source: BOOK/appendices/rationale/common.xml

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<appendix id="appendixd-common" xreflabel="Appendix D">
  <?dbhtml dir="appendixd"?>
  <?dbhtml filename="rationale-common.html"?>

  <title>Package Rationale</title>

  <para>CLFS includes many packages, a number of which might not necessarily
  be required for a "minimal" system, but still considered very useful. The
  purpose of this page is to list the reasoning for each package's inclusion
  in the book.</para>

  <itemizedlist>

    <listitem>
      <para>Acl</para>
      <para>The Acl package allows usage and setting of POSIX Access Control
      Lists. It can be used by several other packages in CLFS, such as Coreutils
      and Systemd.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Attr</para>
      <para>Attr allows setting and viewing extended attributes of filesystem
      objects. It is required by Systemd.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Autoconf</para>
      <para>The Autoconf package contains programs for producing shell scripts
      that can automatically configure source code. This is useful for software
      developers, as well as anyone who wants to install packages that don't
      come with a configure script, such as some of the packages in CBLFS.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Automake</para>
      <para>The Automake package contains programs for generating Makefiles
      for use with Autoconf. This can be useful to software developers.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Bash</para>
      <para>This package contains the Bourne-Again SHell. A shell is an
      important component of a Linux system, as there must be some way of
      allowing the users to enter commands.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Bc</para>
      <para>This package contains a precision calculator. The Linux kernel
      uses Bc to render the timeconst header.</para>
    </listitem>


