4 ms·

Alpine Linux 3.24.0 Released

139 points by fossdd 4mo ago

dizhn 4mo ago
What a beautiful little thing Alpine is.
Bender 4mo ago
Upgraded two of my HTTPS nodes, nothing went boom. Also upgrade and rebooted home physical firewall/router, works fine. DoH listener in Unbound working fine. Upgraded authoritative DNS server, works fine. nginx version: nginx/1.30.2 built by gcc 15.2.0 (Alpine 15.2.0) built with OpenSSL 3.5.6 7 Apr 2026 Unbound Version 1.25.1 Linked libs: libevent 2.1.12-stable (it uses epoll), OpenSSL 3.5.6 7 Apr 2026 Linked modules: dns64 cachedb subnetcache respip validator iterator chronyd (chrony) version 4.8 (+CMDMON +REFCLOCK +RTC +PRIVDROP +SCFILTER +SIGND -NTS -SECHASH +IPV6 -DEBUG) HAProxy version 3.4.0-64a335366 2026/06/03 - https://haproxy.org/ Status: long-term supported branch - will stop receiving fixes around Q2 2031. NSD version 4.14.2
- gigatexal 4mo ago
  Been looking at Linux but I can’t pry myself away from openbsd and pf cuz the syntax is so nice. You got any blog or something about your alpine router?
  - Bender 4mo ago
    I should write up something about that as a few people have asked. I'm using nftables for the firewall. I disable IPv6, some may not like that.
    - yjftsjthsd-h 4mo ago
      IIRC IPv6 is mostly copying the same firewall rules, so if people want that I think it'd be easy for them to add?
      - Bender 4mo ago
        The nftables rules are very easy for IPv6. I have the rules for it in place, just prefer to disable it out of personal preference.
catmanjan 4mo ago
Is azure Linux still alpine, or is it a full fork now?
- peesem 4mo ago
  the web says Microsoft's Azure Linux is Fedora-based? or are you talking about something else
- spooneybarger 4mo ago
  It was never alpine.
  - dotancohen 4mo ago
    Early versions were.
- chaz6 4mo ago
  Azure Linux is based on Fedora since version 4.0.
sudobash1 4mo ago
My home server has been running alpine for a while now. I'm always delighted with how simple and robust it is. Not that this is probably recommended, but I have a cron script that checks for upgradable packages every night and automatically installs them. It has always been seamless. My family uses this server throughout the day, and the only daytime down-time has been due to power outages. (In some way the reliability is an issue because it enables me being lazy with backup testing). For a little home-server, I am in love with the KISS-ness of Alpine.
- yjftsjthsd-h 4mo ago
  It gets attention in headless, but I've come to enjoy it on desktop as well. I've even got it on a Steam Deck and it's... 90% great. I do need to swap the kernel because the default one disables some modules (mostly the built in audio), but it's been surprisingly nice.
  - SpecialistK 4mo ago
    Can you to into more detail on your Steam Deck setup? I have a MSI Claw running Bazzite and I would love to look at some different options, especially Alpine.
    - yjftsjthsd-h 4mo ago
      It's really nothing special. Normal install, add KDE, in my case add flatpak (and associated portal, etc.) to run Steam, and I think I had to add sc-controller from testing/edge which you're maybe not supposed to do but it works and it's useful for mapping the controls. I can do a more detailed write up if it'd help but it really isn't that different from any other x86_64+UEFI machine. I will strongly suggest just wiping and repartitioning the whole disk; I tried to keep the SteamOS home filesystem intact and that just made things way harder than they needed to be.
  - JCattheATM 4mo ago
    Agreed. It beats Arch and Void hands down IMO when I was looking for a no fuss simple and minimalist yet up to date and secure system after Slackware lost its way.
Crontab 4mo ago
I know that Alpine has a package manager but I haven't tried it because I worry that Musl might present problems compiling software (I sometimes like to compile things myself, like Vim or Emacs). Is this worry valid? Also are there any issues compiling Go and Rust programs on Alpine?
- yjftsjthsd-h 4mo ago
  If you're only building common packages I wouldn't expect trouble. For example, I don't see any patches in the official vim package: https://gitlab.alpinelinux.org/alpine/aports/-/blob/master/community/vim/APKBUILD https://gitlab.alpinelinux.org/alpine/aports/-/blob/master/c...
- wahern 4mo ago
  Alpine is a very popular platform for both compiling and hosting Go applications--especially static, no n-CGO binaries--given it's minimal footprint. A common issue people have with Alpine is musl libc's DNS resolver, which can behave differently (thus confusingly) than glibc's. But that wouldn't effect Go applications unless CGO is enabled and it uses the libc resolver. Go's native resolver behaves differently than glibc's, too, but I don't think that's any more of an issue. And the musl resolver has fewer quirks today than it used to, so fewer surprises than a few years ago.
proxysna 4mo ago
Alpine is my go-to nowadays for everything in my homelab except desktop (I use Void btw), because of how dirty the setup to make GPU's work with musl kernel.
coppsilgold 4mo ago
Alpine is a good system for the boot/main rootfs because it's rock solid and has the most recent kernel. When glibc is required or when you just want to access the repositories of other distros you can unshare and pivot_root into the respective rootfs (using bubblewrap). There is also flatpak (uses bubblewrap internally). You can also go the extra mile and use bubblewrap to initialize the desired mount environment and then enter a sandbox from it using virtualization (/dev/kvm). Some VMM's such as muvm[1] even allow for hardware acceleration and performant Wayland pass-through. [1] <https://github.com/AsahiLinux/muvm https://github.com/AsahiLinux/muvm> This project aims to do exactly what I described but defaults to Nix: <https://git.clan.lol/clan/munix https://git.clan.lol/clan/munix>

139 points by fossdd 4mo ago

dizhn 4mo ago

What a beautiful little thing Alpine is.

