Please explain why derivative-maker has recently been switched to public archive on github

[phil-gg]

Hi Kicksecure team - great looking project.

I am evaluating moving from vanilla Debian to Kicksecure to benefit from your security hardening. Your derivative-maker tool is particularly of interest to me, as a way to move large chunks of config out of my post install dotfile scripts into the build installation image step instead.

However recently (2026-05-08) you moved derivative-maker to public archive status on github. There is no corresponding explanation as to why this project was archived (or any indication the tool is not current) at www .kicksecure .com/wiki/Dev/Derivative-Maker

Would someone knowledgeable from the Kicksecure community please explain the apparent discrepancy below in this thread?

Thank you,

Phil

[arraybolt3]

We had derivative-maker in three spots:

• “Kicksecure-specific”, still very much alive and active: GitHub - Kicksecure/derivative-maker: Build tool for Kicksecure and Whonix derivative images · GitHub
• “Whonix-specific”, really just a mirror of the above: GitHub - Whonix/derivative-maker: Build tool for Kicksecure and Whonix derivative images · GitHub
• “Distro-agnostic”, this one ended up being useless, it previously was just another mirror of the above two, it’s the only one that’s archived: GitHub - derivative-maker/derivative-maker: https://www.kicksecure.com/wiki/Imprint · GitHub

So don’t worry, the project is still very alive. The archival in one spot is just an artifact of us cleaning up unused cruft.

@phil-gg

Your derivative-maker tool is particularly of interest to me, as a way to move large chunks of config out of my post install dotfile scripts into the build installation image step instead.

You may want to be careful here; derivative-maker is the build system for Kicksecure and Whonix, and as such it regularly undergoes invasive changes as we continue to develop the OS. You may have to update your soft-fork of the repo regularly as it updates.

[phil-gg]

Thanks, useful answer.

I think you could make this less confusing for others in future, by replacing a line on www .kicksecure .com/wiki/Dev/Derivative-Maker

As-is (replace this) = Derivative-Maker is capable of building Debian Derivatives like Kicksecure and Whonix.

To-be (two lines, this is the suggested friendly text to two links for the active git repos):
Derivative-Maker (for Whonix)
Derivative-maker (for Kicksecure)

As for my personal use of this, once I work out which of Whonix / Kicksecure would be the better base for me, I just want to add repos / packages / some config at the end of the build process, and yes I would soft-fork, and use the commits that correspond with stable releases, thanks.

[arraybolt3]

I had looked for the link on that page and couldn’t find it initially, but I see it now. Since this is on the Kicksecure wiki, I’ll replace the link with the one to the Kicksecure repo. If there’s a corresponding page in the Whonix wiki, I’ll put the Whonix repo there. Thank you for pointing out the issue!

Edit: Page was only on the Kicksecure wiki. Link has been fixed.