Include Alpine Linux installation steps - #897
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Add installation instructions for Alpine Linux, including CLI and desktop app setup.
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@ScottRFrost is attempting to deploy a commit to the NetBird GmbH Team on Vercel. A member of the Team first needs to authorize it. |
📝 WalkthroughWalkthroughThe Linux installation guide adds Alpine Linux 3.23+ support. It documents CLI-only and desktop-app installation, service startup, activation, OpenRC registration, and package-based updates. ChangesAlpine Linux installation
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src/pages/get-started/install/linux.mdxOops! Something went wrong! :( ESLint: 9.39.5 TypeError: Converting circular structure to JSON Thanks for using CodeRabbit! It's free for OSS, and your support helps us grow. If you like it, consider giving us a shout-out. Comment |
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Verify each finding against current code. Fix only still-valid issues, skip the
rest with a brief reason, keep changes minimal, and validate.
Inline comments:
In `@src/pages/get-started/install/linux.mdx`:
- Line 159: Update the subsection around the Alpine package management
instruction to use “Updating” as the heading. Move the explanatory text and `apk
update && apk upgrade` command into normal body content, and explicitly name the
NetBird packages if the command is intended to update only those packages.
- Line 24: Update the Alpine Linux entry in the support table and related
installation guidance to match the Alpine package contract: either document the
exact compatible GTK 4 and WebKitGTK runtime packages before installing
netbird-ui, or mark Alpine as CLI-only until package metadata confirms
compatibility. Do not add Alpine runtime dependencies speculatively.
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src/pages/get-started/install/linux.mdx
| | Fedora | 43 and newer | any supported release | | ||
| | RHEL / AlmaLinux / Rocky | 10 and newer, with [EPEL](https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/epel/getting-started/) | any supported release | | ||
| | Amazon Linux | not available | 2 and 2023 | | ||
| | Alpine Linux | 3.23 and newer | 3.23 and newer | |
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🩺 Stability & Availability | 🟠 Major | ⚡ Quick win
🧩 Analysis chain
🏁 Script executed:
#!/bin/bash
set -euo pipefail
echo "== File excerpt =="
if [ -f src/pages/get-started/install/linux.mdx ]; then
sed -n '1,220p' src/pages/get-started/install/linux.mdx | cat -n
else
echo "missing src/pages/get-started/install/linux.mdx"
fi
echo "== Build/package hints =="
for f in package.json src/pages/get-started/install/linux.mdx; do
[ -f "$f" ] && { echo "--- $f"; sed -n '1,220p' "$f"; }
done
echo "== Static docs references =="
rg -n "GTK|WebKit|netbird-ui|Alpine|Alpine Linux|desktop|Line 9|openresolv|Wayland" src/pages/public public/docs-static 2>/dev/null || trueRepository: netbirdio/docs
Length of output: 18554
🌐 Web query:
Alpine Linux package netbird-ui 0.72.2-r0 dependencies openresolv musl Wayland gtk webkit
💡 Result:
The Alpine Linux package netbird-ui version 0.72.2-r0, available in the community repository, has explicit runtime dependencies that ensure its core functionality, including networking and graphical interface support [1][2]. Regarding the dependencies you specified: 1. openresolv: The netbird-ui package (along with the core netbird package) lists openresolv as a dependency [3]. This is required to manage DNS information for the NetBird overlay network [3]. 2. musl: As an Alpine Linux package, netbird-ui is natively built against and depends on the musl standard C library [4]. 3. Wayland / gtk / webkit: While netbird-ui requires underlying graphical infrastructure to render its interface (typically using Wails-based technology that relies on GTK and WebKitGTK), these are generally provided by the system's runtime libraries [5]. Alpine's package manager handles the necessary shared object requirements (e.g., libwayland, libgtk, and WebKitGTK-related libraries) to satisfy the binary's runtime needs [4]. Note that upstream maintainers have noted that in some Linux distributions, these dependencies may need to be installed explicitly if they are not correctly declared or auto-resolved by the package manager, though Alpine's packaging is designed to include these requirements [5]. In summary, openresolv is a direct package dependency [3], musl is the base system library [4], and the necessary Wayland, GTK, and WebKit components are satisfied through the package's declared runtime requirements for graphical and windowing libraries [4].
