scripts to use squashfs to dramatically reduce the size of /var/db/repos/gentoo (or /usr/portage)

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README.md

portage-squashfs

scripts to use squashfs to dramatically reduce the size of /var/db/repos/gentoo (or /usr/portage if you're old)

Should I do this?

Probably not. Chances are if you're running Gentoo you've never noticed how much space /var/db/repos/gentoo takes up. You would only care if you're running Gentoo on ARM chinky boards with low storage / write speeds. Or if you're me, running it on a chromebook with like 16Gb of storage...

MASTER / SLAVE structure:

My trick here is to use a MASTER computer (like a server you run 24/7 or a beefy desktop) that also runs Gentoo. The MASTER compresses its copy of the Gentoo repo into a file using squashfs. The SLAVE downloads this copy into a folder and mounts it at /var/db/repos/gentoo. The files are still there as far as the SLAVE's portage cares, so you can proceed to install packages as normal.

Also both master and slave need the sys-fs/squashfs-tools package!!

In short:

MASTER

takes care of gentoo repo updating
squashes its copy of the gentoo repo into squashfs file

SLAVE

NEVER updates normally
only downloads squashfs from MASTER
mounts said squashfs

scripts

portage-squashfs.sh should be at the MASTER computer
- I put this one under /etc/cron.daily/ as I already have a daily emerge --sync script in there.
update.sh should be at the SLAVE computer
- This one was made to be run deliberately instead of automated.