Infrastructure - JUICE (Fedora Workstation)

Node Overview

Hostname: JUICE-SHOP Hardware: Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 (15IRH8) CPU: Intel Core i5-13420H (13th Gen, 12 Threads) RAM: 8GB DDR4 + 8GB zram Swap OS: Fedora Linux 43 (Workstation Edition)

1. Filesystem Architecture (Btrfs)

My storage strategy leverages Btrfs (B-Tree Filesystem) for its snapshot capabilities and subvolume management. Unlike traditional partitioning, my root (/) and home (/home) share the same physical space on the NVMe drive, allowing dynamic space allocation.

Partition Map (nvme0n1)

Partition	Filesystem	Mount Point	Purpose
p1	vfat (FAT32)	/boot/efi	UEFI Bootloader partition.
p2	ext4	/boot	Kernel images (vmlinuz) and initramfs.
p3	btrfs	/ & /home	The main data volume. Uses subvolumes.

Memory Management (zram)

Instead of a slow disk-based Swap partition, I utilize zram0.

• Size: 7.4GB (Matching physical RAM).
• Mechanism: Compresses RAM content on the fly. This effectively doubles my usable memory for heavy compilations (Rust/C++) without hitting the SSD.

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2. Security Posture 🛡️

I adhere to the “Secure by Default” philosophy of the Red Hat ecosystem.

• SELinux: Enforcing (Targeted Policy).
  • Every process runs in a confined domain. Even if a web service is hacked, it cannot access /home or /etc unless explicitly allowed.
• Kernel: Linux 6.17.8
  • Running on the bleeding edge allows for the latest hardware support and scheduler optimizations for the Intel Hybrid Architecture (P-cores vs E-cores).
• Package Isolation: Mixed ecosystem of RPM (Native), Flatpak (Desktop Apps), and Snap (Legacy CLIs).

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3. The Developer Toolchain

My environment is configured for Full-Stack and Systems programming.

Core Languages

Language	Version	Use Case
Python	3.14.0	Scripting, CTF exploits, Data Science.
Node.js	v22.20.0	Frontend Development (Next.js/React).
Go	1.25.4	Backend Services, CLI tools.
GCC	15.2.1	C/C++ Compilation (Kernel modules).

Containerization

• Engine: Docker 28.5.2
• Privilege Model: Rootful (Standard).
• Context: Used for creating reproducible builds and hosting local microservices (Postgres/Redis) for development.

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4. Desktop Environment (GNOME 49)

I run a customized GNOME Shell (Wayland) focused on productivity and minimalism.

Extensions Active:

• Dash to Dock: Converts the dash into a permanent dock for quick launching.
• System Monitor: Real-time CPU/Net usage in the top bar.
• Clipboard Indicator: History manager (essential for coding).
• Color Picker: Frontend design utility.

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5. Maintenance Routines

System Upgrade:

sudo dnf upgrade --refresh

Cleanup (Reclaim Space):

Since I use Docker and Snaps, disk usage can grow fast.

Bash

# 1. Clean DNF cache
sudo dnf clean all

# 2. Prune Docker (Stop hoarding images)
docker system prune -a

# 3. Vacuum System Logs
journalctl --vacuum-time=2d

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Linked Notes

• Linux-Basics - General command reference.

• Docker-Ultimate-Guide - Deep dive into my container setup.

• Linux-Kernel-Internals - Understanding the 6.17 Kernel.