Linux system from there. It will initially only provide a basic command line environment that does not depend on reading from any (possibly slow) initial boot media, anymore.

Local log-in is possible as the user root. Initially, the root user has no password.

At the command prompt, an interactive script named setup-alpine is available to configure and install the initial Alpine Linux system. Using environment variables at this stage is optional. Launch the Alpine Linux Installation by running the setup-alpine script :

#setup-alpine

Base configuration

The question-and-answer dialog of setup-alpine takes care of the base configuration.

It allows to configure the system to boot into one of three different Alpine Linux "disk" modes: "diskless"(none), "data" or "sys".

Example setup-alpine session

The setup-alpine script offers the following configuration options:

  • Keyboard Layout (Local keyboard language and usage mode, e.g. us and variant of us-nodeadkeys.)
  • Hostname (The name for the computer.)
  • Network (For example, automatic IP address discovery with the "DHCP" protocol.)
  • DNS Servers (Domain Name Servers to query. If unsure, leave DNS domain name blank and using 9.9.9.9 2620:fe::fe for DNS is typically adequate.)
  • Root password (the password used to login to the root account)
  • Timezone (Optionally display times/dates in your local time zone)
  • HTTP/FTP Proxy (Proxy server to use for accessing the web/ftp. Use "none" for direct connections to websites and FTP servers.)
  • Mirror (From where to download packages. Choose the organization you trust giving your usage patterns to.)
  • Setup a user (Setting up a regular user account)
  • NTP (Network Time Protocol client used for keeping the system clock in sync with a time server. Package "chrony" is part of the default install image.)
  • SSH (Secure SHell remote access server. "OpenSSH" is part of the default install image. Use "none" to disable remote login, e.g. on laptops.)
  • In most cases, either one of following line(s) is displayed as follows: No disks found. or Available disks are: sda (128.0 GB JMicron Tech )
  • Disk Mode ( A pre-setup of the "diskless" system or base configuration is completed by answering "none" when asked for the following questions.)
    • Which disk(s) would you like to use? (or '?' for help or 'none') none
    • Enter where to store configs (/media/ or 'none') none
    • The location of the package cache none

Base configuration is complete with the above step. Refer to the alternate courses of action to proceed further.

setup-alpine based System Disk Install

If you have entire hard disk(s) for Alpine Linux and default layout is acceptable to you, at the final step of base configuration do not choose none for the prompts in the Disk Mode.

  • At the Disk Mode stage, sda or relevant disk(s) must be chosen in the below screen:
  • Which disk(s) would you like to use? (or '?' for help or 'none') sda
  • Confirmation for the chosen disk(s) appears. The following disk is selected: sda (128.0 GB JMicron Tech ).
  • For automatic RAID configuration, you can select multiple disks as explained in default layout section.
  • Pay close attention and verify that the disk(s) matches your requirement. Answering none in the next step or pressing Ctrl+c will exit/abort the installation process.


Warning: If you enter sys in the next step, data on the chosen disk(s) will be overwritten! No further questions will be asked. Proceed only if you are 100% sure.


  • How would you like to use it? ('sys', 'data', 'lvm' or '?' for help) sys

If sys is chosen, the setup-alpine script will complete the traditional hard-disk installation of Alpine Linux on the chosen disk as per default layout. Once the installation is complete, you can skip the next steps and proceed to reboot the system to complete the installation.

Custom partitioning

Refer Setting up disks manually page for specific configurations related to RAID, encryption, LVM, etc. as well as to manually partition the harddisk for "sys" mode install using custom layout.

For "diskless" or "data disk" mode installs, manual partitioning may be needed to prepare the harddisk for committing local backups of the system state with lbu commit, to have a place for a package cache, or to use it for a /var mount.

Preparing for the first boot

If System Disk Mode of installation was performed, ignore this section and proceed to reboot.

If the new local system was configured to run in "diskless" or "data" mode, and you do not want keep booting from the initial (and possibly read-only) installation media, the boot system needs to be copied to another device or partition.

The target partition may be identified using lsblk (after installing it with apk add lsblk) and/or blkid, similar to previously identifying the initial installation media device.

The procedure to copy the boot system is explained at setup-bootable.

Once everything is in place, save your customized configuration with lbu commit before rebooting.

Reboot

First, remove the initial installation media from the boot drive, or detach it from the port it's connected to.

The system may now be power-cycled or rebooted to confirm everything is working correctly.

The relevant commands for this are poweroff or reboot. Login into the new system with the root account.

Completing the installation

The installation script installs only the base operating system. No applications e.g. web server, mail server, desktop environment, or web browsers are installed.

Please look under Post-Installation below, for some common things to do after installation.

Custom Installation Instructions

Custom-made headless apkovl can be done by first booting the install media on some computer with a display and keyboard attached, or in a virtual machine, and doing an intermediate "diskless" setup of just the boot media (more details below), i.e. using the offical setup-alpine to configure the system's network, possibly for dhcp if needed, a ssh server, and a login user. Choosing "disks=none" for now, yet, configure to store configs on the boot media (if it is writable, otherwise on a separate storage media). And afterwards calling lbu commit to store the configs as local backup. Then your completed setup, including its securely created own private keys, will readily get (re)loaded on every subsequent (headless) boot from your custom-build <hostname>.apkovl.tar.gz stored on the boot media (or on an auxilary media or server location, in case the boot media is read-only).


Also see other Installation Category pages.

Post-Installation

Tip: Alpine Linux packages stay close to the upstream design. Therefore, all upstream documentation about configuring a software package, as well as good configuration guides from other distributions that stay close to upstream, e.g. those in the ArchWiki, or Gentoo wiki are to a large degree, also applicable to configuring the software on Alpine Linux, thus can be very useful.

Daily driver guide

Many people think that Alpine is only made for containers and servers, but it is actually a general purpose distro which can definitely be used as a daily driver.

Alpine is extremely small, simple and resource-efficient, making it easy to customize.

Note: This guide assumes you have already installed a minimal Alpine system by following the Installation guide

Basics

Advanced

Other topics

Topics not strictly related to using Alpine Linux as desktop are listed below:

See also