Alpine newbie desktop working
New users: hostname and network wired connection
After installing Alpine Linux, you might need to configure your system to properly work for your use case, since Alpine's main utilities are busybox-based:
Setting the hostname
A hostname is a unique name created to identify a machine on a network, configured in /etc/hostname.
To change the computer's hostname edit the /etc/hostname file or execute the following command
(make sure to replace myhostname with your desired hostname):
# echo "myhostname" > /etc/hostname
You should also add the hostname to your hosts file (/etc/hosts):
127.0.0.1 localhost localhost.localdomain 127.0.1.1 myhostname myhostname.localdomain ::1 localhost localhost.localdomain
Network configuration
There are three types of internet connections: wired (Ethernet), wireless (WiFi) and PPTP (modems). This section will focus only on wired connections, for wireless configuration read the Connecting to a wireless access point article.
This section will help to update and configure your network interfaces, please plug your network cable in and then go to the console and run the DNS and interfaces configuration scripts.
cat > /etc/network/interfaces << EOF auto lo iface lo inet loopback EOF setup-interfaces -a echo -e "\n" | setup-dns 8.8.8.8 rc-service networking restart
Default root configurations
The root user are the god of the Linux Alpine system, run only the most deep in task, and must not be used as normal user neither for common task. For common users the last section of this page document will show you all the needs.
When Alpine Linux is first installed by default it comes with the user root with no password set so the first step after boot into alpine fresh install are set a password to the user root, if during install was run setup-alpine to change root password, that will be already set and can be changed with those setup steps described here. More info in the Setting users wiki page.
cat > /root/.cshrc << EOF unsetenv DISPLAY || true HISTCONTROL=ignoreboth EOF cp /root/.cshrc /root/.profile echo "secret_new_root_password" | chpasswd
Of course you must changed "secret_new_root_password" by a proper password provided by you.
New users: common needed package to install
Packages and programs on alpine are described on Alpine_newbie: Packages overall info. The /community repository of each Alpine release contains community supported packages that were accepted from the /testing repository. Only /main repository of each version of Alpine release are supported for some Main Alpine Developers and Man Powers.
enable repository packages
Repositories are need due are where will be retrieve those packages of programs as described on Alpine_newbie: Packages overall info, run:
cat > /etc/apk/repositories << EOF; $(echo) http://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/v$(cat /etc/alpine-release | cut -d'.' -f1,2)/main http://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/v$(cat /etc/alpine-release | cut -d'.' -f1,2)/community EOF apk update
This will enable /comunity and /main repositories branch on your Alpine setup release.
ssh
sed "s/PermitRootLogin .*/PermitRootLogin yes/g" -i /etc/ssh/sshd_config
service sshd restart
install basic tools
As explain in Alpine Linux:Overview, the system always will be minimalist, so if you expected a behavior like others linux those will be provided a minimal similitude to, runs:
apk add sed attr dialog dialog-doc bash bash-doc bash-completion grep grep-doc apk add util-linux util-linux-doc pciutils usbutils binutils findutils readline apk add man man-pages lsof lsof-doc less less-doc nano nano-doc curl curl-doc apk add coreutils coreutils-doc export PAGER=less
cat > /etc/apk/repositories << EOF; $(echo) http://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/v$(cat /etc/alpine-release | cut -d'.' -f1,2)/main http://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/v$(cat /etc/alpine-release | cut -d'.' -f1,2)/community http://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main http://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community EOF apk update apk add utmps cat > /etc/apk/repositories << EOF; $(echo) http://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/v$(cat /etc/alpine-release | cut -d'.' -f1,2)/main http://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/v$(cat /etc/alpine-release | cut -d'.' -f1,2)/community EOF apk update
fonts and fonts configuration
Default internal fb fonts (tty console) or xorg fonts (desktops) are enough for defaulters, but if you can't see your language, you need to install the font that has glyphs (little picture) created for it; font-misc-misc are installed with X server so fonts for most languages (Japanese, Korean, Latin, Cyrillic) are already covered except for Arabic, Persian, Thai, Tamil, etc from inspecting the Wikipedia Page left column on languages for article translation. For complete info about fonts in alpine see Fonts configurations and settings in Alpine this section will resume and configure most usefully needs for users:
Those selection will cover most used languages and best fit for many setups:
apk add terminus-font ttf-inconsolata ttf-dejavu font-misc-cyrillic font-mutt -misc font-screen-cyrillic font-winitzki-cyrillic font-cronyx-cyrillic terminus-font font- sony-misc font-daewoo-misc font-jis-misc font-isas-misc
The system font directory is located at /usr/share/fonts; user font location is at ~/.font due security. Configurations are reign by X server, using the ~/.Xresources file as main first reading of.
