pbuilder-amd64-helper

pbuilder-amd64-helper is a tool that automates routine work with Debian packages. Recognizing that maintainers typically do not build packages on their host machines, pbuilder-amd64-helper builds packages in chroot environments for the amd64 architecture to ensure a clean and isolated process. This script serves as a wrapper around pbuilder, pdebuild, and debootstrap, combining these excellent tools into one streamlined workflow. After the package is successfully built, pbuilder-amd64-helper runs various tools to verify and ensure the quality of the package. These checks help maintainers ensure that the package is compliant with Debian standards and free from common issues before it is uploaded to the repository. I was not satisfied with the pbuilder hooks, which led me to create my own tool.

Installation

$ curl -L -O https://github.com/krekhovx/pbuilder-amd64-helper/releases/download/v1.0.0-1/pbuilder-amd64-helper_1.0.0-1_all.deb
$ sudo apt install -y ./pbuilder-amd64-helper_1.0.0-1_all.deb

Examples

NOTE: Scripts such as pbuilder-amd64-helper and deb-checks.sh are executed with superuser rights.

Usage information:

$ pbuilder-amd64-helper --help
$ man pbuilder-amd64-helper

Create a chroot from the Debian mirror:

$ pbuilder-amd64-helper --mirror bookworm

Create a chroot from an ISO file:

$ pbuilder-amd64-helper --iso bookworm ~/Downloads/debian-12.9.0-amd64-netinst.iso

Example of building a Debian package (prepare the sources):

$ mkdir sources; cd sources
$ apt-get source hello
$ cd hello-2.10

Build package without tests (nocheck):

$ pbuilder-amd64-helper --build /var/cache/pbuilder/bookworm-chroot.tgz

Build package with tests:

$ pbuilder-amd64-helper --build /var/cache/pbuilder/bookworm-chroot.tgz with-tests

Build package with debug symbols:

$ pbuilder-amd64-helper --build-debug /var/cache/pbuilder/bookworm-chroot.tgz

Build package with Debian checks like lintian, blhc, lrc, duck, etc:

$ pbuilder-amd64-helper --build-with-checks /var/cache/pbuilder/bookworm-chroot.tgz

The packages will be in: /var/cache/pbuilder/result/last/bin
The last actual build: /var/cache/pbuilder/result/last
The penultimate build: /var/cache/pbuilder/result/prelast

Login to tgz:

$ pbuilder-amd64-helper --login /var/cache/pbuilder/bookworm-chroot.tgz

Login to tgz with save mode:

$ pbuilder-amd64-helper --login-save /var/cache/pbuilder/bookworm-chroot.tgz

Execute Debian checks within the chroot

Perform more complex checks like piuparts, hardening-check, adequate, etc.

First, log in to the chroot environment:

$ pbuilder-amd64-helper --login /var/cache/pbuilder/bookworm-chroot.tgz

From another terminal, copy files to the chroot:

$ cp -r /var/cache/pbuilder/result/last/* /var/cache/pbuilder/build/<pid>/home/builder/sources/

Return to the original terminal and run additional checks:

$ cd sources/<my-last-build>
$ deb-checks.sh