File README.packaging of Package owncloud

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File README.packaging of Package owncloud

jw, Fr 23. Jan 14:46:43 CET 2015

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Structure of Linux packages for ownCloud server 8
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Motivation
==========

The packaging, as done with ownCloud server 7 was a had several issues.
With ownCloud 8 we attempt to improve the situation.

Dependencies
------------
 
  The owncloud Linux package had many dependencies.

Most dependencies are specific to one app only. To be prepared for all potentially enabled apps,
  the package pulled in all their dependencies. Some of them were large or intrusive. 
  (PDF renderer, imagemagick, libreoffice, clamav, ...)

Several other dependencies are related to a specific setup. The package assumed
  that the webserver is apache (and pulled it in as a requirement, if not already installed)
  and it pulled in mysql and sqlite database packages to be prepared for either choice.

With ownCloud 8.x we distinguish between core dependencies, and app dependencies, as well as between
  hard and soft dependencies. The following files define the dependencies:

* https://build.opensuse.org/package/view_file/isv:ownCloud:community/owncloud/debian.control?expand=1
  * https://build.opensuse.org/package/view_file/isv:ownCloud:community/owncloud/owncloud.spec?expand=1

Optional dependencies include:

* redis (https://github.com/owncloud/core/issues/16728#issuecomment-109908014)

Isolation
---------

Installing the owncloud package made several changes to the system with immediate effect.
  Configuration of an apache webserver is changed. If running, it is shut down and restarted during install.
  A mysql database engine is installed in the system and started.
  Older versions also impacted several network settings, such as NTP.

While the all-in-one configuration may be usefull in small-scale or personal installation. 
  It is a major drawback for larger setups or enterprises, often found intrusive.

Source
======

The upstream source for our Linux packages is a tar ball. This is also sometimes refered to as a package.
The tar ball package is generated from our github repositories. This contains most of the core repo, and 
also a selection of apps is included. The contents changes from 7.0 to 8.0 as we e.g. now include the provisioning app,
but no longer include the calender app in the tar ball. Most community apps will be published via apps.owncloud.com

The directory structure of the tar ball is

owncloud
  -> /apps/*
  -> /core/*
  -> /3rdparty/*
  -> /config/*
  -> /data/

Linux Package Concepts
======================

With ownCloud 8.0, the Linux packages rearrange and subdivide the contents of the tar ball in smaller building blocks.
From a Filesystem Hierarchy Viewpoint we rearrange the contents, so that adheres to the FHS standards and also to the 
rules of the target platform. This affects path names, where configuration, code and data is found, as well as naming
conventions.

Building blocks
---------------

The following packages serve as building blocks

* owncloud-server
   This package is the main building block for server installations. It comes without database or webserver configuration.
   It contains not apps directly, but requires a a set of default apps, to match the advertised owncloud-server functionality.

Paths: 
     - /usr/share/owncloud	(php code)
     - /var/lib/owncloud	(data folder, including owncloud.log)
     - /etc/owncloud		(config.php and other config files)
     - /var/log/owncloud	(TBD, /var/lib/owncloud/data/owncloud.log temporarily)
     
   Dependencies: php Linux packages, list of default apps. (no apache config here!)
   List of default apps: TBD

* owncloud-3rdparty
   A sub-package of owncloud-server. This ships separate only for licensing reasons. 
   TBD: check if these reasons still apply, merge back into owncloud-server.

* owncloud-config-apache
   This package contains the configuration to access owncloud via an apache installation.
   Path: 
     - /etc/apache2/conf.d/owncloud.conf or other APACHE_CONF_D/owncloud.conf 	(config file exposing /owncloud route)
     - /srv/www/htdocs/owncloud	or other APACHE_WEBROOT/owncloud	(compatibility symlink to /usr/share/owncloud)
   Dependencies: owncloud-server apache

* owncloud-app-APPNAME
   Each app found in the source tar ball, packaged by itself.
   Path: /usr/share/owncloud/apps/APPNAME/*
   Dependencies: exact list of extra Linux packages required by this app, if any. (TBD)

* owncloud-app-calendar (TBD)
 * owncloud-app-contacts (TBD)
   Single app packages built directly via github commit triggers or from every appstore upload.
   These are useful to automate usage of the appstore with the linux system package installer (yum, yast, apt, ...)

Scenarios and meta packages
---------------------------

* owncloud
   The package named 'owncloud' contains no code, it is a meta package.
   Installing this package is recommended for the 'all-in-one' user experience, including 
   default apps, apache and mysql configuration.
 
 * owncloud-community (TBD, should 'owncloud' already pull contacts and calendar?)
   Same as 'owncloud', but also pulls in a list of community apps.
   Dependencies: owncloud-app-contacts owncloud-app-calendar ... (TBD)

* owncloud-config-mysql (TBD)
   Prepare (install and configure) a local mysql (or mariadb) database server to be used with
   with owncloud-server. This package pulls in owncloud-server and mysql packages and installs the needed
   config files. Thus it can be used as an entry point for the mysql use case.

* owncloud-config-ngnx (TBD)
   Prepare owncloud to run under the Ngnx web server. This package pulls in owncloud-server and nginx packages
   as dependencies and installs the needed config files. Thus it can be used as an entry point for the nginx use case.

By installing combinations of meta packages, a multitude of scenarios can be created. E.g. installing
owncloud-config-nginx and owncloud-config-mysql starts the owncloud server with ngnx and mysql, but will not pull 
apache or sqlite packages or change their configuration, if previously installed.

Using OBS for Linux Packages
============================

The main repository for the server code is hosted at https://build.opensuse.org which is a public instance of the 
openbuildservice.org infrastructure (short OBS). The build service converts the
source (tar ball) into installable 'binary' packages (.deb and .rpm format) .

URLs where our our server packages are built:

https://build.opensuse.org/package/show/isv:ownCloud:community:7.0/owncloud
https://build.opensuse.org/package/show/isv:ownCloud:community:8.0/owncloud

The build status for each platform is on the right hand side. 
Packages can be downloaded from obs in several ways:

* 'Download package' at the top righthand side has a guided installation procedure.

* http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/isv:/ownCloud:/community:/7.0/
   http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/isv:/ownCloud:/community:/8.0/
   contain repo files to be registered with the linux system installers.

FHS Compliance
==============

Everything is installed under the webserver root.
  The webserver root path differs between systems (/srv/www/htdocs /var/www/html ...)
  and differs between webservers (apache, ngnx).

Config files, data, and code are all inside the webserver root.

This disagrees with the Linux Filesystem Hierarchie standards as defined in 
  https://wiki.linuxfoundation.org/en/FHS

E.g. sysadmins expect all config files under /etc/,
  variable data should go into /var/, while code should be under /usr/, 
  which the admin may chose to mount readonly.

We provide a package owncloud-fhs as an experimental (i.e. unmaintained/unsupported) variant of the main owncloud 
  package. This is to identify migration issues when moving towards fhs compliance.

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