Add installation instructions in the comments

debianzfs.sh

@@ -1,10 +1,13 @@
 #!/bin/bash
-DISK=$1
+
-ZFSHOST=$2
+# Script is based off official guide: see "Debian Bullseye Root on ZFS"
-[ -z "$ZFSHOST" ] && ZFSHOST="debianzfs"
+# https://openzfs.github.io/openzfs-docs/Getting%20Started/Debian/Debian%20Bullseye%20Root%20on%20ZFS.html
 
 # Settings
 export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive
+DISK=$1
+ZFSHOST=$2
+[ -z "$ZFSHOST" ] && ZFSHOST="debianzfs"
 CODENAME="bullseye"
 ZFSROOT="/mnt"
 
@@ -18,24 +21,43 @@ if [ "$DISK_TYPE" != "blockspecial" ]; then
 	exit 1;
 fi
 
-# Update sources list
+###############################################
+### Step 1: Prepare The Install Environment ###
+###############################################
+
+# 1. Boot the Debian GNU/Linux Live CD... done
+# 2. Setup and update the repositories
 SOURCES_LIST="/etc/apt/sources.list"
 [ -f "$SOURCES_LIST" ] && mv "$SOURCES_LIST" "$SOURCES_LIST.$(date +%s).bak"
 echo "deb http://deb.debian.org/debian/ ${CODENAME} main contrib" > "$SOURCES_LIST"
 apt-get update
 
-# Install tools and ZFS
+# 3. Optional: Install and start the OpenSSH server in the Live CD environment... done
+# 4. Disable automounting... skipping, no GUI-based automounting present
+# 5. Become root... done
+# 6. Install ZFS in the Live CD environment (plus some tools)
 apt-get install -y debootstrap gdisk pwgen zfsutils-linux
 
-# Ensure swap isn't in use
+###############################
+### Step 2: Disk Formatting ###
+###############################
+
+# 1. Set a variable with the disk name
+# 2. If you are re-using a disk, clear it as necessary... skipping: do this yourself :)
+# Ensure swap partitions are not in use
 swapoff --all
 
-# Partition
+# 3. Partition your disk(s)
+# Run this for UEFI booting (for use now or in the future)
 sgdisk -n2:1M:+512M -t2:EF00 "$DISK"
+
+# Run this for the boot pool
 sgdisk -n3:0:+1G    -t3:BF01 "$DISK"
+
+# Unencrypted or ZFS native encryption
 sgdisk -n4:0:0      -t4:BF00 "$DISK"
 
-# Create boot pool
+# 4. Create the boot pool
 zpool create -f \
     -o ashift=12 \
     -o autotrim=on -d \
@@ -61,7 +83,8 @@ zpool create -f \
     -O canmount=off -O mountpoint=/boot -R "$ZFSROOT" \
 		bpool "${DISK}3"
 
-# Create root pool with random 16 character password
+# 5. Create the root pool
+# ZFS native encryption (with a random password)
 RPOOLPW="$(pwgen -s 16 1)"
 echo "$RPOOLPW" | \
 zpool create -f \
@@ -76,16 +99,20 @@ zpool create -f \
 		rpool "${DISK}4"
 unset RPOOLPW
 
-# Create filesystem datasets to act as containers
+###################################
+### Step 3: System Installation ###
+###################################
+
+# 1. Create filesystem datasets to act as containers
 zfs create -o canmount=off -o mountpoint=none rpool/ROOT
 zfs create -o canmount=off -o mountpoint=none bpool/BOOT
 
-# Create filesystem datasets for the root and boot filesystems
+# 2. Create filesystem datasets for the root and boot filesystems
 zfs create -o canmount=noauto -o mountpoint=/ rpool/ROOT/debian
 zfs mount rpool/ROOT/debian
 zfs create -o mountpoint=/boot bpool/BOOT/debian
 
