Linux From Scratch: Version 5.1-pre1
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# Introduction

In this chapter we will compile and install a minimal Linux system. This system will contain just enough tools to be able to start constructing the final LFS system in the next chapter.

The building of this minimal system is done in two steps: first we build a brand-new and host-independent toolchain (compiler, assembler, linker and libraries), and then use this to build all the other essential tools.

The files compiled in this chapter will be installed under the `$LFS/tools` directory to keep them separate from the files installed in the next chapter. Since the packages compiled here are merely temporary, we don't want them to pollute the soon-to-be LFS system.

The build instructions assume that you are using the bash shell. It is also expected that you have already unpacked a source package (while logged in as user lfs -- explained shortly) and performed a `cd` into the source directory of a package before issuing its build commands.

Several of the packages are patched before compilation, but only when the patch is needed to circumvent a problem. Often the patch is needed in both this and the next chapter, but sometimes in only one of them. Therefore, don't worry when instructions for a downloaded patch seem to be missing. When applying a patch you'll occasionally see a warning message about offset or fuzz. These warnings are nothing to worry about as the patch was still successfully applied.

During the installation of most packages you will see all kinds of compiler warnings scroll by on your screen. These are normal and can be safely ignored. They are just what they say they are: warnings -- mostly about deprecated, but not invalid, use of the C or C++ syntax. It's just that C standards have changed rather often and some packages still use the older standard, which is not really a problem.

Unless told not to, you should normally delete the source and build directories after installing each package -- for cleanness sake and to save space.

Before continuing, make sure the LFS environment variable is set up properly by executing the following:

    echo $LFS

Make sure the output shows the path to your LFS partition's mount point, which is `/mnt/lfs` if you followed our example.

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