Creating a lightweight arch based distro

[qasim799]

Hello, I've decided to make a lightweight arch based distro as an IT college project, I've little distro experience what things should be done to make a lightweight distro for low end hardware.
Things I'm gonna do are installing arch, iceWM, systemd free and making a customizing kernel for better cpu, ram management.
What things further i should do?

 

[Deleted member 140690]

I have no clue as where to start, what experience have you.
I would think the easiest way would be to download the source code
of something close to what you want and start editing out what you
do not want, and compile it.
It certainly is not something for a beginner or the faint hearted.

 

[DexTheDog]

You might want to check out Linux Kernel Development by Robert Love. I am reading it now and it may help with learning to customize the kernel.

 

[Deleted member 111282]

How will this distro be different than arch itself or other-unrelated distros?

 

[dos2unix]

If you get all the pieces installed to compile a kernel....
You can run xconfig to bring up literally hundreds of options and modules
for the kernel. But I warn you, it's not for the timid. It takes a lot of time and patience,
Compiling the kernel itself can take hours depending on what kind of computer you have.
Also keep in mind, the kernel (and the kernel modules) are where most of the drivers get installed/loaded.
So the more you trim the kernel down, the less compatible you make you make it with different kinds of hardware.
What good is a distro that only runs on 1 or 2 kinds of hardware configurations?

 

[darry1966]

There have been distros like Archbang - https://archbang.org/ and Archman - https://archbang.org/ that are using a lightweight environment.

 

[qasim799]

How will this distro be different than arch itself or other-unrelated distros?

this is gonna be arch derivative but lightweight to bring old hardware to life for instance archbang or antiX

 

[qasim799]

There have been distros like Archbang - https://archbang.org/ and Archman - https://archbang.org/ that are using a lightweight environment.

yes i know these, I'm just finding out what kind of optimizations were done beyond a light DE

 

[f33dm3bits]

Things I'm gonna do are installing arch, iceWM, systemd free and making a customizing kernel for better cpu, ram management.

If you aren't going to be using systemd why not just make make Artix the base?

Artix Linux - Home

Artix Linux, a systemd-free linux distribution.

artixlinux.org

 

[qasim799]

If you aren't going to be using systemd why not just make make Artix the base?

Artix Linux - Home

Artix Linux, a systemd-free linux distribution.

artixlinux.org

What further improvements can be done to artix?

 

[f33dm3bits]

What further improvements can be done to artix?

I have no idea, I have never used it. All I know that is Arch-based but using init systems other than systemd.

Artix Linux - Download

Artix Linux, a systemd-free linux distribution.

artixlinux.org

 

[Tolkem]

what things should be done to make a lightweight distro for low end hardware.

You might want to read these:

Welcome to Linux From Scratch!

LFS Project Homepage

BLFS Project Homepage

 

[qasim799]

You might want to read these:

Welcome to Linux From Scratch!

LFS Project Homepage

BLFS Project Homepage

Already checked that out lfs is not a good base to start cause it don't has package manager, only supports the hardware it is built on, can't be turned into bootable iso and very small community support.
That's why i decided to go for Arch or debian as base.

 

[dyfet]

Hello, I've decided to make a lightweight arch based distro as an IT college project, I've little distro experience what things should be done to make a lightweight distro for low end hardware.
Things I'm gonna do are installing arch, iceWM, systemd free and making a customizing kernel for better cpu, ram management.
What things further i should do?

You might also want to look at AlpineLinux ...

 

[darry1966]

If you want systems free try Devuan if using a Debian base have Refracta remastering tools.