Citations:
- 1: https://pkgs.alpinelinux.org/package/v3.23/community/x86_64/netbird-ui
- 2: https://pkgs.alpinelinux.org/package/edge/community/x86_64/netbird-ui
- 3: https://pkgs.alpinelinux.org/package/v3.23/main/x86_64/openresolv
- 4: https://pkgs.alpinelinux.org/package/v3.23/community/armhf/netbird-ui
- 5: Cover RPM-based distros and desktop app dependencies in the Linux tab dashboard#733
🌐 Web query:
site:pkgs.alpinelinux.org v3.23 community x86_64 netbird openresolv Wayland libgtk4 libwebkitgtk-6.0
💡 Result:
In the Alpine Linux v3.23 community repository for the x86_64 architecture, the NetBird package (version 0.72.2-r0) is available as a WireGuard-based overlay network and mesh VPN solution [1]. While core components like NetBird and its documentation are listed as standalone packages [1][2], the graphical user interface component, netbird-ui, is often associated with dependencies involving Wayland display protocols and GTK-based libraries [3]. Specifically, WebKitGTK-6.0 (which includes libwebkitgtk-6.0) relies on GTK4 (libgtk4) and Wayland support to render web-based interfaces within Linux desktop environments [4][5]. Additionally, openresolv is a common dependency for network-related tools on Alpine Linux to manage DNS configurations, and it is frequently linked with NetBird's networking operations [3]. In summary, these components typically function together as part of the broader NetBird ecosystem, where the core daemon handles VPN connectivity and the UI package provides the graphical interface, leveraging GTK4 and WebKitGTK for rendering, with openresolv managing the necessary DNS resolution updates [4][5][3].
Citations:
- 1: https://pkgs.alpinelinux.org/package/v3.23/community/x86_64/netbird
- 2: https://pkgs.alpinelinux.org/package/v3.23/community/x86_64/netbird-doc
- 3: https://pkgs.alpinelinux.org/package/v3.23/community/armhf/netbird-ui
- 4: https://pkgs.alpinelinux.org/package/edge/community/x86_64/webkit2gtk-6.0
- 5: https://pkgs.alpinelinux.org/package/v3.23/community/riscv64/webkit2gtk-6.0
🌐 Web query:
Alpine Linux packages v3.23 netbird-ui dependencies GTK WebKitGTK
💡 Result:
The netbird-ui package is available in the Alpine Linux community repository for version 3.23 [1][2]. The NetBird desktop application is built using Wails 3, which relies on GTK 4 and WebKitGTK 6.0 [3][4]. While official package repositories for distributions like Ubuntu, Fedora, and RHEL have specific guidance on installing these dependencies [4], Alpine Linux packaging typically manages declared dependencies automatically if they are correctly defined in the package metadata [3]. If you encounter runtime issues where the interface fails to load or interact properly (such as file dialogs crashing or menus not rendering), ensure that your system has the equivalent GTK 4 and WebKitGTK 6.0 packages installed, as these are mandatory requirements for the current netbird-ui desktop application [3][4]. You can verify the required runtime environment by checking the application's behavior and the system's installed libraries [4][5].
Citations:
- 1: https://pkgs.alpinelinux.org/package/v3.23/community/x86_64/netbird-ui
- 2: https://pkgs.alpinelinux.org/packages?branch=v3.23&name=netbird-ui
- 3: Cover RPM-based distros and desktop app dependencies in the Linux tab dashboard#733
- 4: https://docs.netbird.io/get-started/install/linux
- 5: Linux client UI error - cannot view settings menu or about menu netbird#4186
🌐 Web query:
pkgs.alpinelinux.org package v3.23 community x86_64 netbird-ui deps openresolv wayland libgtk4 libwebkitgtk-6.0
💡 Result:
As of July 31, 2026, the Alpine Linux v3.23 community package for netbird-ui (version 0.72.2-r0) on x86_64 does not explicitly list openresolv, wayland, libgtk4, or libwebkitgtk-6.0 as formal package dependencies in its metadata [1][2]. While modern versions of the NetBird desktop application (specifically those built with Wails 3) rely on GTK 4 and WebKitGTK 6.0 to render their graphical user interfaces, official Alpine Linux packages often manage these requirements differently [3][4]. In some cases, necessary graphical libraries may be pulled in as sub-dependencies or optional runtime requirements rather than being explicitly defined in the top-level package metadata for netbird-ui [1]. If you are encountering issues running the GUI, it is confirmed that the application requires a functional GTK 4 and WebKitGTK 6.0 environment to render correctly [3][4]. Users on systems lacking these libraries may experience runtime failures, as the application cannot render its interface without them [4]. Openresolv is typically associated with network configuration (DNS management) for the NetBird client, but it is not a direct build or package-level dependency for the graphical UI component itself [5].
