Build a curated, open-source-only Debian 13.1 (Trixie) distribution and seed IaC that enable a reproducible, auditable, local-first, content-addressed infrastructure for self-hosted services and desktops. The distro and seed artifacts should bootstrap a c

Building a curated, open-source-only Debian 13.1 (Trixie) distribution with the stated requirements is a substantial task that involves a variety of components. Below is a structured outline of the steps, components, and considerations to ensure the development aligns with your high-level design and requirements. This will serve as a guide to building the distribution and its accompanying infrastructure as code (IaC). ## 1. Environment Setup ### 1.1 Development Environment - **Debian 13.1 (Trixie)**: Set up a base Debian 13.1 system for development. - **Tools**: Install necessary tools for packaging, building, and testing. ```bash sudo apt update sudo apt install debootstrap live-build git curl lxd ``` ### 1.2 LXD & VM Configuration - **LXD setup**: Configure LXD containers for testing. ```bash lxd init ``` ## 2. Building the Debian Distro ### 2.1 Customize Debian Live Image Create scripts to configure the live image: 1. **Live Build Configuration**: Create a custom configuration using `live-build`. - \`config/` has the live-build configuration files. - `live-build` scripts to include all necessary packages. 2. **Install Core Packages**: Install necessary FOSS packages, including: ```bash sudo apt install opentofu nomad consul vault podman ipfs technitium n8n zero-install ``` 3. **Networking Configuration**: Set up a local DNS and necessary networking services. ```bash # Specify Technitium or alternative local DNS support in the configuration files ``` ### 2.2 OpenTofu Modules - **Modules**: Create OpenTofu modules (in `modules/`) for: - `nomad-cluster` - `consul` - `vault` - `ipfs-node` - `technitium` - `gateway` ### 2.3 Security Configuration - **Vault Policies**: Define security policies for token issuance and role-based access. - **Nomad ACLs**: Implement ACL policies based on roles. ## 3. Infrastructure as Code (IaC) ### 3.1 OpenTofu Module Development Develop IaC configurations to provision and manage infrastructure: - **nomad-cluster**: Provision Nomad, Consul, Vault, etc. - **Modules for each service**: Ensure correct setup and intercommunication. - Define outputs for each module, making it easy to share dependencies between them. ### 3.2 Job Definitions in Nomad Develop sample job files for: - **IPFS Gateway** (`ipfs-gateway.nomad`): Configuration for running IPFS with reverse proxy settings. - **Technitium**: Define a job for DNS management. - **Reverse Proxy**: Use a templated Traefik or Nginx reverse proxy configuration. ### 3.3 n8n Workflows Create automation workflows to manage deployments: - **Nomad Dispatcher**: From Git events to automated job dispatch. - **IPNS Poller**: To update DNS as IPNS records change. - **GitOps Trigger**: Create PRs automatically for changes requested by users. ## 4. AI Assistant Development ### 4.1 Development of a Local AI Assistant - **Functionality**: Gather inventory, recommend configurations, generate configs, and augment GitOps workflows. - **Using OAI**: Implement a minimal set of REST APIs for its interactions. - Authenticate the assistant using short-lived Vault tokens. ### 4.2 Security and Governance - **Approval Flow**: Ensure human verification for any modifications to the infrastructure. - **Audit Log**: Maintain an auditable history of changes via Git. ## 5. Testing and Validation ### 5.1 Local Testing - Use a VM or local LXD instance to test each component. Deploy Nomad jobs and validate. - Confirm that infrastructure provisions correctly and that all services can communicate properly. ### 5.2 Continuous Integration - Implement CI/CD pipelines that validate configurations and deploy services on code changes (e.g., using GitHub Actions). ## 6. Documentation and Support - **Documentation**: Maintain clear documentation for setup, usage, and troubleshooting. - **Support Channels**: Identify forums, GitHub, or IRC channels for user support. ## 7. Future Development Roadmap - **Stability Testing**: Ensure the distribution is reliable and components interact seamlessly. - **Feature Additions**: Based on user feedback, iterate on the design, add new features, and improve the AI assistant. ## Summary The outlined components and processes will establish a robust, open-source Debian 13.1 (Trixie) distribution, allowing for a reproducible, auditable local-first infrastructure for self-hosted services. As the project progresses, modifications might be required based on practical implementation outcomes, user feedback, and specific operational challenges encountered.