On 01/03/2020 03:28, bob prohaska wrote:
> This is probably a dumb question, but I'll ask anyway:
>
> Is it possible to download source code for the kernel and user
> software and rebuild the command line part of raspbian on the Pi?
>
> I understand it's not done that way, I'm merely curious.
>
> Thanks for reading,
>
> bob prohaska
>
Anyway, back to your question Bob.

You can but it will be slow and you may hit various speed bumps and
bottlenecks on the way.

A possible plan would be to do this in two stages. Self-host on an
x86/AMD64  PC  which is well described in many places such as Linux from
Scratch (LFS). That teaches you how to build a whole system from source.
You can build it and run it then you know you are running your own
"clean" system.

Cross Linux from Scratch also exists (I only learned this today). It's
the same as LFS but uses cross compilation so you can build for ARM on
your fast PC and then run the code on the Pi. Use your LFS system to
build a CLFS system for the Pi. Job done, smile and drink beer.

Unless you have a desperate urge to actually  do the building on a Pi
then Cross LFS may be the best solution. For me, I've spent a lifetime
waiting for computers to do jobs, I want things faster. I have fewer
minutes left on Earth that I have already spent, so waiting for a slow
(in relative terms) Pi to compile a few GB of source doesn't appeal.

YMMV

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