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readme: refresh and expand the frontend overview

Browse Source 
Give frontends a dedicated section with short descriptions to help readers
compare build languages and tools, including Docker Sandbox Kit.

Remove the unavailable JSON Gateway, refresh moved links, and note that
Earthly is no longer actively maintained.

Signed-off-by: CrazyMax <1951866+crazy-max@users.noreply.github.com>
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@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ Join `#buildkit` channel on [Docker Community Slack](https://dockr.ly/comm-slack
- [macOS Setup](#macos-setup)
- [Build from source](#build-from-source)
- [Exploring LLB](#exploring-llb)
- [Frontends](#frontends)
- [Exploring Dockerfiles](#exploring-dockerfiles)
- [Building a Dockerfile with `buildctl`](#building-a-dockerfile-with-buildctl)
- [Building a Dockerfile using external frontend](#building-a-dockerfile-using-external-frontend)
@@ -178,36 +179,47 @@ For a `buildctl` reference, see [this document](./docs/reference/buildctl.md).
### Exploring LLB
BuildKit builds are based on a binary intermediate format called LLB that is used for defining the dependency graph for processes running part of your build. tl;dr: LLB is to Dockerfile what LLVM IR is to C.
BuildKit builds are based on a binary intermediate format called LLB that is
used for defining the dependency graph for processes running part of your build.
tl;dr: LLB is to Dockerfile what LLVM IR is to C.
- Marshaled as Protobuf messages
- Concurrently executable
- Efficiently cacheable
- Vendor-neutral (i.e. non-Dockerfile languages can be easily implemented)
See [`solver/pb/ops.proto`](./solver/pb/ops.proto) for the format definition, and see [`./examples/README.md`](./examples/README.md) for example LLB applications.
See [`solver/pb/ops.proto`](./solver/pb/ops.proto) for the format definition,
and see [`./examples/README.md`](./examples/README.md) for example LLB
applications.
Currently, the following high-level languages have been implemented for LLB:
### Frontends
- Dockerfile (See [Exploring Dockerfiles](#exploring-dockerfiles))
- [Buildpacks](https://github.com/tonistiigi/buildkit-pack)
- [Mockerfile](https://matt-rickard.com/building-a-new-dockerfile-frontend/)
- [Gockerfile](https://github.com/po3rin/gockerfile)
- [bldr (Pkgfile)](https://github.com/talos-systems/bldr/)
- [HLB](https://github.com/openllb/hlb)
- [Earthfile (Earthly)](https://github.com/earthly/earthly)
- [Cargo Wharf (Rust)](https://github.com/denzp/cargo-wharf)
- [Nix](https://github.com/reproducible-containers/buildkit-nix)
- [mopy (Python)](https://github.com/cmdjulian/mopy)
- [envd (starlark)](https://github.com/tensorchord/envd/)
- [Blubber](https://gitlab.wikimedia.org/repos/releng/blubber)
- [Bass](https://github.com/vito/bass)
- [kraft.yaml (Unikraft)](https://github.com/unikraft/kraftkit/tree/staging/tools/dockerfile-llb-frontend)
- [r2d4/llb (JSON Gateway)](https://github.com/r2d4/llb)
- [Massé](https://github.com/marxarelli/masse)
- [DALEC](https://github.com/project-dalec/dalec)
- [Dexfile](https://github.com/dexnore/dexfile)
- (open a PR to add your own language)
BuildKit supports different build languages through frontends that translate
build definitions into LLB. The following frontends and tools provide alternatives
for defining builds:
| Project | Description |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| [Dockerfile](#exploring-dockerfiles) | Build container images using Dockerfile instructions. |
| [Buildpacks](https://github.com/tonistiigi/buildkit-pack) | Build applications using buildpacks. |
| [Mockerfile](https://mattrickard.com/building-a-new-dockerfile-frontend/) | Example YAML frontend for Ubuntu packages and external dependencies. |
| [Gockerfile](https://github.com/po3rin/gockerfile) | Build simple Go servers from YAML definitions. |
| [bldr (Pkgfile)](https://github.com/siderolabs/bldr) | Build and package software distributions using YAML definitions. |
| [HLB](https://github.com/openllb/hlb) | Define builds as containerized units of work in a high-level build language. |
| [Earthfile (Earthly)](https://github.com/earthly/earthly) | Define repeatable builds with Dockerfile-like syntax. No longer actively maintained. |
| [Cargo Wharf (Rust)](https://github.com/denzp/cargo-wharf) | Build Rust container images from Cargo build plans with per-dependency caching. |
| [Nix](https://github.com/reproducible-containers/buildkit-nix) | Build container images from Nix derivations and flakes. |
| [mopy (Python)](https://github.com/cmdjulian/mopy) | Package Python applications into container images using YAML definitions. |
| [envd (Starlark)](https://github.com/tensorchord/envd) | Define container-based development environments for AI/ML. |
| [Blubber](https://gitlab.wikimedia.org/repos/releng/blubber) | Build application container images from declarative YAML. |
| [Bass](https://github.com/vito/bass) | Script builds and project infrastructure with a Lisp dialect. |
| [kraft.yaml (Unikraft)](https://github.com/unikraft/kraftkit/tree/staging/tools/dockerfile-llb-frontend) | Build Unikraft unikernel images from Kraftfiles. |
| [Massé](https://github.com/marxarelli/masse) | Define composable container image build graphs in CUE. |
| [DALEC](https://github.com/project-dalec/dalec) | Build system packages and container images from declarative specifications. |
| [Dexfile](https://github.com/dexnore/dexfile) | Extend Dockerfile syntax with conditions, loops, imports, and functions. |
| [Docker Sandbox Kit](https://github.com/docker/sandbox-kit-spec) | Build Docker Sandbox kits from YAML descriptors. |
Open a pull request to add your own frontend or build language.
### Exploring Dockerfiles