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3 changed files with 56 additions and 8 deletions

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@@ -15,12 +15,12 @@ Get started like so:
1. Symlink to files, for example
```
sudo ln -s <repo>/pacman-zfs-snapshot.sh /usr/local/bin/pacman-zfs-snapshot
sudo ln -s <repo>/pacman-zfs-snapshot-install.hook /usr/share/libalpm/hooks/pacman-zfs-snapshot-install.hook
sudo ln -s <repo>/pacman-zfs-snapshot-remove.hook /usr/share/libalpm/hooks/pacman-zfs-snapshot-remove.hook
sudo ln -s <repo>/pacman-zfs-snapshot-upgrade.hook /usr/share/libalpm/hooks/pacman-zfs-snapshot-upgrade.hook
sudo ln -s <repo>/pacman-zfs-snapshot-install.hook /usr/share/libalpm/hooks/00-pacman-zfs-snapshot-install.hook
sudo ln -s <repo>/pacman-zfs-snapshot-remove.hook /usr/share/libalpm/hooks/00-pacman-zfs-snapshot-remove.hook
sudo ln -s <repo>/pacman-zfs-snapshot-upgrade.hook /usr/share/libalpm/hooks/00-pacman-zfs-snapshot-upgrade.hook
sudo ln -s <repo>/pacman-zfs-snapshot.conf /etc/pacman-zfs-snapshot.conf
```
Note that while you may choose arbitrary locations for symlinks the `pacman-zfs-snapshot-*.hook` files reference `/usr/local/bin/pacman-zfs-snapshot`. Change that accordingly if you need to.
Note that while you may choose arbitrary locations for symlinks the `00-pacman-zfs-snapshot-*.hook` files reference `/usr/local/bin/pacman-zfs-snapshot`. Change that accordingly if you need to.
1. For datasets you want auto-snapshotted add property `space.quico:auto-snapshot=true`
```
zfs set space.quico:auto-snapshot=true zpool/root/archlinux
@@ -30,11 +30,30 @@ Get started like so:
# What's it do?
In `pacman` on every `PreTransaction`, meaning right before any actual operation on a package begins, we trigger a ZFS snapshot. By default we identify the active system dataset by doing `findmnt / --noheadings --output source`. If exactly one source returns that is the exact name of a ZFS dataset in an imported zpool we create a snapshot on it. If no source returns we silently exit. If more than one source returns we raise an error and halt the `pacman` transaction.
In `pacman` on every `PreTransaction`, meaning right before any actual operation on a package begins, we trigger a ZFS snapshot. This happens via a so-called hook which is a plain text config file. Hook files make use of the Arch Linux Package Management (ALPM) library, also known as `libalpm` for which `pacman` is a frontend. By default hooks are stored in `/usr/share/libalpm/hooks`. Additionally `/etc/pacman.conf` has a directory configured as:
```
#HookDir = /etc/pacman.d/hooks/
```
Hook files from both directories are collectively parsed and executed in lexicographical order. Hook names from _this_ repo begin with `00-*` so on a default Arch Linux they are the first to be executed during `pacman` transactions.
We retain two different snapshot chains, one for `pacman` transactions that only affect what we are calling _trivial_ packages and a separate chain for _important_ packages. By default only the exact regular expression package name match `^(linux|systemd|zfs-(dkms|utils))$` is considered important. Whenever an important package is affected by a transaction a snapshot goes into the corresponding chain. In all other cases - when an important package is not affected - snapshots go into the trivial chain.
For ZFS snapshots intended to save your bacon the `00-*` naming convention is particularly critical. In `/usr/share/libalpm/hooks` you can see for example that when a kernel upgrade happens `60-mkinitcpio-remove.hook` is executed (deleting your existing `vmlinuz-*` kernel image for example at `/boot/vmlinuz-linux`). After that if you're using the `zfs-dkms` package which itself requires `dkms` which in turn installs `71-dkms-remove.hook` this hook removes your ZFS kernel module files. Both the `60-*` and optionally the `71-*` hook (for `zfs-dkms` users) run early due to their naming. If we don't create a snapshot before them we end up creating a snapshot that has not kernel image and no ZFS kernel module files. Out `00-*` hook files are executed first ensuring that a snapshot can safely return you to a working system.
The _trivial_ snapshot chain by default keeps 15 snapshots, the _important_ chain keeps 5. The thought process here is that you will likely not futz around with a kernel every day whereas you may very well install arbitrary packages multiple times a day. Snapshots should keep you safe for a couple of days hence the defaults of 5 and 15 snapshots, respectively.
By default we identify the active system dataset by doing `findmnt / --noheadings --output source` which for example returns:
```
zpool/root/archlinux
```
If exactly one source returns that is the exact name of a ZFS dataset in an imported zpool we create a snapshot on it. If no source returns we silently exit. If more than one source returns we raise an error and halt the `pacman` transaction.
We retain two different snapshot chains, one for `pacman` transactions that only affect what we are calling _trivial_ packages and a separate chain for _important_ packages. By default only the exact regular expression package name match `^(linux|systemd|zfs-(dkms|utils))$` is considered important so in plain English any one of:
- `linux`
- `systemd`
- `zfs-dkms`
- `zfs-utils`
Whenever an important package is affected by a transaction a snapshot goes into the corresponding chain. In all other cases - when an important package is not affected - snapshots go into the trivial chain.
The _trivial_ snapshot chain by default keeps 25 snapshots, the _important_ chain keeps 5. The thought process here is that you will likely not futz around with a kernel every day whereas you may very well install arbitrary packages multiple times a day. Snapshots should keep you safe for a couple of days hence the defaults of 5 and 15 snapshots, respectively.
Snapshots may look like so:
```
@@ -55,6 +74,27 @@ Severity based on affected packages, here trivial ───────┘
Have a look at `pacman-zfs-snapshot.conf` as well, its comments should be clear enough to get you going.
# Rollback
After a rollback for example via the excellent [ZFSBootMenu](https://docs.zfsbootmenu.org/) `pacman` and all AUR helpers you may be using will consider the `pacman` database to be locked. No `pacman` transactions can start, you will for example see:
- In `pacman`
```
# pacman -Syu
:: Synchronizing package databases...
error: failed to synchronize all databases (unable to lock database)
```
- In `paru`
```
$ paru
:: Pacman is currently in use, please wait...
```
The moment a snapshot was created `pacman` was already in a transaction so it had already written its lock file to `/var/lib/pacman/db.lck`. After a clean finish `pacman` would have deleted that lock itself but since you rolled back to a point mid-transaction it's still there. Just delete the file and you're good to go:
```
sudo rm /var/lib/pacman/db.lck
```
# Development
## Conventional commits

