Removing Packages from Repository

There may be cases where we need to switch back to using Debian-provided packages instead of Garden Linux-built packages.

Important Considerations

DANGER

DO NOT RENAME PACKAGE REPOS

Renaming package repositories will break future patch releases, as the package-releases file references repositories by their exact names. Additionally, you should disable GitHub Actions for the repository to prevent version updates from overwriting the null release.

Procedure to Nullify a Package

To remove a Garden Linux package and revert to the Debian version:

1. Create an archive branch

   git checkout -b archive-<PACKAGE_NAME>

2. Disable GitHub Actions and remove files

   git rm -r .github/workflows
   git rm -r <ALL_FILES>

3. Create a README documenting the package

   git add README.md
   git commit -a -m "null"
   git push -u origin archive-<PACKAGE_NAME>

4. Create the null tag and release

   git tag null
   git push origin null
   
   # Create a non-empty file for the release (required by GitHub)
   echo null > ~/null
   gh release create null ~/null --latest --notes null --title 'ignore package for repo import'

5. Archive the repository in GitHub

   • Go to: github.com/gardenlinux/package-<NAME>_repo
   • Navigate to Settings → Danger Zone → Archive

This process ensures that:

• The package repository is preserved for historical reference
• No new builds will be triggered for the package
• The repo will import the package from Debian instead of using a Garden Linux build
• Future patch releases for the Garden Linux version will continue to work correctly