Stork Tutorial: Packages

Stork currently supports two types of packages: RPMs and tarballs. Stork will install RPM packages according to the package scripts. RPMs are generally suggested for complex installations, or where the package needs to be installed outside of /root. However, for simple packages, it can be more efficient to use a simple tarball package.

Creating a tarball package can be a great way to distribute your own applications. With Stork, you can easily distribute your software to every node that needs it. Stork also allows you to execute scripts before and after you install or uninstall, making tarballs even more powerful. Including scripts in your tarball is very simple. Just package '.preinstall', '.postinstall', '.preremove', and/or '.postremove' scripts along with your own files. Stork will automatically execute the script when the user decides to install or uninstall your package. The scripts will run from the same directory the tarball is unpacked (typically '/root/' or what ever is defined to be the home directory). Note that these scripts are completely optional.

For example, consider a simple directory called directory full of dummy files, and also four scripts, .preinstall, .postinstall, .preremove, .postremove. We can create a simple zipped tarball by running the command:
tar -czf mypackage.tar.gz directory ...
Where "mypackage" is the name of the tarball to be created, and the directory is the directory we wish to make into a package. Instead directories, files can also be used.

Upon installing this package with Stork, Stork will automatically run .preinstall, and will run .postinstall after installation. This allows the package creator to include scripts to confirm that installation is going to occur, and confirm that it worked. Likewise, when the package is uninstalled, the preremove and postremove scripts work in the same way.

After you have created a package, you can install Stork, if you haven't already. If so, move on to creating an identity.

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