[ludocode]

The minimum tool that bootstrapping projects tend to start with is a hex monitor. That is, a simple-as-possible tool that converts hexadecimal bytes of input into raw bytes in memory, and then jumps to it.

You need some way of getting this hex tool in memory of course. On traditional computers this could be done on front panel switches, but of course modern computers don't have those anymore. You could also imagine it hand-woven into core rope memory for example, which could then be connected directly to the CPU at its boot address. There are many options here; getting the hex tool running is very platform-specific.

Once you have a hex tool, you can then use that to input the next stage, which is written in commented hexadecimal source code. The next tool then adds a few features, and so does the tool after that, and so on, eventually working your way up to assembly and C.

[kazinator]

From the point of view of trust and security, bootstrapping has to be something that's easily repeatable by everyone, in a reasonable amount of time and steps, with the same results.

Not to mention using only the current versions of all the deliverables or at most one version back.