OpenSUSE Build Service
Encyclopedia
The Open Build Service is an open and complete distribution development platform designed to encourage developers to compile packages for multiple Linux distributions
including openSUSE
, Red Hat
, Mandriva
, Ubuntu
, Fedora and Debian
. It typically simplifies the packaging process, so developers can more easily package a single program for many distributions, and many openSUSE releases, making more packages available to users regardless of what distribution they use. Also product and appliance building is supported by OBS.
The build service software is published under the GPL. In an acknowledgement of its usefulness to the wider Linux community, the Linux Foundation
has announced that the project will be added to the Linux Developer Network (LDN).. Also various companies and the MeeGo
project are using it for developing their distribution.
It delivers also a full collaboration environment, allowing developer groups to build and submit changes to other projects.
or Debian packages
. After each upload, the openSUSE Build Service schedules the changed packages to rebuild. On completion, the resulting binary packages are published instantaneously to the download server, which makes them available to the public.
The openSUSE Build Service provides a public API
which is implemented in several user interfaces
:
Furthermore, a plug-in for integrating the openSUSE Build Service into Eclipse
is developed as a Google Summer of Code
project.
Linux distribution
A Linux distribution is a member of the family of Unix-like operating systems built on top of the Linux kernel. Such distributions are operating systems including a large collection of software applications such as word processors, spreadsheets, media players, and database applications...
including openSUSE
OpenSUSE
openSUSE is a general purpose operating system built on top of the Linux kernel, developed by the community-supported openSUSE Project and sponsored by SUSE...
, Red Hat
Red Hat
Red Hat, Inc. is an S&P 500 company in the free and open source software sector, and a major Linux distribution vendor. Founded in 1993, Red Hat has its corporate headquarters in Raleigh, North Carolina with satellite offices worldwide....
, Mandriva
Mandriva
Mandriva S.A. is a publicly traded Linux and open source software company with its headquarters in Paris, France and development center in Curitiba, Brazil. Mandriva, S.A...
, Ubuntu
Ubuntu (operating system)
Ubuntu is a computer operating system based on the Debian Linux distribution and distributed as free and open source software. It is named after the Southern African philosophy of Ubuntu...
, Fedora and Debian
Debian
Debian is a computer operating system composed of software packages released as free and open source software primarily under the GNU General Public License along with other free software licenses. Debian GNU/Linux, which includes the GNU OS tools and Linux kernel, is a popular and influential...
. It typically simplifies the packaging process, so developers can more easily package a single program for many distributions, and many openSUSE releases, making more packages available to users regardless of what distribution they use. Also product and appliance building is supported by OBS.
The build service software is published under the GPL. In an acknowledgement of its usefulness to the wider Linux community, the Linux Foundation
Linux Foundation
The Linux Foundation is a non-profit technology consortium chartered to foster the growth of Linux.Founded in 2007 by the merger of the Open Source Development Labs and the Free Standards Group , the Linux Foundation sponsors the work of Linux creator Linus Torvalds and is supported by leading...
has announced that the project will be added to the Linux Developer Network (LDN).. Also various companies and the MeeGo
MeeGo
MeeGo is a Linux-based open source mobile operating system project. Primarily targeted at mobile devices and information appliances in the consumer electronics market, MeeGo is designed to act as an operating system for hardware platforms such as netbooks, entry-level desktops, nettops, tablet...
project are using it for developing their distribution.
It delivers also a full collaboration environment, allowing developer groups to build and submit changes to other projects.
Workflow and usage
There are two ways to use Build Service: As a private installation and as an open service hosted on Novell's servers. When hosted at Novell, each packager is assigned a space (called home-project) where they can upload sources and definitions on how to build RPMRPM Package Manager
RPM Package Manager is a package management system. The name RPM variously refers to the .rpm file format, files in this format, software packaged in such files, and the package manager itself...
or Debian packages
Deb (file format)
deb is the extension of the Debian software package format and the most often used name for such binary packages. Like the "Deb" part of the term Debian, it originates from the name of Debra, erstwhile girlfriend and now ex-wife of Debian's founder Ian Murdock.Debian packages are also used in...
. After each upload, the openSUSE Build Service schedules the changed packages to rebuild. On completion, the resulting binary packages are published instantaneously to the download server, which makes them available to the public.
The openSUSE Build Service provides a public API
Application programming interface
An application programming interface is a source code based specification intended to be used as an interface by software components to communicate with each other...
which is implemented in several user interfaces
User interface
The user interface, in the industrial design field of human–machine interaction, is the space where interaction between humans and machines occurs. The goal of interaction between a human and a machine at the user interface is effective operation and control of the machine, and feedback from the...
:
- a web interface at build.opensuse.org
- a command line interface called osc
Furthermore, a plug-in for integrating the openSUSE Build Service into Eclipse
Eclipse (software)
Eclipse is a multi-language software development environment comprising an integrated development environment and an extensible plug-in system...
is developed as a Google Summer of Code
Google Summer of Code
The Google Summer of Code is an annual program, first held from May to August 2005, in which Google awards stipends to hundreds of students who successfully complete a requested free or open-source software coding project during the summer...
project.
Versions and History
- 2006-02-22 — initial announcement
- 2007-12-21 — Version 0.5
- 2008-04-16 — Version 0.9
- 2008-07-09 — Version 1.0
- 2009-03-19 — Version 1.5
- 2010-06-09 — Versions 1.8 and 2.0