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Improve README wording

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Elara 2023-10-23 21:34:11 +00:00
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@ -4,14 +4,14 @@ A pure-Go implementation of fakeroot using Linux user namespaces.
### What is fakeroot?
Fakeroot is a utility that runs commands in an environment where they appear to have root privileges even though they don't. The [original `fakeroot` command](https://salsa.debian.org/clint/fakeroot/) does this by using `LD_PRELOAD` to inject custom wrappers around libc functions that behave as if they're running as the root user. Basically, it intercepts calls to functions like `stat()`, `chmod()`, `chown()`, etc. and replaces them with ones that return values that make it seem like the user is root.
Fakeroot is a utility that runs commands in an environment where they appear to have root privileges even though they don't. The [original `fakeroot` command](https://salsa.debian.org/clint/fakeroot/) does this by intercepting calls to libc functions like `stat()`, `chmod()`, `chown()`, etc. and replacing them with ones that return values that make it seem like the user is root.
### How is this library different?
Instead of injecting custom libc functions, this library uses Linux's user namespaces. Basically, rather than pretending that the user is root, this library uses the Linux kernel's built-in isolation features to make it seem as if the user is actually root. That means even programs that don't use libc (such as Go programs), or programs with a statically-linked libc, will believe they're running as root. However, this approach will only work on Linux kernels new enough (3.8+) and on distros that don't disable this functionality. Most modern Linux systems support it though, so it should work in most cases.
Instead of injecting custom libc functions, this library uses the Linux kernel's built-in isolation features to make a sort of container where the user is root. That means even programs that don't use libc (such as Go programs), or programs with a statically-linked libc, will believe they're running as root. However, this approach will only work on Linux kernels new enough (3.8+) and on distros that don't disable this functionality. Most modern Linux systems support it though, so it should work in most cases.
### Why?
Fakeroot is very useful for building packages, as various utilities depend on file permissions and users. For example, the `tar` command. It creates files inside the tar archive with the same permissions as the original files. That means if the files were owned by a particular user, they will still be owned by that user when the tar archive is extracted. This is problematic for package building because it means you can end up with system files in a package, owned by non-root users. Fakeroot is used to trick utilities like `tar` into making files owned as root.
Many utilities depend on file permissions and user ownership. For instance, the tar command creates files within a tar archive with the same permissions as the original files. This means that if the files were owned by a specific user, they will retain that ownership when the tar archive is extracted. This can become problematic when building packages because it could lead to system files in a package being owned by non-root users. By making it seem as if the current user is root and therefore all the files are owned by root, fakeroot tricks utilities like `tar` into making its files owned by root.
Many utilities require root privileges for some operations but return errors even if the specific thing you're doing doesn't require them. Fakeroot can also be used to execute these programs without actually giving them root privileges, which provides extra security.
Also, many utilities may require root privileges for certain operations but might return errors even when the specific task doesn't necessarily need those elevated permissions. Fakeroot can be used to execute these programs without actually granting them root privileges, which provides some extra security.