Citations:
- 1: https://pkgs.alpinelinux.org/package/v3.23/community/x86_64/netbird-ui
- 2: https://pkgs.alpinelinux.org/packages?branch=v3.23&name=netbird-ui
- 3: https://docs.netbird.io/get-started/install/linux
- 4: Cover RPM-based distros and desktop app dependencies in the Linux tab dashboard#733
- 5: https://git.it-syndikat.org/mirror/netbird/src/branch/master/PKGBUILD
Align Alpine desktop support with the Alpine package contract.
The table advertises Alpine desktop support, and line 153 installs netbird-ui, but the preceding dependency guidance is for GTK 4.10+/WebKitGTK 6.0 and the documented packages are Debian/Fedora/RHEL packages. Document the exact Alpine GTK 4 and WebKitGTK packages, or mark Alpine as CLI-only until the Alpine package matches those dependencies. Add the Alpine runtime packages only after the package metadata shows the correct compatibility.
🤖 Prompt for AI Agents
Verify each finding against current code. Fix only still-valid issues, skip the
rest with a brief reason, keep changes minimal, and validate.
In `@src/pages/get-started/install/linux.mdx` at line 24, Update the Alpine Linux
entry in the support table and related installation guidance to match the Alpine
package contract: either document the exact compatible GTK 4 and WebKitGTK
runtime packages before installing netbird-ui, or mark Alpine as CLI-only until
package metadata confirms compatibility. Do not add Alpine runtime dependencies
speculatively.
Source: MCP tools
| rc-update add netbird default | ||
| ``` | ||
|
|
||
| #### update then just work with normal Alpine package management `apk update && apk upgrade` |
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📐 Maintainability & Code Quality | 🟡 Minor | ⚡ Quick win
Move the update instruction out of the heading.
Use #### Updating as the subsection title. Put the explanation and apk command in normal body content. If the command should update only NetBird packages, list those packages explicitly.
🤖 Prompt for AI Agents
Verify each finding against current code. Fix only still-valid issues, skip the
rest with a brief reason, keep changes minimal, and validate.
In `@src/pages/get-started/install/linux.mdx` at line 159, Update the subsection
around the Alpine package management instruction to use “Updating” as the
heading. Move the explanatory text and `apk update && apk upgrade` command into
normal body content, and explicitly name the NetBird packages if the command is
intended to update only those packages.
I omitted the fact that the community repo had to be enabled in my original commit
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Hey @ScottRFrost , thanks for putting this together. Alpine support is a nice addition and I verified the packages are real in the community repo, so I do want to get this merged. A few things to fix up first. Support table. Alpine 3.23 ships NetBird 0.72.2, which is before the new desktop app landed in 0.75.0. So The Headings. Keep the heading short like the rest of the page, Small stuff:
Happy to merge once those are in. Thanks again! |
Updated installation instructions for Alpine Linux and added commands for starting the NetBird service.
|
Completed as requested. I don't think we need to add more info about apk upgrade based on the info provided for other distros, but feel free to change. apk upgrade will actually upgrade, for example after you update from 3.23 to 3.24. |
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Actionable comments posted: 2
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⚠️ Outside diff range comments (2)
src/pages/get-started/install/linux.mdx (2)
142-159: 📐 Maintainability & Code Quality | 🟠 Major | ⚡ Quick winFix the failing MDX build before merge.
npm run buildexits with module resolution failure:
ERR_MODULE_NOT_FOUND: Cannot find package 'mdx-annotations' imported from /home/jailuser/git/mdx/remark.mjs- The build fails before generating the
netbirdio/docspages.🤖 Prompt for AI Agents
Verify each finding against current code. Fix only still-valid issues, skip the rest with a brief reason, keep changes minimal, and validate. In `@src/pages/get-started/install/linux.mdx` around lines 142 - 159, Fix the MDX build configuration around remark.mjs by resolving or removing the missing mdx-annotations package import. Ensure the documentation build completes successfully and generates the netbirdio/docs pages, while preserving the Alpine Linux installation content.Source: Coding guidelines
24-24: 🎯 Functional Correctness | 🟡 Minor | ⚡ Quick winCorrect the Alpine Desktop version boundary.