Upgraded two of my HTTPS nodes, nothing went boom. Also upgrade and rebooted home physical firewall/router, works fine. DoH listener in Unbound working fine. Upgraded authoritative DNS server, works fine. nginx version: nginx/1.30.2 built by gcc 15.2.0 (Alpine 15.2.0) built with OpenSSL 3.5.6 7 Apr 2026 Unbound Version 1.25.1 Linked libs: libevent 2.1.12-stable (it uses epoll), OpenSSL 3.5.6 7 Apr 2026 Linked modules: dns64 cachedb subnetcache respip validator iterator chronyd (chrony) version 4.8 (+CMDMON +REFCLOCK +RTC +PRIVDROP +SCFILTER +SIGND -NTS -SECHASH +IPV6 -DEBUG) HAProxy version 3.4.0-64a335366 2026/06/03 - https://haproxy.org/ Status: long-term supported branch - will stop receiving fixes around Q2 2031. NSD version 4.14.2

gigatexal 4mo ago
Been looking at Linux but I can’t pry myself away from openbsd and pf cuz the syntax is so nice. You got any blog or something about your alpine router?
- Bender 4mo ago
  I should write up something about that as a few people have asked. I'm using nftables for the firewall. I disable IPv6, some may not like that.
  - yjftsjthsd-h 4mo ago
    IIRC IPv6 is mostly copying the same firewall rules, so if people want that I think it'd be easy for them to add?
    - Bender 4mo ago
      The nftables rules are very easy for IPv6. I have the rules for it in place, just prefer to disable it out of personal preference.

catmanjan 4mo ago

Is azure Linux still alpine, or is it a full fork now?

peesem 4mo ago
the web says Microsoft's Azure Linux is Fedora-based? or are you talking about something else
spooneybarger 4mo ago
It was never alpine.
- dotancohen 4mo ago
  Early versions were.
chaz6 4mo ago
Azure Linux is based on Fedora since version 4.0.

sudobash1 4mo ago

My home server has been running alpine for a while now. I'm always delighted with how simple and robust it is. Not that this is probably recommended, but I have a cron script that checks for upgradable packages every night and automatically installs them. It has always been seamless. My family uses this server throughout the day, and the only daytime down-time has been due to power outages. (In some way the reliability is an issue because it enables me being lazy with backup testing). For a little home-server, I am in love with the KISS-ness of Alpine.

yjftsjthsd-h 4mo ago
It gets attention in headless, but I've come to enjoy it on desktop as well. I've even got it on a Steam Deck and it's... 90% great. I do need to swap the kernel because the default one disables some modules (mostly the built in audio), but it's been surprisingly nice.
- SpecialistK 4mo ago
  Can you to into more detail on your Steam Deck setup? I have a MSI Claw running Bazzite and I would love to look at some different options, especially Alpine.
  - yjftsjthsd-h 4mo ago
    It's really nothing special. Normal install, add KDE, in my case add flatpak (and associated portal, etc.) to run Steam, and I think I had to add sc-controller from testing/edge which you're maybe not supposed to do but it works and it's useful for mapping the controls. I can do a more detailed write up if it'd help but it really isn't that different from any other x86_64+UEFI machine. I will strongly suggest just wiping and repartitioning the whole disk; I tried to keep the SteamOS home filesystem intact and that just made things way harder than they needed to be.
- JCattheATM 4mo ago
  Agreed. It beats Arch and Void hands down IMO when I was looking for a no fuss simple and minimalist yet up to date and secure system after Slackware lost its way.

Crontab 4mo ago

I know that Alpine has a package manager but I haven't tried it because I worry that Musl might present problems compiling software (I sometimes like to compile things myself, like Vim or Emacs). Is this worry valid? Also are there any issues compiling Go and Rust programs on Alpine?

yjftsjthsd-h 4mo ago
If you're only building common packages I wouldn't expect trouble. For example, I don't see any patches in the official vim package: https://gitlab.alpinelinux.org/alpine/aports/-/blob/master/community/vim/APKBUILD https://gitlab.alpinelinux.org/alpine/aports/-/blob/master/c...
wahern 4mo ago
Alpine is a very popular platform for both compiling and hosting Go applications--especially static, no n-CGO binaries--given it's minimal footprint. A common issue people have with Alpine is musl libc's DNS resolver, which can behave differently (thus confusingly) than glibc's. But that wouldn't effect Go applications unless CGO is enabled and it uses the libc resolver. Go's native resolver behaves differently than glibc's, too, but I don't think that's any more of an issue. And the musl resolver has fewer quirks today than it used to, so fewer surprises than a few years ago.

proxysna 4mo ago

Alpine is my go-to nowadays for everything in my homelab except desktop (I use Void btw), because of how dirty the setup to make GPU's work with musl kernel.

coppsilgold 4mo ago

Alpine is a good system for the boot/main rootfs because it's rock solid and has the most recent kernel. When glibc is required or when you just want to access the repositories of other distros you can unshare and pivot_root into the respective rootfs (using bubblewrap). There is also flatpak (uses bubblewrap internally). You can also go the extra mile and use bubblewrap to initialize the desired mount environment and then enter a sandbox from it using virtualization (/dev/kvm). Some VMM's such as muvm[1] even allow for hardware acceleration and performant Wayland pass-through. [1] <https://github.com/AsahiLinux/muvm https://github.com/AsahiLinux/muvm> This project aims to do exactly what I described but defaults to Nix: <https://git.clan.lol/clan/munix https://git.clan.lol/clan/munix>