    <listitem>
      <para>Binutils</para>
      <para>This package contains programs for handling object files. The
      programs in this package are needed for compiling most of the packages
      in CLFS.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Bison</para>
      <para>This package contains programs that are required by several
      packages in CLFS.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Bzip2</para>
      <para>The programs in this package are useful for compressing files to
      reduce size. They are also needed to uncompress tarballs for many
      CLFS packages.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>CLFS-Boot-scripts</para>
      <para>This package contains a number of scripts that run at boottime,
      performing essential tasks such as mounting/checking filesystems and
      starting the network interface.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Check</para>
      <para>This package contains a test harness for other programs. It is
      used for some packages' test suites.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Coreutils</para>
      <para>This package contains many basic command-line file-management
      tools, required for installation of every package in CLFS.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>D-Bus</para>
      <para>D-Bus is a message bus system, which allows applications to
      communicate to each other. It is used by Systemd.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>DejaGNU</para>
      <para>This package is needed for the test suites of several packages,
      especially GCC and Binutils.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>DHCPCD</para>
      <para>This package allows for automatic configuration of network
      interfaces from a DHCP server. It (or some other package providing a
      DHCP client is needed to connect to a DHCP server.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Diffutils</para>
      <para>This package contains programs to compare files, and can also
      be used to create patches. It is required by the installation procedures
      of many CLFS packages, and used by many packages' test suites.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Eudev</para>
      <para>This is a package that allows for dynamic creation of device nodes.
      It is a fork of Udev, which is now part of Systemd. It is still
      used for the "Boot" method in the temp-system, as Systemd is not needed
      there.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Expect</para>
      <para>This package is needed for the test suites for several packages.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>E2fsprogs</para>
      <para>The programs in this package are used for the creation and
      maintenance of ext2/3/4 filesystems.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>File</para>
      <para>This package contains a program that determines the type of
      a given file. It is needed by some CLFS packages.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Findutils</para>
      <para>This package contains programs for finding files based on certain
      criteria, and optionally performing commands on them. These programs
      are used by the installation procedures of many CLFS packages.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Flex</para>
      <para>This package contains a tool for generating text scanners. It is
      used by multiple packages in CLFS</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Gawk</para>
      <para>This package contains programs for manipulating text files, using
      the AWK language. It is used by the installation procedures of many
      packages in CLFS.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Gcc</para>
      <para>This package contains a C compiler, which is required to compile
      most of the packages in CLFS.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>GDBM</para>
      <para>This package contains the GNU Database Manager library. Man-DB
      requires either GDBM or Berkeley DB, though it prefers GDBM.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Gettext</para>
      <para>A tool that allows programmers to easily implement i18n
      (internationalization) in their programs. It is a required dependency
      for a number of packages</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Glibc</para>
      <para>Any dynamically-linked C program (nearly every package in CLFS
      has these) needs a C library to compile and run.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>GMP</para>
      <para>This package is required by GCC.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Gperf</para>
      <para>This package is required by Systemd.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Grep</para>
      <para>This package contains programs for searching for text in files.
      These programs are required by many packages in CLFS.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Groff</para>
      <para>This package is required by Man-DB.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Gzip</para>
      <para>Useful for compressing files to reduce size. It is also needed to
      uncompress tarballs for many CLFS packages</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Iana-Etc</para>
      <para>This package provides the <filename>/etc/services</filename> and
      <filename>/etc/protocols</filename> files. These files map port names to
      port numbers as well as protocol names to their corresponding numbers.
      These files are essential for many network based programs to work properly.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Intltool</para>
      <para>This package is required by Systemd.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>IProute2</para>
      <para>This package contains programs for administering network
      interfaces.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>IPutils</para>
      <para>This package contains several basic network-management tools.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>ISL</para>
      <para>This package is required by GCC for GRAPHITE optimizations.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Kbd</para>
      <para>Contains keytable files and keyboard utilities compatible with the
      Linux kernel. These can be used to change the display font and keyboard
      layout.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Kmod</para>
      <para>This package contains programs that assist in loading an unloading
      kernel modules.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Less</para>
      <para>A program that lets you view text files one page at a time.
      It is also used by Man-DB for displaying manpages.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Libcap</para>
      <para>This package is required by Systemd.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Libpipeline</para>
      <para>The Libpipeline package contains a library for manipulating
      pipelines of subprocesses in a flexible and convenient way. It is
      required by the Man-DB package.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Libtool</para>
      <para>The Libtool package contains the GNU generic library support
      script. It is used by some CLFS packages.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Linux Headers</para>
      <para>This package consists of santized headers from the Linux Kernel.
      These headers are required for Glibc to compile.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Linux Kernel</para>
      <para>The Linux operating system.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>M4</para>
      <para>This package contains a macro processor. It is required by several
      CLFS packages, including Bison.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Make</para>
      <para>This is required for installation of most CLFS packages</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Man-DB</para>
      <para>This package contains programs for finding and viewing man pages,
      and has superior internationalization capabilities compared to the
      <application>Man</application> package.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Man-Pages</para>
      <para>A number of useful manpages, not supplied by other packages</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>MPC</para>
      <para>This package is required by GCC.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>MPFR</para>
      <para>This package is required by GCC.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Ncurses</para>
      <para>Needed by several packages in CLFS, such as Vim, Bash, and Less</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Patch</para>
      <para>Used for applying patches in several CLFS packages</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Perl</para>
      <para>The Perl package contains the Practical Extraction and Report
      Language. It is required by several CLFS packages.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Pkg-config-lite</para>
      <para>Several packages in CLFS, and many others outside of CLFS,
      use <command>pkg-config</command> to locate dependencies.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Procps-ng</para>
      <para>Provides a number of small, useful utilities that give information
      about the <filename class="directory">/proc</filename> filesystem.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Psmisc</para>
      <para>Provides more utilties that give information about the
      <filename class="directory">/proc</filename> filesystem.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Readline</para>
      <para>The Readline library provides a set of functions for use by
      applications that allow users to edit command lines as they are typed
      in. This is essential for input in programs like <command>bash</command>
      to work properly.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Sed</para>
      <para>This package contains a stream editor. It is used in the
      installation procedures of most CLFS packages.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Shadow</para>
      <para>This package contains programs that assist in the administration
      of users and groups, and passwords.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Systemd</para>
      <para>Systemd provides the init daemon for the system, as well as Udev,
      which dynamically creates device nodes.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Tar</para>
      <para>Required to unpack the tar archives in which all CLFS packages
      are distributed</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Tcl</para>
      <para>Needed for the test suites of several packages</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Texinfo</para>
      <para>This package contains programs for viewing, installing and
      converting info pages. It is used in the installation procedures
      of many CLFS packages.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Util-linux</para>
      <para>The Util-linux package contains miscellaneous utility programs.
      Among them are utilities for handling file systems, consoles,
      partitions, and messages. It also includes libraries that are required
      by E2fsprogs.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Vim</para>
      <para>The Vim package contains a text editor. Users may substitute Nano,
      Joe, Emacs, or whatever other editor they prefer.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>XML::Parser</para>
      <para>This Perl module is required by Intltool.</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>XZ Utils</para>
      <para>Useful for compressing files to reduce size. Also needed to
      uncompress tarballs for many CLFS packages</para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para>Zlib</para>
      <para>The Zlib package contains compression and decompression routines
      used by some programs.</para>
    </listitem>

  </itemizedlist>

</appendix>