-# Create datasets
+# 3. Create datasets
 zfs create rpool/home
 zfs create -o mountpoint=/root rpool/home/root
 chmod 700 "$ZFSROOT/root"
@@ -93,34 +120,46 @@ zfs create -o canmount=off rpool/var
 zfs create -o canmount=off rpool/var/lib
 zfs create rpool/var/log
 zfs create rpool/var/spool
+
+# If you wish to separate these to exclude them from snapshots
 zfs create -o com.sun:auto-snapshot=false rpool/var/cache
 zfs create -o com.sun:auto-snapshot=false rpool/var/lib/nfs
 zfs create -o com.sun:auto-snapshot=false rpool/var/tmp
 chmod 1777 "$ZFSROOT/var/tmp"
+
+# If you use /usr/local on this system
 zfs create -o canmount=off rpool/usr
 zfs create rpool/usr/local
+
+# If this system will have a GUI
 zfs create rpool/var/lib/AccountsService
 zfs create rpool/var/lib/NetworkManager
+
+# If this system will use Docker (which manages its own datasets & snapshots)
 zfs create -o com.sun:auto-snapshot=false rpool/var/lib/docker
 
-# Mount a tmpfs at /run
+# 4. Mount a tmpfs at /run
 mkdir "$ZFSROOT/run"
 mount -t tmpfs tmpfs /mnt/run
 mkdir "$ZFSROOT/run/lock"
 
-# Install minimal system
+# 5. Install the minimal system
 debootstrap "$CODENAME" /mnt
 
-# Copy in zpool.cache
+# 6. Copy in zpool.cache
 mkdir "$ZFSROOT/etc/zfs"
 cp /etc/zfs/zpool.cache "$ZFSROOT/etc/zfs/"
 
-# Configure hostname
+####################################
+### Step 4: System Configuration ###
+####################################
+
+# 1. Configure the hostname
 hostname "$ZFSHOST"
 hostname > "$ZFSROOT/etc/hostname"
 sed "/^127.0.0.1.*localhost/a 127.0.1.1\\t$ZFSHOST" "$ZFSROOT/etc/hosts" | tee "$ZFSROOT/etc/hosts"
 
-# Configure network devices
+# 2. Configure the network interfaces
 NETWORK_DEVICES=$(ip a | awk '$1 ~ /^[0-9][:]/ {print substr($2, 0, length($2)-1)}')
 while read -r INTER; do
 	if [ ! "$INTER" = "lo" ]; then
@@ -131,7 +170,7 @@ while read -r INTER; do
 	fi
 done <<< "$NETWORK_DEVICES"
 
-# Update sources list in ZFSROOT
+# 3. Configure the package sources
 ZFS_SOURCES_LIST="$ZFSROOT/etc/apt/sources.list"
 [ -f "$ZFS_SOURCES_LIST" ] && mv "$ZFS_SOURCES_LIST" "$ZFS_SOURCES_LIST.$(date +%s).bak"
 cat <<-EOF > "$ZFS_SOURCES_LIST"
@@ -145,10 +184,11 @@ deb http://deb.debian.org/debian ${CODENAME}-updates main contrib
 deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian ${CODENAME}-updates main contrib
 EOF
 
+# 4. Bind the virtual filesystems from the LiveCD environment to the new system and chroot into it
 # Copy DISK var under ZFSROOT
 echo "DISK=${DISK}" > "$ZFSROOT/var/tmp/zfsenv"
 
-# Bind the virtual filesystems from the LiveCD environment to the new system
+# Bind
 mount --make-private --rbind /dev /mnt/dev
 mount --make-private --rbind /proc /mnt/proc
 mount --make-private --rbind /sys /mnt/sys
@@ -156,38 +196,47 @@ mount --make-private --rbind /sys /mnt/sys
 # Chroot
 cat << CHROOT | chroot /mnt bash --login
 # Setup
+export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive
+export LC_CTYPE=en_US.UTF-8
+export LC_ALL=en_US.UTF-8
 set -ex
 . /var/tmp/zfsenv
 unset CDPATH
 cd
 
-# Configure a basic system environment
+# 5. Configure a basic system environment
-export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive
-export LC_CTYPE=en_US.UTF-8
-export LC_ALL=en_US.UTF-8
 ln -s /proc/self/mounts /etc/mtab
-apt-get update
+apt-get update && apt-get upgrade -y
-apt-get upgrade -y
 apt-get install -y console-setup locales
+
+# Even if you prefer a non-English system language, always ensure that en_US.UTF-8 is available
 dpkg-reconfigure locales tzdata keyboard-configuration console-setup
+
+# 6. Install ZFS in the chroot environment for the new system
 apt-get install -y dpkg-dev linux-headers-generic linux-image-generic zfs-initramfs
 echo REMAKE_INITRD=yes > /etc/dkms/zfs.conf
 
