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https://github.com/thread/captain

Lightweight, standalone RESTful HTTP server for distributing Debian packages
https://github.com/thread/captain

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Lightweight, standalone RESTful HTTP server for distributing Debian packages

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README 

        
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cAPTain

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Lightweight, standalone RESTful HTTP server for distributing Debian packages

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cAPTain is a simple, lightweight HTTP server for storing and distributing

custom Debian packages around your organisation. It is designed to make it as

easy as possible to use Debian packages for code deployments and to ease other

system administration tasks.



Each cAPTain instance is a HTTP APT repo - simpy point a

``/etc/apt/sources.list`` entry at your instance for instant package

distribution!



Why use cAPTain?

----------------



 * Zero configuration -- just start uploading your packages using HTTP ``PUT``.



 * Integrates better into the Debian system over ``dpkg -i``, especially in

   automatically resolving dependencies and repository pinning.



 * Supports an arbitrary number of repositories - one cAPTain instance can keep

   your "live" and "staging" packages from each other, as well as separating

   your own backports or forks.



 * Older package versions are be automatically deleted/rotated, keeping

   repository size manageable whilst still allowing downgrades.



 * Packages are automatically GPG signed, improving security as well as

   preventing annoying warnings. Key distribution is built-in - no need to

   store your public key elsewhere.



 * No configuring heavyweight solutions such as `dak

   `_ , provisioning a separate HTTP server,

   and stringing together arcane ``dpkg`` commands.



Quick start

-----------



#. Start the server with::



    $ ./captaind



#. In another terminal, upload your package::



    $ curl --upload-file my-package.deb http://127.0.0.1:3333/reponame



   .. tip::



     ``reponame`` can any arbitrary repository name. If it doesn't exist, cAPTain

     will automatically create it for you.



#. Configure your ``sources.list``::



    $ echo 'deb http://127.0.0.1:3333 reponame main' >> /etc/apt/sources.list



#. Save your cAPTain instance's GPG key::



    $ curl http://127.0.0.1:3333 > /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/server.gpg



#. Install your packages::



    $ apt-get update

    $ apt-get install my-package



Miscellaneous

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Uploading multiple files

""""""""""""""""""""""""



Each upload will refresh the repository from scratch. However, you can save

some processing time for large repos by skipping refreshing the repo until the

end by POSTing to the repo URL::



    for X in *.deb; do

        curl --upload-file ${X} http://127.0.0.1:3333/reponame?refresh_repo=0

    done



    curl -X POST http://127.0.0.1:3333/reponame



Removing versions

"""""""""""""""""



Versions are automatically rotated, but to manually remove a specific version,

first just locate and remove that file::



   $ rm /path/to/dists/reponame/.../python-bcrypt_0.4-1_amd64.deb



Then refresh that repository::



   $ curl -X POST http://127.0.0.1:3333/reponame



Uploading via a pipe

""""""""""""""""""""



To upload using curl from a pipe, ensure you use ``--data-binary``::



   $ curl -X PUT --data-binary @- http://127.0.0.1:3333/reponame < my-package.deb



Creating a new GPG key

""""""""""""""""""""""



cAPTain ships with a dummy key for getting started quickly. To create your own

key, run::



   $ gpg --homedir=/path/to/gpg-home --gen-key

 

Choose all the defaults, making sure not to specify a passphrase.



Links

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Homepage/documentation:

  https://apt-captain.readthedocs.org/



View/download code

  https://github.com/thread/captain



File a bug

  https://github.com/thread/captain/issues