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@@ -42,6 +42,13 @@ snap_name_prefix='pacman'
# We do "$(date +<whatever>)" to put a timestamp into snapshot names.
# Defaults to "$(date +'%F-%H%M')" which returns '2023-03-07-0050'.
snap_date_format='%F-%H%M'
# The tzdata-formatted timezone name used to add timestamps to snapshot
# names. Check for example 'timedatectl list-timezones' to get a list of
# valid names on your system. Format looks like 'America/Fortaleza',
# 'Asia/Magadan' or 'Australia/Sydney'. Defaults to 'Etc/UTC'. Can also be
# the empty string (as in snap_timezone='') in which case we'll use your
# system's timezone setting.
snap_timezone='Etc/UTC'
# Which strings do we want to diffferentiate pacman operations Install,
# Remove, Upgrade

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@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ snap_only_local_datasets="${snap_only_local_datasets:-true}"
snap_field_separator="${snap_field_separator:-_}"
snap_name_prefix="${snap_name_prefix:-pacman}"
snap_date_format="${snap_date_format:-%F-%H%M}"
snap_timezone="${snap_timezone:-Etc/UTC}"
snap_op_installation_suffix="${snap_op_installation_suffix:-inst}"
snap_op_remove_suffix="${snap_op_remove_suffix:-rmvl}"
snap_op_upgrade_suffix="${snap_op_upgrade_suffix:-upgr}"
@@ -309,7 +310,7 @@ function main () {
write_pkg_list_oneline
local date_string max_dataset_name_length
date_string="$(date +"${snap_date_format}")"
date_string="$($([[ "${snap_timezone}" ]] && printf -- 'export TZ='"${snap_timezone}"); date +"${snap_date_format}")"
find_max_dataset_name_length
local trimmed_pkg_list_oneline