Set the Alpine row to
3.24 and newerfor the Desktop app and keep3.23 and newerfor the CLI. Line 24 currently advertisesnetbird-uifor Alpine 3.23, but the Desktop instructions later scopenetbird-uiinstallation to Alpine3.24 and newer.🤖 Prompt for AI Agents
Verify each finding against current code. Fix only still-valid issues, skip the rest with a brief reason, keep changes minimal, and validate. In `@src/pages/get-started/install/linux.mdx` at line 24, Update the Alpine Linux row in the installation compatibility table so the Desktop app version is 3.24 and newer, while retaining 3.23 and newer for the CLI.
🤖 Prompt for all review comments with AI agents
Verify each finding against current code. Fix only still-valid issues, skip the
rest with a brief reason, keep changes minimal, and validate.
Inline comments:
In `@src/pages/get-started/install/linux.mdx`:
- Around line 135-139: Update the GNOME installation snippet to use a bash code
fence and revise the Wayland instruction to say “log out and log in again,”
including the comma after “Wayland.”
- Around line 142-149: Update the Alpine Linux CLI installation section to
instruct users to enable the community repository in /etc/apk/repositories
before installation. Ensure the apk add, rc-service, netbird up, and rc-update
commands include sudo while preserving their existing order and behavior.
---
Outside diff comments:
In `@src/pages/get-started/install/linux.mdx`:
- Around line 142-159: Fix the MDX build configuration around remark.mjs by
resolving or removing the missing mdx-annotations package import. Ensure the
documentation build completes successfully and generates the netbirdio/docs
pages, while preserving the Alpine Linux installation content.
- Line 24: Update the Alpine Linux row in the installation compatibility table
so the Desktop app version is 3.24 and newer, while retaining 3.23 and newer for
the CLI.
🪄 Autofix
Fix all unresolved CodeRabbit comments on this PR:
- Push a commit to this branch (recommended)
- Create a new PR with the fixes
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src/pages/get-started/install/linux.mdx
| ```bash | ||
| sudo dnf install gnome-shell-extension-appindicator | ||
| sudo gnome-extensions enable [email protected] | ||
| ``` | ||
| Under X11, you may need to restart GNOME Shell (Alt+F2, r, ⏎) after that. Under Wayland you need to logout and login again. |
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📐 Maintainability & Code Quality | 🟡 Minor | ⚡ Quick win
Fix the GNOME snippet fence and wording.
Use a bash code fence. Write log out and log in again instead of logout and login again.
Proposed fix
-```
+```bash
sudo dnf install gnome-shell-extension-appindicator
sudo gnome-extensions enable [email protected]-Under X11, you may need to restart GNOME Shell (Alt+F2, r, ⏎) after that. Under Wayland you need to logout and login again.
+Under X11, you may need to restart GNOME Shell (Alt+F2, r, ⏎) after that. Under Wayland, you need to log out and log in again.
</details>
<details>
<summary>🧰 Tools</summary>
<details>
<summary>🪛 LanguageTool</summary>
[grammar] ~139-~139: Ensure spelling is correct
Context: ...) after that. Under Wayland you need to logout and login again. ### Alpine Linux - R...
(QB_NEW_EN_ORTHOGRAPHY_ERROR_IDS_1)
</details>
</details>
<details>
<summary>🤖 Prompt for AI Agents</summary>
Verify each finding against current code. Fix only still-valid issues, skip the
rest with a brief reason, keep changes minimal, and validate.
In @src/pages/get-started/install/linux.mdx around lines 135 - 139, Update the
GNOME installation snippet to use a bash code fence and revise the Wayland
instruction to say “log out and log in again,” including the comma after
“Wayland.”
