Binary distributions

[planetf1]

Is there a list of binary distributions (particularly aided by the core team, or at least well-supported) of liboqs? Obviously there are more built by individuals for their own needs.

I can build liboqs from source (and have the most flexibility), but when explaining to others how to use liboqs, pointing to a easily accessible built version - such as installed from their standard linux distro, or a common package manager (like homebrew on macos) can make things easier & less error prone

Looking around I found a few references:

• https://packages.fedoraproject.org/pkgs/liboqs/ - looks to be current. I've myself installed liboqs from fedora 39. This is really useful (also builds at https://koji.fedoraproject.org/koji/packageinfo?packageID=37370 ) . I presume this is the current official initiative for fedora?
• https://copr.fedorainfracloud.org/coprs/rrelyea/liboqs/ - I presume this was an early, now defunct initiative. It targets a broader range of distributions than the above
• https://code.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/liboqs - an earlier .8.x version for a range of ubuntu versions. Non-official?
• https://repology.org/project/liboqs/information - some additional random hits
• https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/liboqs - homebrew. This looks current, presumably official?
• https://aur.archlinux.org/packages?O=0&SeB=nd&K=liboqs&outdated=&SB=p&SO=d&PP=50&submit=Go - archlinux. unofficial?
• https://www.freshports.org/security/liboqs - FreeBSD (0.8.x)

No doubt there are many more

Is this documented anywhere? Would it be useful to add those with some backing/confidence that are being maintained (happy to volunteer helping out in doc etc, search in more detail & catalog)

Logically the topic could continue with the other subprojects like python binding.

Many thanks!

[beldmit]

I am the maintainer of liboqs and oqs provider in Fedora, I confirm this is the official Fedora initiative. But we intentionally build only NIST-approved algorithms

[baentsch]

Is there a list of binary distributions (particularly aided by the core team, or at least well-supported) of liboqs?

Not really. OQS never really cared about binary distributions for lack of (human and CI) resources (and experiences, say with non-Linux/non-x64 platforms). Even a general platform support strategy is currently only "in the making" (see #1605), so anyone doing distros (cudos to @beldmit ) may face "surprises".

Only oqsprovider does provide binaries as part of its releases as the maintainer of that project considers it a key feature for a "binary loadable module".

happy to volunteer helping out in doc etc, search in more detail & catalog

Please, by all means, go ahead! It would also be nice if you could collect (CI) environments we could rely on if we decide to support specific platforms. It would help M1 as well as not really well-supported arcane IBM platforms (sorry, couldn't resist :).

[planetf1]

thanks.. makes sense to only distribute the NIST candidates in built form for now.
Sorry for the slow reply (many threads) - I'll do some more digging ... and be back here.

[baentsch]

Ping... Two months on, any news on the above?

Otherwise, my suggestion is to close the discussion assuming lack of interest and leave it to interested (non-OQS) parties to create/maintain installation packages independently: "Ready-to-run code" in my eyes is a property of a "commercially backed" project and hence should be motivated/driven by commercial entities (for the platforms important to them, e.g., RHEL/Fedora as per the comment above), not volunteer contributors (that may focus on the wrong platforms or rather prioritize improving the functionality or properties of the code).

Finally, if there's still interest on your side in/willingness to shape the future direction of the project, please consider providing feedback to things like this or this.

[raybeecham]

Thank you for the update; I appreciate the efforts to refine OQS towards production readiness and am interested in contributing feedback or assistance to help navigate this transition effectively. While I'm not entirely sure if I possess the knowledge or the skills to assist I'd like to see what I can help with.