-# Install Grub for UEFI
+# 7. For LUKS installs only, setup /etc/crypttab... skipping
+# 8. Install GRUB
+# Install GRUB for UEFI booting
 apt-get install -y dosfstools
-echo REMAKE_INITRD=yes > /etc/dkms/zfs.conf
+
 mkdosfs -F 32 -s 1 -n EFI "\${DISK}2"
 mkdir /boot/efi
 BLKID_BOOT="/dev/disk/by-uuid/\$(blkid -s UUID -o value \${DISK}2)"
 echo "\${BLKID_BOOT} /boot/efi vfat defaults 0 0" >> /etc/fstab
 mount /boot/efi
 apt-get install -y grub-efi-amd64 shim-signed
+
+# 9. Optional: Remove os-prober
 apt-get purge -y os-prober
+
+# 10. Set a root password
 ROOTPW=$(pwgen 8 1)
 echo "root:\$ROOTPW" | chpasswd
 unset ROOTPW
 
-# Add bpool import service
+# 11. Enable importing bpool
 cat <<- BPOOL > /etc/systemd/system/zfs-import-bpool.service
 [Unit]
 DefaultDependencies=no
@@ -206,50 +255,72 @@ ExecStartPost=-/bin/mv /etc/zfs/preboot_zpool.cache /etc/zfs/zpool.cache
 WantedBy=zfs-import.target
 BPOOL
 
-# Enable importing bpool service
 systemctl enable zfs-import-bpool.service
 
-#  Mount a tmpfs to /tmp
+# 12 Optional (but recommended): Mount a tmpfs to /tmp
 cp /usr/share/systemd/tmp.mount /etc/systemd/system/
 systemctl enable tmp.mount
 
-# Verify that the ZFS boot filesystem is recognized
+# 13. Optional: Install SSH... skipping
+# 14. Optional: For ZFS native encryption or LUKS, configure Dropbear for remote unlocking... skipping
+# 15. Optional (but kindly requested): Install popcon... skipping
+
+#################################
+### Step 5: GRUB Installation ###
+#################################
+
+# 1. Verify that the ZFS boot filesystem is recognized
 grub-probe /boot
 
-# Refresh the initrd files
+# 2. Refresh the initrd files
 update-initramfs -c -k all
 
-# Workaround GRUB's missing zpool-features support
+# 3. Workaround GRUB's missing zpool-features support
 sed -i "s/^\(GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=\).*/\1\"root=ZFS=rpool\/ROOT\/debian\"/" /etc/default/grub
+
+# 4. Optional (but highly recommended): Make debugging GRUB easier
 sed -i "s/^\(GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT=\).*/\1\"\"/" /etc/default/grub
 sed -i '/GRUB_TERMINAL/s/^#//g' /etc/default/grub
 cat /etc/default/grub
 
-# Update the boot configuration
+# 5. Update the boot configuration
 update-grub
 
-# Install GRUB to the ESP
+# 6. Install the boot loader
+# For UEFI booting, install GRUB to the ESP
 grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --efi-directory=/boot/efi \
 						 --bootloader-id=debian --recheck --no-floppy
 
-# Fix filesystem mount ordering
+# 7. Fix filesystem mount ordering
 mkdir /etc/zfs/zfs-list.cache
 touch /etc/zfs/zfs-list.cache/bpool
 touch /etc/zfs/zfs-list.cache/rpool
 timeout 10 zed -F || \
+
+# Verify that zed updated the cache by making sure these are not empty
 test -s /etc/zfs/zfs-list.cache/bpool &&
 test -s /etc/zfs/zfs-list.cache/rpool
 
 # Fix the paths to eliminate /mnt
 sed -Ei "s|/mnt/?|/|" /etc/zfs/zfs-list.cache/*
 
-# Snapshot the initial installation
+##########################
+### Step 6: First Boot ###
+##########################
+
+# 1. Optional: Snapshot the initial installation
 zfs snapshot bpool/BOOT/debian@install
 zfs snapshot rpool/ROOT/debian@install
+
+# 2. Exit from the chroot environment back to the LiveCD environment
 exit
 CHROOT
 
+# 3. Run these commands in the LiveCD environment to unmount all filesystems
 mount | grep -v zfs | tac | awk '/\/mnt/ {print $3}' | \
     xargs -I{} umount -lf {}
+
+# 4. If this fails for rpool, mounting it on boot will fail and you will need to
+#    zpool import -f rpool, then exit in the initamfs prompt
 zpool export -a || exit 0
 exit 0