Technology
Estimating Costs and Efforts for Developing a Linux Distro from Scratch
Estimating Costs and Efforts for Developing a Linux Distro from Scratch
Developing a Linux distribution from scratch is a complex undertaking that involves numerous components, including the kernel, firmware, libraries, applications, and desktop environments. This article delves into the estimated costs and the number of hours required to develop such a distribution, particularly focusing on the setup of 140k packages similar to Debian, Fedora, OpenSUSE, Slackware, and Arch.
Kernel Development
The foundation of any Linux distribution is the kernel. Given that it's Linux-based, the kernel will be similar to the one used by major distributions such as Debian, Fedora, and Arch. Developing a compatible kernel from scratch would be a significant task, but not impossible. However, considering the vast support from the open-source community, it’s more practical to adapt an existing kernel with modifications as necessary.
Hardware Compatibility and Firmware Development
Developing firmware for processors and hardware components, as well as non-kernel drivers, is a critical but extensive task. This can range from a few million dollars to several billion, depending on the breadth of the hardware support required. If the goal is to ensure compatibility with a broad range of hardware, a team of 100 to 1000 software engineers working over a period of 10 years could be required. Each firmware and driver needs to be meticulously tested and optimized for performance and reliability.
Core Libraries and Utilities
The core libraries and utilities form the backbone of any Linux distribution. A standard C library and low-level utilities would require about a dozen developers. For higher-level utilities and programming tools, the number increases significantly. With languages such as C, Java, C , Python, C#, Ruby, Rust, Go, Swift, Kotlin, and Haskell, a team of over a hundred developers might be needed. This doesn’t include the development time for support libraries for a variety of window managers and desktop environments.
Applications and Desktop Environment
The development of applications and a desktop environment is another significant task. A small team of developers might focus on a few dozen non-GUI applications, including Internet clients and utility programs. For a desktop environment, the project might require a hundred developers to create a range of window managers like Gnome, KDE, Xfce, among others, each with its own set of support libraries. Additionally, the need for replacements of CUPS, SystemD, Wayland, and internet daemons adds more complexity and developer hours.
Porting and Community Partnerships
Once the core components are in place, the next step is to port existing applications to the new distribution. This can be achieved through partnerships with software companies, leveraging community-driven repositories, or hosting your own custom overlay. The Gentoo overlay is a good example of how custom packages can be managed without starting from scratch. Hosting a distribution in the cloud or using a service like GitHub, GitLab, or AWS for package management can significantly reduce costs.
As for managing bug tracking, Bugzilla is a popular choice, similar to what Red Hat uses for their projects. Paid developers can also be an option, as seen in the case of companies like Red Hat and SUSE, where maintaining a professional development team is the norm.
Conclusion
The estimated costs and development time for building a Linux distribution from scratch span a wide range, from minimal if using existing tools and custom overlays, to millions if developing everything in-house. The choice of approach depends on the scale of the project, available resources, and the level of customization required. The Linux ecosystem offers a rich landscape of tools and resources to help streamline the development process, making it feasible for a interested team to create a custom distribution even on a smaller budget.