Linux From Scratch

Linux From Scratch (LFS) is an open source project that provides users with comprehensive documentation for successfully building their own custom Linux-based operating systems. Originally created by Gerard Beekmans and later edited by Bruce Dubbs and Matthew Burgess, the Linux From Scratch project is one of the most complex and well documented “How to build your own Linux distribution from scratch” manual.

Targeted at 32-bit and 64-bit architectures

The instructions provided in this manual are targeted at 32-bit (AMD/Intel x86) and 64-bit (x86_64) architectures, but you can also built operating systems that work on PowerPC and ARM CPUs. Its primary standards are POSIX.1-2008, Linux Standard Base (LSB) Specifications and Filesystem Hierarchy Standard version 3.0 Draft 1 (FHS).

Anyone can learn how to create a Linux kernel-based operating system from scratch

Using this project, anyone can learn how to create a Linux kernel-based operating system from scratch, by first creating a new partition, formatting the partition with a Linux filesystem, and mounting the new partition. Then you’ll learn about packages and how to patch them, as well as how to create a $LFS/tools directory, add a LFS user, setup the environment, and build a temporary system.

You will also learn how to configure the operating system

Next, you will learn how to install basic system software by first preparing the virtual kernel file system, enter the chroot environment, create essential directories, files and symlinks, install the kernel, main compiler and manual pages, adjust the toolchain, and install all the essential packages. Users will also learn how to configure the network, customize the /etc/hosts file, handle modules and devices on a LFS system, create custom symlinks to devices, configure the system hostname, setclock script, Linux console, sysklogd script, rc.site file, /etc/inputrc file, and bash shell startup files.

Final words

Lastly, the documentation will provide detailed information about how to create the /etc/fstab file, configure that latest stable Linux kernel package, as well as to install GRUB as the default boot loader.

What is new in this release:

• This LFS release includes updates to glibc-2.27, binutils-2.30, and gcc-7.3.0. In addition five new packages have been moved to the base LFS book from BLFS: libffi, openssl, Python3, ninja, and meson. Changes to text have been made throughout the book. The Linux kernel has also been updated to version 4.15.3.

What is new in version :

• The LFS release includes updates to glibc-2.26, binutils-2.29, and gcc-7.2.0. In total, 32 packages were updated, fixes made to bootscripts, and changes to text have been made throughout the book. The BLFS version includes approximately 900 packages beyond the base Linux From Scratch Version 8.1 book. This release has over 885 updates from the previous version including numerous text and formatting changes.

What is new in version 8.0:

• The LFS release includes updates to glibc-2.24, binutils-2.27, and gcc-6.2.0. In total, 29 packages were updated, fixes made to bootscripts, and changes to text have been made throughout the book. The BLFS version includes approximately 800 packages beyond the base Linux From Scratch Version 7.9 book. This release has over 810 updates from the previous version including numerous text and formatting changes. Major changes to BLFS include the removal of Qt4 and KDE4. The systemd version of BLFS now include the full GNOME desktop. One internal note is that through the efforts of several editors, the book sources have combined the versions of the System V and systemd into a single set of xml files but still provides for separate generation of the books. This allows the 80% of the two books that are common to be maintained efficiently.

What is new in version 7.9:

• The LFS release includes updates to glibc-2.23, binutils-2.26, and gcc-5.3.0. In total, 25 packages were updated and changes to text have been made throughout the book. The BLFS version includes approximately 800 packages beyond the base Linux From Scratch Version 7.9 book. This release has 597 updates from the previous version including numerous text and formatting changes. A major change to BLFS includes the addition of the KDE Plasma 5 desktop. The book now includes 5 desktop environments, 5 separate window managers, three mail servers, 4 graphical and 3 text web browsers, 4 database servers, and numerous major and minor user programs and utilities.

What is new in version 7.8 / 7.9 RC2:

• It is a major release with toolchain updates to glibc-2.22, binutils-2.25.1, and gcc-5.2.0. In total, 30 packages were updated and changes to bootscripts and text have been made throughout the book.

What is new in version 7.8:

• It is a major release with toolchain updates to glibc-2.22, binutils-2.25.1, and gcc-5.2.0. In total, 30 packages were updated and changes to bootscripts and text have been made throughout the book.

What is new in version 7.7:

• It is a major release with toolchain updates to glibc-2.21 and gcc-4.9.2. In total, 30 packages were updated and changes to bootscripts and text have been made throughout the book.

What is new in version 7.6:

• This release is a major update to both LFS and BLFS and now includes separate versions for systemd.
• The LFS releases include toolchain updates to glibc-2.20 and gcc-4.9.1. In total, 26 packages were updated and 8 packages added from LFS 7.5.
• The BLFS version includes approximately 750 packages beyond the base Linux From Scratch Version 7.6 book. It has over 880 updates from the previous version including numerous text and formatting changes.
• In addition, we would like to introduce for the first time a BLFS version based on systemd. The version is harmonized with the standard BLFS book but includes customized instructions for systemd based systems.

What is new in version 7.4:

• It is a major release with toolchain updates to binutils-2.23.2, glibc-2.18, and gcc-4.8.1. In total, 32 packages (of 62) were updated from LFS-7.3 and changes to bootscripts and text have been made throughout the book.

What is new in version 7.4 RC1:

• This is the first release candidate on the road to LFS-7.4. It is a major release with toolchain updates to binutils, glibc, and gcc. In total, 32 packages were updated from LFS-7.3 and changes to bootscripts and text have been made throughout the book.

What is new in version 7.3:

• It is a major release with toolchain updates to binutils-2.23.1, glibc-2.17, and gcc-4.7.2. In total, 31 packages were updated from LFS-7.2 and changes to bootscripts and text have been made throughout the book.

What is new in version 7.2:

• It is a major release with toolchain updates to both glibc-2.16.0 and gcc-4.7.1. In total, 28 packages were updated from LFS-7.1 and changes to bootscripts and text have been made throughout the book.

What is new in version 7.1:

• It is an incremental release with updates from LFS 7.0 to 20 packages as well as fixes to boot scripts and text throughout the book.