</details>
<!-- fingerprinting:phantom:poseidon:caracal -->
<!-- cr-indicator-types:potential_issue -->
<!-- cr-comment:v1:a3f82abffe4c6ca6bb8af7c8 -->
_Source: Linters/SAST tools_
<!-- This is an auto-generated comment by CodeRabbit -->
| ### Alpine Linux - Requires community repository to be added to apk configuration | ||
| #### For CLI only: | ||
| ```bash | ||
| apk add netbird netbird-openrc | ||
| rc-service netbird start | ||
| netbird up | ||
| rc-update add netbird default | ||
| ``` |
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🎯 Functional Correctness | 🟠 Major | ⚡ Quick win
🧩 Analysis chain
🏁 Script executed:
#!/bin/bash
set -euo pipefail
echo "== Locate file =="
git ls-files | grep -F 'src/pages/get-started/install/linux.mdx' || true
echo "== Relevant excerpt =="
cat -n src/pages/get-started/install/linux.mdx | sed -n '120,165p'
echo "== Alpine repository heading nearby =="
rg -n -C 3 -i 'Alpine|apk|community|netbird-openrc|netbird-ui|rc-service|rc-update|sudo' src/pages/get-started/install/linux.mdx
echo "== Related Linux sections =="
cat -n src/pages/get-started/install/linux.mdx | sed -n '1,220p'Repository: netbirdio/docs
Length of output: 17932
🏁 Script executed:
#!/bin/bash
set -euo pipefail
echo "== MDX build requirement files =="
git ls-files | grep -E '(^|/)(package\.json|pnpm-lock\.yaml|package-lock\.json|yarn\.lock|bun\.lockb?)$' || true
echo "== package scripts =="
if [ -f package.json ]; then
jq '.scripts // {}' package.json
fi
echo "== docs-static directories =="
git ls-files public/docs-static | sed -n '1,80p' || trueRepository: netbirdio/docs
Length of output: 6877
🌐 Web query:
Alpine Linux apk community repository enabled by default /etc/apk/repositories
💡 Result:
The community repository is not enabled by default in Alpine Linux [1][2][3]. By default, only the main repository is enabled in the /etc/apk/repositories file [2][4][3]. To enable the community repository, you can manually edit /etc/apk/repositories and remove the hash (#) character from the beginning of the line that points to the community repository [1][4][3]. Alternatively, you can use the setup-apkrepos script provided by Alpine Linux [1][4][5]. For example, running setup-apkrepos -c will enable the community repository [6][5]. After making these changes, it is necessary to run apk update to refresh the package index and make the packages in the community repository available for installation [3].
Citations:
- 1: https://wiki.alpinelinux.org/wiki/Enable_Community_Repository
- 2: https://wiki.alpinelinux.org/w/index.php?__goaway_challenge=cookie&__goaway_id=59a1925a3405b934fe4f1924ec800d9b&title=Apk
- 3: https://www.baeldung.com/linux/alpine-openjdk-install
- 4: https://wiki.alpinelinux.org/wiki/Repositories
- 5: https://wiki.alpinelinux.org/wiki/Alpine_configuration_management_scripts?__goaway_challenge=cookie&__goaway_id=5b3070d3d1303ca2243f5641d271abce
- 6: https://github.com/alpinelinux/alpine-conf/blob/master/setup-apkrepos.in
Make the Alpine path mention repository changes and make the commands executable.
These commands assume the community repository is already enabled, which conflicts with the current apk configuration. Tell users how to enable community in /etc/apk/repositories before installing. Also keep sudo on the apk, OpenRC, and netbird up commands.
🤖 Prompt for AI Agents
Verify each finding against current code. Fix only still-valid issues, skip the
rest with a brief reason, keep changes minimal, and validate.
In `@src/pages/get-started/install/linux.mdx` around lines 142 - 149, Update the
Alpine Linux CLI installation section to instruct users to enable the community
repository in /etc/apk/repositories before installation. Ensure the apk add,
rc-service, netbird up, and rc-update commands include sudo while preserving
their existing order and behavior.
Add installation instructions for Alpine Linux, including CLI and desktop app setup.
Summary by CodeRabbit