Configuration are made per user into ~/.fonts.confbut are XLM made and hard to configure.. more cheap and easy are into the ~/.Xresources file.
The following will setup for all users a minimal resource usage for fonts.. no antialiasing.. no hint... :
mkdir -p /etc/skel cat > /etc/skel/.Xresources << EOF Xft.antialias: 0 Xft.rgba: rgb Xft.autohint: 0 Xft.hinting: 1 Xft.hintstyle: hintslight EOF
apk packages for sound base
Currently alsa packages are the minimal for linux Alpine sound, in desktops theres the gstreamer, phonon and pulseaudio frameworks but that's will be managed into the desktops wiki pages:
apk add alsa-utils alsa-utils-doc alsa-lib alsaconf
Alsa service is not started on install, you need to start it and to add it on rc.
rc-service alsa start rc-update add alsa
New users: management of users and logins
When Alpine Linux is first installed by default it comes with the user root with no password set so the first step after boot into alpine fresh install are set a password to the user root, if during isntall was run setup-alpine to change root password, that will be already assigned and can be changed with those setup steps described here. More info in the Setting users wiki page.
Users creation and defaults
Only root can manage users. Creating an account allows it to have it's own $HOME directory and allows you to limit access to the configuration of the operating system for security reasons. So the following commands will first setup root environment login and then assing a new password:
cat > /root/.cshrc << EOF unsetenv DISPLAY || true HISTCONTROL=ignoreboth EOF cp /root/.cshrc /root/.profile echo "secret_new_root_password" | chpasswd
The remote management cannot be done with root directly by default, due ssh security, so we need to setup an remote connection account to made "su" once connected.
The most recommended it's having a access user here named "remote" and normal general usage user here named "general" for convenience, in the next commands we will setup a very hardened limited environment for any new user and created those two users:
cat > /etc/apk/repositories << EOF; $(echo) http://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/v$(cat /etc/alpine-release | cut -d'.' -f1,2)/main http://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/v$(cat /etc/alpine-release | cut -d'.' -f1,2)/community http://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main http://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community http://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing EOF apk update apk add libuser cat > /etc/apk/repositories << EOF; $(echo) http://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/v$(cat /etc/alpine-release | cut -d'.' -f1,2)/main http://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/v$(cat /etc/alpine-release | cut -d'.' -f1,2)/community EOF apk update touch /etc/login.defs touch /etc/default/useradd mkdir -p /etc/skel/ cat > /etc/skel/.logout << EOF EOF cat > /etc/skel/.cshrc << EOF set autologout = 30 set prompt = "\$ " set ignoreeof EOF cp /etc/skel/.cshrc /etc/skel/.profile adduser -D -k /etc/skel -h /home/general -s /bin/bash general echo "general:1234" | chpasswd
for u in $(ls /home); do for g in disk usb ping lp floppy audio cdrom dialout video netdev games users; do addgroup $u $g; done;done
- disk:x:6:root,adm Only if need usage vith virtual machines and access to other partitions over new disks for
- lp:x:7:lp IF will need to use printing services and printers management
- floppy:x:11:root Backguard compatible group, use only if need access to external special devices
- audio:x:18: Need for audio listening and management of sound volumes as normal user
- cdrom:x:19: For access to disck writers and mounting DVD, BR or CD rom disk as normal user
- dialout:x:20:root Need for dial private connections and use of modems as normal users
- ping:x:21:root Need to make ping test to ip addresses
- tape:x:26:root Need have into this if plan to use special devices for backup.. rarelly in no servers
- video:x:27:root For usage of cameras, mor thant one GPU special features, as normal user
- netdev:x:28: For network connections management as normal user
- kvm:x:34:kvm Only if as normal user will manage graphically virtual machines.. rarelly on no servers
- games:x:35: Need if you want to play games also specially need if will share score between users
- cdrw:x:80: To write RW-DVD, RW-BR or RW-CD disk on a disk writing device
- apache:x:81: Need if you will perfom development as normal user and want to publish locally on web server
- usb:x:85: Need to access to special usb devices, deprecated group
- users:x:100:games If you plan to used common files for all users, mandatory as desktop usage
Now we have libuser also can change default shell:
- If you want to change the current user's shell, log in as that user and then inside their terminal session execute::
lchsh
- If you want to change a different user's shell, run as administration or as root:
lchsh general
Where "general" was the name of a created user login in previous sections.
