Project:Prefix

To bring out the virtues of Gentoo Linux on different operating systems, the Gentoo Prefix project develops and maintains a way of installing Gentoo systems in a non-standard location, designated by a "prefix".

Usually, Gentoo Linux's package manager (portage) installs in the root of the filesystem hierarchy known as. On systems other than Gentoo Linux, this usually results in problems, due to conflicts of software packages, unless the OS is adapted like Gentoo/FreeBSD. Instead, Gentoo Prefix installs within an offset, known as a prefix, allowing users to install Gentoo in another location in the filesystem hierarchy, hence avoiding conflicts. Next to this offset, Gentoo Prefix runs unprivileged, meaning no root user or rights are required to use it.

By using an offset (the "prefix" location), it is possible for many "alternative" user groups to benefit from a large part of the packages in the Gentoo Linux Portage tree. Currently users of the following systems successfully run Gentoo Prefix: Mac OS X on Intel, Linux on x86, x86_64, Solaris 10 on Sparc, Sparc/64, x86 and x86_64, AIX on PPC. Other platforms have been successfully used in the past.

Bootstrapping
To get a prefixed Portage installed on your system, you need to go through a few steps we call bootstrapping. We currently only have detailed guides on Mac OS X and Solaris systems, but if you have another system, following the Solaris guide might be enough for you. The systems that are known to work with a prefixed Portage are various Linux systems and FreeBSD. Note that, for systems where is missing, you need to bootstrap it first with the  script. It can be found next to as indicated by the guides.

Even users of newer Windows have luck again, as Gentoo Prefix can be bootstrapped on Cygwin (64bit) now. As Microsoft has discontinued the Interix system, we had no option than to follow that decision, even if the outdated Interix installers still might work.

Helper scripts
To ease the setup of a prefixed Portage installation, the Gentoo Prefix project provides a script called. This script is a sort of kickstart in the bootstrap process, automating downloading the Portage tree, installing Portage and the necessary temporary helper applications. In addition, it tries to setup a profile and prepares those settings that it can deduce automatically.

The location of the correct script as well as how and when to use it is described the bootstrap process guide.

Bootstrap guides
The following guides give a detailed description on how to install a Gentoo Prefix system:


 * General bootstrap process (for all systems and is recommended for general use).
 * Manual bootstrap process (legacy document meant for power-users and not recommended for general use).

With little restrictions and additional setup, Windows users can install Gentoo Prefix in Cygwin using the general bootstrap process, while the documentation and ISO images for the Interix port of Gentoo Prefix on our mirrors still applies to Windows XP and Server 2003.

More documentation as well as pointers for support can be found below in the Resources section.

Platform matrix
To keep track of the supported platforms, the following matrix is maintained. It also provides feedback on which developer is maintaining the platform or has direct access to such systems.

Legend:

Resources
Resources offered by the prefix project include:
 * Technical documentation - How Gentoo Prefix works, and what changes are necessary to get ebuilds working.
 * Use cases - An article with a global overview of Gentoo Prefix, including use cases examplifying who could benefit from a Prefix installation.
 * FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions about the Gentoo Prefix project.

Hall of Fame
Over time, developers come and go again. Some mysteriously disappear, others loose interest and decide to leave. For all past contributors we would like to express our gratitude towards them for helping the Prefix project to become what it is today.