guix.texi

Fortunately, Guix can @emph{cross compile} those bootstrap binaries.
When everything goes well, and assuming the GNU tool chain supports the
target platform, this can be as simple as running a command like this
one:

@example
guix build --target=armv5tel-linux-gnueabi bootstrap-tarballs
@end example

Once these are built, the @code{(gnu packages bootstrap)} module needs
to be updated to refer to these binaries on the target platform.  In
addition, the @code{glibc-dynamic-linker} procedure in that module must
be augmented to return the right file name for libc's dynamic linker on
that platform; likewise, @code{system->linux-architecture} in @code{(gnu
packages linux)} must be taught about the new platform.

In practice, there may be some complications.  First, it may be that the
extended GNU triplet that specifies an ABI (like the @code{eabi} suffix
above) is not recognized by all the GNU tools.  Typically, glibc
recognizes some of these, whereas GCC uses an extra @code{--with-abi}
configure flag (see @code{gcc.scm} for examples of how to handle this).
Second, some of the required packages could fail to build for that
platform.  Lastly, the generated binaries could be broken for some
reason.


@c *********************************************************************
@node Contributing
@chapter Contributing

This project is a cooperative effort, and we need your help to make it
grow!  Please get in touch with us on @email{guix-devel@@gnu.org} and
@code{#guix} on the Freenode IRC network.  We welcome ideas, bug
reports, patches, and anything that may be helpful to the project.  We
particularly welcome help on packaging (@pxref{Packaging Guidelines}).

Please see the
@url{http://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/guix.git/tree/HACKING,
@file{HACKING} file} that comes with the Guix source code for practical
details about contributions.


@c *********************************************************************
@node Acknowledgments
@chapter Acknowledgments

Guix is based on the Nix package manager, which was designed and
implemented by Eelco Dolstra.  Nix pioneered functional package
management, and promoted unprecedented features, such as transactional
package upgrades and rollbacks, per-user profiles, and referentially
transparent build processes.  Without this work, Guix would not exist.

The Nix-based software distributions, Nixpkgs and NixOS, have also been
an inspiration for Guix.

@c *********************************************************************
@node GNU Free Documentation License
@appendix GNU Free Documentation License

@include fdl-1.3.texi

@c *********************************************************************
@node Concept Index
@unnumbered Concept Index
@printindex cp

@node Function Index
@unnumbered Function Index
@printindex fn

@bye

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