Member Avatar for RikTelner

Is LFS (Linux From Scratch) bulletproof? I don't want to build OS, that would probably result me throwing laptop through the window 17 times and pulling massive amount of hair opt-out of my head. So. I just want to know. They said that using LFS they were able to build basic apache server and it's weight was 5MB (6MB for more realism). From more "quoatige"

Building LFS could be compared to a finished house. LFS will give you the skeleton of a house, but it's up to you to install plumbing, electrical outlets, kitchen, bath, wallpaper, etc. You have the ability to turn it into whatever type of system you need it to be, customized completely for you.

So mentioned OS's skeleton, bulletproof?

  • 3 Contributors
  • 3 Replies
  • 246 Views
  • 2 Days Discussion Span
  • Latest Post Latest Post by Hiroshe

Dani AI

Generated

Short answer: not inherently. LFS is a teaching-oriented, do-it-yourself way to assemble a Linux system from source; it gives total control and a very small, understandable "skeleton," but it does not provide the automation, QA, or ongoing security maintenance that most people mean by "bulletproof." 's instinct about the effort involved is accurate.

What LFS buys is control and minimalism. What it does not buy is a package manager, automated security updates, tested upgrade paths, or out-of-the-box hardening. As noted, a source-based distribution such as Gentoo is a closer compromise if the goal is a small, configurable system with easier maintenance; ’s blunt “No” is also correct for the notion that LFS alone is a production-ready, low-maintenance server.

Practical directions for the scenario discussed (minimal Apache-like server):

  • If the aim is minimal and reliable with low maintenance, use a maintained minimal distribution or a small container image rather than pure LFS.
  • If LFS must be used for learning or absolute control, build and test inside a VM or container, automate every build step with scripts, keep a versioned build log (or repo of build scripts), and use BLFS for service packages.
  • Plan for updates: establish a procedure for tracking and applying security patches, rebuilds, and backups; add monitoring and rollback points before putting anything into production.

Conclusion: LFS is excellent for education and for crafting extremely specific systems, but not "bulletproof" by default. For a production web server, either accept the ongoing maintenance burden of LFS and harden it thoroughly, or pick a maintained minimal distro (or a source-based distro with package tooling) to get both small size and predictable, secure updates.

Recommended Answers

All 3 Replies

Member Avatar for rubberman

The main point of LFS is to teach people the inner secrets of configuring and building Linux systems from scratch (so to speak). If you want a light-weight apache server, then it would be better to get a light-weight Linux distribution and install apache and necessary other components there. Gentoo is a good choice (but will still make you tear your hair out most likely) in that you can configure it for just your hardware and install just the software you want. I have done that in the past and it was small, fast, and reliable. It had no drivers that were not needed, and only the software I wanted (aside what is necessary to run the system).

Member Avatar for RikTelner

Your post is highly informative. But doesn't include answer to asked question.

Member Avatar for Hiroshe

Is LFS (Linux From Scratch) bulletproof?

No. If you want something more stable, use a full distribution.

Be a part of the DaniWeb community

We're a friendly, industry-focused community of developers, IT pros, digital marketers, and technology enthusiasts meeting, networking, learning, and sharing knowledge.