Continue to Desktop
Before you continue, you must have at least already done the previously described steps in the section New users: common needed package to install!
| Previous required | What's next to read |
|---|---|
| Alpine newbie install manual | Alpine newbie desktops |
Alpine package management behavior
This section are not for new users, please go next to Alpine newbie desktops or Alpine Newbies: Xorg and Openbox if you only want to setup your system.
The programs, the software installed to Alpine comes from two places, a repository with the following structure: http://<host>/alpine/<version>/<brach> (an URl that can be invoked with apk listed in the /etc/apk/repositories file) and original upstream sources (those compiled as Unix-like traditional way).
As new user you can read the Alpine newbie apk packages page.. but please read the rest of this section to introduce to:
Alpine Software Packages
Alpine software repositories have main packages and contributions made. Each Alpine release have two brach of repositories. The /community repository of each Alpine release contains community supported packages that were accepted from the /testing repository. Only /main repository of each version of Alpine release are supported for some Main Alpine Developers and Man Powers.
- About the main packages: Main packages are the Alpine package software that have direct support and updates from the Alpine core and main team, also have official special documentation. Are always available for all releases and will have almost substitutions if some are not continued from upstream. Commonly those packages are selected due their responsibility and stability respect upstream availability. Those are in testing and when performs well or are mature goes to main branch.
- About the contribution ones: User package contribution repositories are those made by users in team with the official developers and well near integrated to the Alpine packages. Those have supported by those user contributions and could end if the user also ends respect with Alpine work, by example could not have substitution in next release due lack of support by upstream author. Those are in testing and when accepted goes to community branch.
- About the testing ones: New packages come into testing repositories of edge Alpine version and are those made by any contributor or man power on Alpine, the edge is unstable current development, this branch of repository has no release linked or related of Alpine. Those are in testing and when accepted goes to community.
Alpine APK user resources
Alpine new users have two resources for the packaging management, the https://pkgs.alpinelinux.org/packages page for search friendly way, and the Alpine newbie apk packages page that describes how to use the apk-tool easy.
Alpine APK quick infrastructure
Software packages for Alpine Linux are digitally signed tar.gz archives containing programs, configuration files, and dependency metadata. They have the extension .apk, and are often called "a-packs".
The apk command are located at /sbin/apk, admin and manages the getting of the packages of software, it uses /etc/apk/ place for the configurations files, and stores all downloaded "a-packs" files in /etc/apk/cache from the repositories before unpacks and put the package files compiled into the installed system.
Table of busybox sustitutions
Table of comparison with other Linux/Unix-like OSes for packages
| OS | File Format | Tools |
|---|---|---|
| Alpine | .apk | apk |
| Debian | .deb | apt,aptitude |
| Gentoo | .tbz2 | emerge |
| FreeBSD | .txz | pkg |
Tutorial series
| Previous required | What's next to read |
|---|---|
| Alpine newbie install manual | Alpine newbie desktops |
