Saphira Linux
Saphira Linux has a home of its own
Saphira Linux is AKADATA’s source-built, musl/OpenRC server distribution for self-hosted infrastructure. Development, downloads, documentation, packages and the Dragon feature sets now live on the dedicated Saphira Linux website.
Stack guide
Five runtimes, one compiler, three libraries
Every runtime on Saphira Linux is installed from source by the deterministic build controller. Their package managers — CPAN, pip, npm — install modules into /usr/local by default, keeping your additions separate from the distribution. If those managers do not cover your needs, GCC 16.1 is the same compiler that built the system itself.
Choose a stack below for the full walkthrough. Each page covers installation, configuration, the /usr/local boundary, and how to move from development to a reproducible stage4 package.
Perl and CPAN
Start the CPAN shell, install modules from the Comprehensive Perl Archive Network, and place them in /usr/local where they belong.
Read the walkthroughPython and pip
Create virtual environments, install packages with pip, and run Flask, Django, or FastAPI applications on the Saphira base.
Read the walkthroughNode.js and npm
Install Node packages globally with npm, run agents and MCP servers, and place Node applications behind nginx.
Read the walkthroughPHP and php-fpm
Run PHP scripts from the CLI, serve applications through php-fpm behind nginx, and use opcache for production performance.
Read the walkthroughPHP 8.5
Full PHP 8.5 walkthrough: installed extensions, php-fpm pool configuration, opcache tuning, and CLI scripting in /usr/local.
Read the walkthroughGCC 16.1
Compile C and C++ directly with the same compiler that built the distribution, then package your binaries into stage4 for reproducibility.
Read the walkthroughfmt 12.1
Use the C++ formatting library: include, link, format chrono types and ranges, and integrate with stage4 builds.
Read the walkthroughMariaDB client
Connect to MariaDB from C, Python, PHP, Perl, and Node.js using libmariadb, pymysql, PDO, DBD::MariaDB, and mysql2.
Read the walkthroughProduction
From /usr/local to stage4
The language managers — CPAN, pip, npm — are for development. You iterate, install modules, and test your application in /usr/local. When you are ready for production, build your application into stage4 — a reproducible, versioned system package built from source alongside the rest of the distribution.
To add a package to stage4, create a recipe under packages/ and register it in stage4/dependencies.tsv. The build guide documents the full workflow — from recipe to signed APK index to bootable qcow2 image.