On this page, you will find information about MatterLinux package pools. # Structure A pool contains: - [Packages](/wiki/packages) (`.mpf` files) - Package signatures (`.mpf.sig` files) - Pool info file (`INFO`) - Package list file (`LIST`) ### Package files and signatures MatterLinux pools contain at least two package. Each package also has a PGP signature that can be used to verify the package. These signatures belong to public key fingerprint specified in the pool metadata. ### Pool info file Pool info file contains information about the pool itself. This information includes - Pool name - Pool size - Pool maintainer - Pool public key (used for package signatures) This info file can be found in the at the root of the pool. For example the pool info file for `https://pkgs.matterlinux.xyz/base` is located at `https://pkgs.matterlinux.xyz/base/INFO`. `INI` format is used for this file. ### Package list file A list containing all the package information can be found in an archive file named `LIST`. This file is located at the root of the pool. For example the package list for `https://pkgs.matterlinux.xyz/base` is located at `https://pkgs.matterlinux.xyz/base/LIST`. This archive has the following structure: ``` list ├── package-one_version │ └── DATA ├── package-two_version │ └── DATA ... ``` The `DATA` file contains the information for that specific package and it's extracted from packages. To learn more about these please check out the page for [packages](/wiki/packages). ### Pool sources Source for a pool has a simple structure. It also contains all the source files for all the packages in that pool. For example lets take a look the structure of the [`base`](https://pkgs.matterlinux.xyz/base) pool source: ``` base ├── dist │   ├── acl_2.3.1.mpf │   ├── acl_2.3.1.mpf.sig │   ├── INFO │  ... │   ├── LIST │   ├── sed_4.9.mpf │   ├── sed_4.9.mpf.sig │  ... ├── LICENSE.txt ├── README.md ├── pool.sh ├── sign-dist.sh └── src ├── acl │   └── pkg.sh ├── attr │   └── pkg.sh ├── autoconf │   └── pkg.sh ├── automake │   └── pkg.sh ├── bash │   ├── pkg.sh │   ├── skelprof │   └── skelrc ... ``` Let's break this down: - `LICENSE.txt`: License used for the pool. **All the packages in the pool should use a license compatible with this license.** - `README.md`: README file. Contains a small description about the pool. - `pool.sh`: Pool script contains information about the pool, used to build the pool info file. - `src`: Contains package sources (package scripts, extra patches, configuration files etc.) - `dist`: Contains the compiled (built) packages. - `sign-dist.sh`: An extra shell script that you can find in the official pools. It is just a small script that is used to sign all the packages in the `dist` directory if they are built without the signatures. # Using different pools MatterLinux releases offer 2 different pools, `base` and `desktop`. There are also development/testing `base` and `desktop` pools (named "next"). URLs for these pools and the mirrors can be found at the [mirrors page](/wiki/mirrors). These pools can provide packages for users, these packages can be managed using the [MatterLinux package manager (`mp`)](/wiki/mp). ### Building an already existing pool To build an already existing pool, such as the `base` or the `desktop` pool, first you will need to download the pool's source. Source for the `base` and the `desktop` pool can be found on [MatterLinux Git Server](https://git.matterlinux.xyz/matter). After downloading the pool source, you will need to install the `mp-pool` tool, which is the tool used for building MatterLinux pools. To do so please follow the steps [here](https://git.matterlinux.xyz/Matter/mp-pool#installation). Finally to build the pool: ``` $ mp-pool ``` You will mostly likely want to disable package signing though, as you are probably not the owner of the pool: ``` $ mp-pool --no-sign ``` ### Hosting pools Unlike most of the package managers, `mp` does not use HTTP, FTP or RSYNC to communicate with the pools. It has it's own custom protocol named [MPTP](/wiki/mptp). Pools are hosted over this protocol using [pooler](https://git.matterlinux.xyz/matter/pooler). To get host a pool using `pooler`, download and install the `pooler` by following the instructions on the [README](https://git.matterlinux.xyz/matter/pooler). It's also in the official pools so you can install it with `mp` as well. After installing it, you can simply host the pool by running: ``` $ pooler ``` This will start the MPTP server on port 0.0.0.0:5858. You can also host multiple pools by specifying them: ``` $ pooler ``` Note that each pool needs to have a unique name for in order to host multiple pools using the same pooler instance. If you want to change the service address, you can do so by using the `-h` and the `-p` flag: ``` $ pooler -h 0.0.0.0 -p 5566 ``` You can also specify host names for your pools: ``` $ pooler ::p1.example.com ::p2.example.com ``` ### Creating a new pool If you want to create an unofficial pool, setup the directory structure for the source pool as explained above. Then create a `pool.sh` script, you can copy one from the official pools and edit it. After adding your packages and building them with `mp-pool`, you can host it using pooler. I suggest you also host them on a HTTP or a FTP server just to make them easier to access. Doing so will also allow other people to use [`matter-mirror` tool to mirror your pool](/wiki/mirrors). Also you can add your unofficial pool to this wiki page [by creating an issue](https://git.matterlinux.xyz/Matter/content/issues).