How to make a custom build Linux distribution for ARM processor (Rockchip 3399)?

Question

linux

Good time of the year!
After buying a ROCK Pi 4b (based on Rockchip 3399, with 4 GB LPDDR4) and trying out regular GNU / Linux distributions from the manufacturer (Debian Stretch, Ubuntu Server Bionic), I asked myself a question from the subject.
What you need / would like to have inside the assembly:
1. Latest stable Debian 9.9 or Ubuntu 19.04 (only system, with minimal software for initial setup, no offices / games / etc)
2. Gnome 3 + pre-installed 1-2 themes and icon sets with gnome-look
3. Limited software like Gimp, Inkscape, VS Code (with my config), FileZilla, etc.
4. Console with Zsh + customized (my) visual config
5. Latest stable versions of Python, Golang, Node.js, PostgreSQL, SQLite
6. Configured / working drivers for WiFi, Bluetooth, USB, sound, video, LAN
7. Pre-installed purchased fonts for the system and console
8. Desktop wallpapers and other decorations
How can this be done (and is it possible at all), having at your disposal just a laptop with macOS 10.14 and a single board?
I would appreciate advice and links. Thanks in advance! :)

Answer 1

debian or ubuntu (more precisely, those based on the .deb package manager) have a regular tool - debootstrap, it allows you to build a minimum build of about 200mb, into which you can install the necessary packages. And nothing prevents all manipulations from being carried out from a laptop (that is, excellent architecture).
If the resulting build is still going to be heavy (and it will be, and it's not just about distro size, it's also about RAM consumption) and you're after a really compact installation, look at gentoo , where the portage system allows you to configure your own build ( and even maintain and maintain a repository that allows you to support installation with this configuration, for example, for your fleet of devices).
I don't know of any other packaging system (i.e., a tool that allows you to maintain software packages and their dependencies) that allows you to create a build that is as efficient and resource-saving as possible. I assembled an installation for eeepc with xserver and awesome de, with 50 MB of RAM (after launch, you can immediately launch a browser or watch mvp videos), when the minimum assembly based on ubuntu took 200 or 300 MB (and the remaining ones were not enough for comfortable browser operation ).

Answer 2

Too late, rPman already answered
As a Gentushnik, I repeat: Gentoo.
Try it on Qemu, we'll help you with usas/makes.

Answer 3

The main problem in such assemblies is the drivers for the chip and the video subsystem, as I understand it, for the rockchip, the manufacturer keeps the modules on the github https://github.com/rockchip-linux and the Gento assembly for this chip is https://wiki.gentoo.org /wiki/Embedded_systems/ARM_... well, there is also a Russian-language forum www.gentoo.ru/forum