How To Roll Your Own Linux Distro

Summary

Goal / Motivation

The video explains why you might eventually want to build your own custom Linux distro rather than continuing to “distro hop.” The focus is on creating a system with:

• A custom desktop layout
• Your preferred shell configuration
• A specific set of free apps you already like

Tool Introduced: “cubic”

Cubic (Cubit in the subtitles) is presented as an application for creating a custom bootable ISO.

Key difference from typical automation scripts:

• Anything you “roll into” the ISO (software + settings) is available immediately on boot.

Suggested Use Case: “Travel Distro”

The video suggests creating a travel distro you can boot on different computers—such as public library machines—so your tools are ready without reinstalling anything.

Persistence (Keeping Work Across Reboots)

The subtitles mention persistence configuration via Rufus (or another image-writing tool), using a persistence partition so you can keep your work across reboots on those machines.

Base Distro Support

Cubic’s “custom Ubuntu ISO creator” can build ISOs from:

• Ubuntu
• Debian derivatives

Example shown:

• Linux Mint 22 Cinnamon (a Mint-based Debian/Ubuntu derivative)

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Workflow in Cubic

Setup Steps (High-Level)

The video outlines a workflow where you:

1. Create/select a project folder
2. Choose the base ISO
3. Set naming/release metadata
4. Proceed with customization

Core Mechanism: Wrapper Around chroot

Cubic primarily acts as a wrapper around chroot:

• The “real work” happens inside the chroot environment.
• The video notes that customizing distros beyond Ubuntu/Debian is possible in principle because chroot is the key technology—Cubic simply makes the workflow easier.

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Example Package / Software Customizations

Firefox → LibreWolf

The video replaces Firefox with LibreWolf (privacy-focused Firefox-based browser):

• Uses the same web engine
• Includes a built-in ad blocker
• Emphasizes hardened privacy settings
• Avoids features like Pocket, Mozilla account integration, and some telemetry (presented as reducing “bloat” vs Firefox)

Installation approach mentioned:

• Add a Debian external repo that provides LibreWolf

Also noted:

• Flatpak could work (Mint supports it), but the narrator prefers system packages over Flatpak.

Celluloid → MPV

• Replaces Mint’s bundled media player Celluloid with MPV
• The subtitles briefly show uncertainty about whether MPV was installed, then confirm the next step (including Cubid Torrent being installed, per the subtitle flow).

Transmission → “Cubit Torrent”

• Replaces the default BitTorrent client Transmission
• With Cubit Torrent

NeoVim + NvChad

The goal is to have NeoVim configured with NvChad.

Problem:

• The NeoVim version available in the Mint applications repo is too old for NvChad.
• The subtitles suggest requirements like NeoVim 0.10+.

Solution:

• Compile NeoVim from source (described as the longest part of the setup)

NvChad dependencies / related installs:

• Tools like ripgrep
• Nerd Fonts
• Installs Tacoma font for the system theme

Ensuring NvChad Works for New/Live Users

An important step is configuring NvChad for:

• The Mint user in the live USB environment
• New users created during installation

Technique described:

• Copy the NVM folder into the appropriate location under the root/home config area
• Places it in the default skeleton/config path (subtitles reference something like /etc/skel/.config behavior), so newly created users inherit NvChad setup.

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Desktop Theming

Theme Choice

The video uses a Windows XP theme + icon pack from the Boomerang project.

Rationale:

• It’s “less shocking” than aggressive tiling window-manager “rice” (e.g., Hyperland/DWM) for a public-library travel environment.

Making the Theme Default

To make it default on boot, the video states you must update schema files in usr/share/gsettings:

• Otherwise it may still appear via the Themes applet, but won’t be the default automatically.

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Continuing Outside of chroot

After exiting chroot, the narrator proceeds with steps to configure:

• Compression
• Boot media packaging

Details mentioned:

• Uses XZ high compression for the ISO

The video emphasizes:

• You don’t have to do everything inside chroot
• Comfort with command-line + chroot helps if you want to build custom distros

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Boot / Startup Customization

Boot Screen

• The custom ISO displays a GNU GRUB splash on boot.

“Every Part” Can Be Customized

The subtitles claim that essentially everything can be customized, including:

• Switching boot manager (GRUB to something else)
• GRUB splash screen
• Default desktop background

The resulting desktop theme is shown as clearly Windows XP-like (e.g., “XP Bliss/Bliss” referenced as background/name).

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Verification After Boot

The narrator verifies that changes persist after boot, including:

• LibreWolf is present (and Firefox removed)
  • Including uBlock Origin and privacy-hardening user.js settings
• Cubit Torrent replaces Transmission
• NvChad works:
  • Running nvim triggers a one-time setup/config
  • After setup, NvChad launches into the intended IDE environment

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Overall Takeaway

Cubic is presented as a practical way to create a portable, preconfigured, bootable Linux environment for travel/development, with optional:

• Persistence
• Full customization of apps, user configs, theming, and boot visuals.

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Main Speakers / Sources

• Speaker: The video narrator/tutorial presenter demonstrating Cubic and using chroot inside it.
• Primary technical sources referenced:
  • Cubic (custom bootable ISO creator)
  • chroot (core customization environment)
  • Rufus (persistence/USB image writing mention)
  • Linux Mint 22 Cinnamon (base)
  • LibreWolf, NvChad, NeoVim, MPV / Transmission, uBlock Origin
  • Boomerang project (Windows XP theme/icon pack)