apkkit 0.5

Manage APK packages from Python

Authors:

A. Wilcox

Version:

0.5

Status:

Alpha

Copyright:

© 2015-2016 Adélie Linux Team. NCSA open source licence.

Requirements

Background

Our new Linux distro (codename Adélie) combines pieces of Portage, a stable Python-based package build system, with the AlpineLinux package format, APK. We need a pure Python library for manipulating and verifying APK packages. We also need a pure Python library for maintaining APK repositories.

Objectives / success criteria

• Compatibility with upstream APK Tools.

• Stable v1 release by December 2016.

• Minimal to no external dependencies.

Solution vision

Major features

1. Pull metadata out of an APK file.

2. Sanity check APK files and repositories.

3. Creation of APK files.

4. Keep repository INDEX files up to date.

Project Scope and Limitations

Scope of initial release (v1)

The initial release will focus primarily on the handling of APK files. Some limited repository functionality may be present to further the ends of APK file management.

Scope of next release (v2)

The second release will focus further on repository management.

Scope of future releases

Further releases will focus on keeping up to date with the upstream APK format, and stability and performance fixes. No further major features are anticipated.

Limitations and exclusions

Warning

This is NOT meant to be used by end users, or as a replacement package manager! It is designed for manipulation of APK packages, not existing APK databases. It probably has very little use unless you are a package or repository maintainer.