0bootstrap¶

0bootstrap generates a native package that installs 0install itself along with a launcher for a 0install app.

Linux / macOSWindows

Maintainer: Thomas Leonard
License: GNU General Public License
Source: https://github.com/0install/0bootstrap
Zero Install feed: https://apps.0install.net/0install/0bootstrap.xml

Warning

The Linux version of this program is still experimental.

Normally, a launcher is created by passing a feed URI to the "Add Zero Install Program" utility. This downloads the appropriate feeds, their icons - if available, and makes a shortcut (creates a launcher, a .desktop file).

However, it is sometimes useful to bundle such a launcher and its icon together in a .deb package (for example), so that it can be installed on machines that don't have Zero Install available initially - by using the standard native package installation procedure.

0bootstrap takes the URI of a program and creates a native package; currently the .deb and .rpm package formats are supported by the tool.

Programs launched using these packages are added to the Zero Install cache and are therefore still shared between users, and will get updates over the web where possible.

Using a 0bootstrap package¶

Open the file with your file manager, or run gdebi-gtk edit.deb in a terminal:

Installing a 0bootstrap native package

The package will require Zero Install in order to install, as seen in the Details view:

Dependency details

Installing native packages requires authentication.

Authenticate

The installation will add the program to your menus.

Installation finished

Installing 0bootstrap¶

Since this program is not yet released, you need to run it from the source repository:

git clone git://zero-install.git.sourceforge.net/gitroot/zero-install/bootstrap
cd bootstrap
0install add-feed 0bootstrap.xml
0install add 0bootstrap 0bootstrap.xml

Creating a package for your program¶

Run 0bootstrap, passing in the package format and the name (URI) of the main program. For example, to create an Ubuntu package for Edit:

0bootstrap --format=deb http://rox.sourceforge.net/2005/interfaces/Edit

The resulting edit.deb package can now be installed on a Ubuntu machine.

Maintainer: Bastian Eicher
License: GNU Lesser General Public License
Source: https://github.com/0install/0bootstrap-dotnet
Zero Install feed: https://apps.0install.net/0install/0bootstrap.xml

FAQ¶

What about security?: Installing a package isn't a great way to make a shortcut. The normal Zero Install process of dragging a feed link to a trusted installation program is much better. However, distributions have been very slow to support this. 0bootstrap is an attempt to boot-strap the adoption process. The native package is required to work with the operating system's package installation tools, and can be automatically created by a web service given the feed's URI.