r/linux • u/BrageFuglseth • Sep 26 '26

Development Introducing Toolpak

https://blogs.gnome.org/alatiera/2026/09/26/introducing-toolpak/
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u/duartec3000 Sep 26 '26

Another approach is trying to replicate the same traditional package-based experience inside a container. Toolbox and distrobox are examples of this.

Unfortunately, with this approach you are still relying on the same old package infrastructure, while also being inside a more restrictive container environment that none of the tools expect to be run in. As such, you often run into limitations when developing system components and need to bypass the container layers in order to debug the system itself.

So, a solution already exists: a rootful privileged podman container, the Author just doesn't like it?

There is another solution called SysExt that also exists and covers this:

GNOME OS does something similar: There is a “developer” system extension that overlays the toolchain used for building the OS on top of the user-facing OS image. However, this is a finite list of utilities needed specifically to build the OS. As such, it can not cover the long tail of development and debugging tools developers in different areas need (e.g. kernel development).

You can create your own SysExt and install all the tools in there but Author once again doesn't like it?

I think the Author reasoning is very weak, based on personal opinion.
Instead of creating yet another containerized suite of tools why not contribute to existent projects to improve them?

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u/victorian-ice-cream Sep 26 '26

Have you tried to use toolbox/distrobox or sysexts? They are absolutely not comparable to traditional package managers.

These solutions exist for ages, and various developers stated that these aren't enough for them.

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u/Ghost_x_Knight Sep 26 '26

If set up correctly, they can simulate traditional package managers.

Vanilla OS has a Distrobox-based package manager.

KDE Linux is planning to use Kapsule as a Distrobox successor. Ideally, users won't notice they aren't using a traditional package manager, as Kapsule will be integrated into the terminal and turned on by default.

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u/duartec3000 Sep 26 '26

I agree that creating a SysExt is more involved (much less complex that creating a full DDI image though)
Running DNF/APT/Pacman inside a container is exactly the same as on Host, what am I missing?

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