zosbuilder/docs/VERSIONS.md

Latest Versions Update - Alpine 3.22

Updated version mapping to use the latest and greatest Alpine Linux 3.22 and current package versions.

🚀 Alpine Version Update

Current State (August 2025)

• Alpine Linux: 3.22 (latest stable)
• Kernel: Linux 6.12.42 LTS
• OpenSSL: 3.3.x (current stable)
• All packages: Latest stable versions from Alpine 3.22

📦 Updated Package Versions

Core System Components

Component	Old Reference	Alpine 3.22 Version	Security Status
Alpine Base	3.19	3.22	✅ Current stable
OpenSSL	1.1.1d (EOL)	3.3.x	✅ Current, secure
Linux Kernel	6.8.8	6.12.42 LTS	✅ Latest LTS
busybox	1.31.0	1.37.x	✅ Current
util-linux	2.34	2.40.x	✅ Current
e2fsprogs	1.45.2	1.47.x	✅ Current
btrfs-progs	4.20.2	6.10.x	✅ Current
openssh	8.0p1	9.8.x	✅ Current
redis	7.2.1	7.4.x	✅ Current

Network & Security Tools

Component	Old Reference	Alpine 3.22 Version	Notes
curl	7.65.1	8.9.x	✅ HTTP/3 support
nftables	0.9.1	1.1.x	✅ Latest features
wireguard	1.0.20200102	1.0.x	✅ Current stable
dnsmasq	2.80	2.90.x	✅ Current

Container & Virtualization

Component	Old Reference	Alpine 3.22 Version	Notes
runc	Not included	1.2.x	✅ OCI runtime
containerd deps	Various	Current	✅ Latest stable

🔧 Updated Docker Configuration

Dockerfile Changes

# Updated to latest Alpine
FROM alpine:3.22

# Latest package versions automatically included
RUN apk add --no-cache \
    linux-lts-dev \     # 6.12.42 LTS kernel
    openssl-dev \       # OpenSSL 3.3.x
    # ... all packages get latest versions

Version Benefits

• Security: All packages receive latest security patches
• Features: Access to latest functionality
• Performance: Optimizations from years of development
• Compatibility: Better hardware support

📋 Updated Architecture Decisions

1. Always Use Latest Stable

Strategy: Latest Stable Packages
Rationale: 
  - Security patches automatically included
  - Better hardware support
  - Performance improvements
  - Feature completeness
Risk Mitigation:
  - Alpine 3.22 is well-tested stable release
  - Package versions are curated by Alpine team

2. Automatic Updates via Alpine

Update Strategy: Alpine Package Manager
Benefits:
  - Consistent, tested combinations
  - Security team maintenance
  - Minimal compatibility issues
  - Automated dependency resolution

3. Version Pinning for Production

Development: Use :latest tags (Alpine 3.22)
Production: Pin specific Alpine 3.22.x point releases
CI/CD: Regular automated updates with testing

🚨 Security Improvements

Eliminated EOL Software

• ❌ OpenSSL 1.1.1d (End of Life September 2023)
• ✅ OpenSSL 3.3.x (Active development, LTS until 2026)

Current Security Status

• ✅ All packages: Active maintenance
• ✅ Alpine 3.22: Regular security updates
• ✅ Kernel 6.12.42: Long-term support branch
• ✅ No EOL components: Everything actively maintained

📊 Version Comparison Impact

Build Time Impact

Metric	Old Versions	Alpine 3.22	Improvement
Security patches	Manual	Automatic	100% automated
Feature updates	Complex	Simple	Package manager
Compatibility	Unknown	Tested	Alpine integration
Maintenance	High effort	Minimal	Alpine team handled

Runtime Improvements

• Better hardware support: Latest drivers and firmware
• Performance: Years of optimizations
• Security: No EOL vulnerabilities
• Features: Latest tool capabilities

🎯 Implementation Updates

Updated Dockerfile

FROM alpine:3.22  # Was: alpine:3.19

# All packages automatically get latest versions:
# - OpenSSL 3.3.x (was: 1.1.1d EOL)
# - Linux 6.12.42 LTS (was: 6.8.8)
# - All tools: current stable versions

Package Selection Strategy

Approach: Trust Alpine Curation
- Use Alpine 3.22 stable packages
- No version pinning in package list
- Let Alpine team handle version compatibility
- Pin only the Alpine base version (3.22)

Update Process

# Automatic latest versions
apk add --no-cache package-name  # Gets latest stable

# No need for version specifications:
# apk add openssl=1.1.1d  # Old, manual approach
# apk add openssl         # New, automatic latest

✅ Migration Benefits

Security

• No EOL software: Everything actively maintained
• Patch automation: Alpine security team handles updates
• CVE response: Faster than manual maintenance

Operational

• Simplified maintenance: No version tracking needed
• Better support: Active community and documentation
• Hardware compatibility: Latest drivers and firmware

Development

• Faster builds: Optimized packages
• Better debugging: Current tooling
• Documentation: Up-to-date guides and examples

This update ensures Zero-OS uses current, secure, and performant software components while maintaining the same functionality and boot behavior.