mmpack - a user package manager

mmpack is a cross-platform, multi-versioning user package manager (as opposed to system package manager). It leverages the container namespace virtualisation technique to isolate package installations which allows separate, non-conflicting ecosystems.

In the mmpack jargon, these ecosystems are called prefixes and ressemble the equivalent Python virtualenvs or Ruby gemsets. However, mmpack packages are not targeting any specific language, instead, they aim to bundle any meaningful set of files (including binaries, data and documentation).

mmpack is designed to work without any need for root access, and to allow multiple coexisting project versions within project prefixes.

mmpack leverages mmlib and it is hence fully cross-platform. Currently supported systems are GNU/Linux and Windows.

For questions, requests, issues, pull-requests, etc., drop an email: [email protected]

Main features

• Easy package creation
• User space installation
• Coexistence of different versions of the same software
• Deployment support (quick process to setup cross-platform packages)
• Built-in package distribution utility

Installation

mmpack depends on mmlib, libcurl, libarchive and libyaml and the python3 modules: argcomplete, astroid, elftools, pefile, urllib3, watchdog, yaml.

After downloading the code, change to the source folder and type the following to install mmpack:

$> meson build && cd build
$> meson install

In GNU/Linux system also the setcap command is required (with root permission);

#> ninja setcap

That allows mmpack to use the kernel namespace isolation for the prefixes and it is the last time root permission is ever needed while using mmpack.

Debian systems

Debian users can take advantaged from a packaged version of mmpack. In debian systems just add the file /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mmpack.list, containing:

deb http://opensource.mindmaze.com/debrepos unstable main
deb-src http://opensource.mindmaze.com/debrepos unstable main

The gpg key must also be added in the apt gpg folder:

curl https://opensource.mindmaze.com/debrepos/mindmaze-opensource.gpg | sudo tee /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/mindmaze-opensource.gpg > /dev/null

Then it is a matter of (as root or with sudo):

apt update
apt install mmpack

Windows systems (MSYS2)

Windows users with the MSYS2 system can edit /etc/pacman.conf and add the following lines:

[mmlabs]
Server = https://opensource.mindmaze.com/mingw

Then run:

pacman -Sy
pacman -S mmpack

Usage

mmpack comes with two CLI commands;

• mmpack: manage prefixes and install software;
• mmpack-build: create packages.

On prefixes

A prefix is identified by a path which can be specified in different ways; through the command line argument --prefix and through the environment variable $MMPACK_PREFIX.

Each prefix can be associated with one or several upstream repositories for installing software right away; to create a prefix run:

mmpack mkprefix --url=<http://repository/url> $MMPACK_PREFIX

(See the section below about installing software through repositories)

Process run outside the prefixes do not have access to their content and processes run inside one prefix have the privileges of the running user plus access to their own prefix (but not the others).

This means that, for a given software A with dependencies B,C, it is possible to have:

• a system wide installation at version x, with B,C
• another installation at version y in prefix j
• another installation at version z in prefix k, with patched B

Moreover, installation in a prefix does not require root privileges (provided it is inside a user accessible folder).

Installing upstream software

mmpack sports some of the most common commands among package managers:

# update package list from the repository url(s) of prefix <prefix_name>
mmpack --prefix=<prefix_name> update

# search for available package in the prefix <prefix_name>
mmpack --prefix=<prefix_name> search <package-name>

# install <package-name> in the prefix <prefix_name>
mmpack --prefix=<prefix_name> install <package-name>

Other useful commands include list and upgrade. All the commands support the --help flag for discoverability.

All the commands provide the --prefix flag, however it is also possible to use the environment variable $MMPACK_PREFIX; the following commands have hence the same effect as the above ones:

export $MMPACK_PREFIX=<prefix_path>

# update package list from the repository url(s) of prefix <prefix_path>
mmpack update

# search for available package in the prefix <prefix_path>
mmpack search <package-name>

# install <package-name> in the prefix <prefix_path>
mmpack install <package-name>

Run mmpack software

To run mmack software, just invoke the <command> with:

mmpack run <command>

Referring to the example for software A:

A #  runs the system-wide installed version
mmpack --prefix=j run A #  runs A from prefix j
mmpack --prefix=k run A #  runs A from prefix k, which loads patched B

If no command is provided, the default $SHELL is launched. Inside this shell all the programs installed in the current prefix are added to the $PATH. (Hence, typing mmpack run is to some extent similar to mounting an extension to the root filesystem).

Again, with respect to the above example,

mmpack --prefix=j run #  enters prefix j environment
A #  runs A from prefix j

For the ease of use, the possibility to specify prefixes with an environment variable has been introduced; so the following two invocations have the same effect;

mmpack --prefix=j run A #  runs A from prefix j

export MMPACK_PREFIX=j
mmpack run A #  runs A from prefix j

Package creation

Creating mmpack packages has been designed to be easy-peasy. mmpack-build supports the most widespread build-systems: Makefile, Autotools, Meson.

mmpack-build just needs the so-called mmpack/spec-file; a simple example is given by

name: mmpack-hello-world
version: 1.0.0
maintainer: Gandalf <[email protected]>
url: ssh://<your git url>
description: mmpack hello world

The build-system to use can be specified; if it is not, mmpack will guess it for you.

Refer to the documentation for in-depth details about spec files. Provided sources and the mmpack/spec file, building the package is as easy as typing:

mmpack-build pkg-create

Documentation

Documentation can be found online, https://opensource.mindmaze.com/projects/mmpack/ or generated from sources.