PNU 2023.3.25

The PNU Project

PNU, as in PNU is Not Unix, is a challenge project and a learning exercise to reimplement UNIX command-line tools in Python, forming a kind of "pytnix" portable user-land utilities collection.

It's meant to be pronounced "Pneu" (tyre in French), a "pun" which seems appropriate as it's clearly another reinvention of the wheel, longtime after the GNU project :-)

Objectives:

• Originally intended as a learning exercise in Python/Unix for my son, but open to anyone.
• Passing on some Unix culture & lore to a generation of new hackers (in the original and noble meaning of the word).
• Having some handy portable Unix tools, for example for Windows (though there are plenty of other solutions for that).
• Ultimately to have most of the relevant standard utilities included in POSIX.1, many utilities sitting under /bin and /usr/bin in a modern BSD/GNU Linux system, some usual non-standard utilities, as well as some utilities of our own.

Project status:

• The project is ongoing. You can install what's available from our package with the following console command:

pip install PNU

or you can install PNU plus a selection of additional third-parties tools with this command:

pip install pytnix

• This page is both for the challenge description and for referencing unix tools rewrites made by contributors.
• To contribute you can simply create:
  • your own Github repositories and link them to the project by using the pnu-project topic
  • your own PyPi packages and link them to the project by using the pnu-project keyword (but please don't use the "pnu-" package prefix for your own entries)

How to contribute:

• As a player:
  • Decide on a Unix command to reimplement in Python 3.x (see list below for suggestions or our Master / targets list for full details).
  • Read the tutorials
  • Read the guidelines for contribution (among other documentation manuals)
  • Come discuss it with us on the forums
• As an organizer:
  • Read the guidelines for organization

Suggested tasks and progression:

The following, (A)D&D inspired, level structure is proposed for gamification. We suggest level bosses in order to complete a level (but no Demogorgon here, we are not in Stranger Things :-)) and associated :trophy: trophies for fun :-)

We're also thinking about offering Habitica's quests for further gamification.

The following classification of commands is still in progress.

Basic levels

Level 1 sub projects

Handling return codes, printing to the terminal:

• true, false
• yes
• echo => suggested level boss. Trophy: :baby_bottle: (hint: option can be hardcoded)

Level 2 sub projects

Basic string handling:

• basename, dirname => without options for a start
• caesar, rot13

Basic math or data structures, school level:

• factor, primes => suggested level boss. Trophy: :school_satchel:

Level 3 sub projects

Basic filters, command line & environment processing, file operations:

• basename => with full options
• cat => POSIX version only for a start
• head
• expand, unexpand
• fold
• wc => suggested level boss. Trophy: :toilet:

Level 4 sub projects

Basic text processing utilities, multiple files or many options:

• cat => with full options
• nl
• cmp
• comm
• uniq => suggested level boss. Trophy: :one:

Level 5 sub projects

Basic utilities using more complex parsing:

• expr => just a warmer
• printf
• getopts
• cut => suggested level boss. Trophy: :scissors:

Intermediate levels

System utilities (implying minimum Unix system knowledge). Regular expressions, text parsing. CSV, JSON, XML, HTML data handling.

Level 6 sub projects

Basic system utilities.

Level 7 sub projects

Basic system utilities, possibly recursive ones:

Level 8 sub projects

Level 9 sub projects

Level 10 sub projects

Advanced levels

Full screen text applications, windowed applications, office documents manipulation, image manipulation, web scraping, network applications, automation.

Interactive full screen applications:

• vi

Advanced system utilities, data compression:

• compress, uncompress
• zcat

Level 11 sub projects

Level 12 sub projects

Level 13 sub projects

Level 14 sub projects

Level 15 sub projects

Master levels

Languages (interpreters, compilers), database management systems, network protocols:

• awk

Level 16 sub projects

Level 17 sub projects

Level 18 sub projects

Level 19 sub projects

Level 20 sub projects

• sh => Suggested level boss. Trophy: :shell:

Immortal levels

It's a long way to the top if you wanna get your entry in the "Deities & Demigods" of hackers, but here are some examples to inspire you from the Unix & open source pantheon (note: having a :neckbeard: beard is not mandatory)

However, all of this is beyond the scope of the project and probably not a good idea to implement in Python :-)

Demigods level transcending projects

Full operating system kernels & device drivers:

• Your own Minix/386BSD/Linux like operating system with PNU userland utilities :-)

Deities level transcending projects

Making your own hardware platform and all the software to run it.

• Although not Unix related, :mage_man: The Woz springs to mind here and his excellent autobiography, iWoz, is highly recommended for a good glimpse into a true hacker's mind.