Ecosyste.ms: Awesome

An open API service indexing awesome lists of open source software.

Awesome Lists | Featured Topics | Projects

https://github.com/YoeDistro/yoe-distro

Embedded Linux distribution optimized for product development (based on OE/Yocto)
https://github.com/YoeDistro/yoe-distro

linux-distribution openembedded yocto-layer yocto-project

Last synced: about 1 hour ago
JSON representation

Embedded Linux distribution optimized for product development (based on OE/Yocto)

Awesome Lists containing this project

README 

        



[![Yoe Distro CI](https://github.com/YoeDistro/yoe-distro/workflows/Yoe%20Distro%20CI/badge.svg?branch=master)](https://github.com/YoeDistro/yoe-distro/actions/workflows/yoe.yml?query=workflow%3AYoe+branch%3Amaster)

[![](https://tokei.rs/b1/github/YoeDistro/yoe-distro?category=code)](https://github.com/XAMPPRocky/tokei)



# Yoe Embedded Linux Distribution  🐑



Yoe is an Embedded Linux Distribution optimized for product development. It is

built on **Y**octo and **O**pen**E**mbedded with a focus on simplicity. This

distribution does not end at demo images but rather begins there.



## Example 👀



This following is example of building and installing a linux system from scratch

on a Raspberry PI 3:



## Install Pre-requisites 💻



Install `docker` on host distribution



- debian-like systems - `sudo apt install docker`

- RPM based systems - `sudo dnf install docker`

- Archlinux based systems - `sudo pacman -S docker`



Add yourself to the `docker` group:



- `sudo gpasswd -a $USER docker`

- log out and log back in



Install nftable version of iptables on host distribution this is needed for VNC

port forwarding to work on docker



- Archlinux based sytems - `sudo pacman -S iptables-nft`



- On host systems with 8G RAM or less it will be necessary to ensure a swap file

  of 8G.



## Workspace Setup 👷



1. `git clone --recurse-submodules -j8 -b master https://github.com/YoeDistro/yoe-distro.git yoe`

1. `cd yoe`

1. `. ./envsetup.sh rpi4-64`

1. `yoe_setup`

1. `bitbake yoe-simple-image`

1. insert SD card

1. `lsblk` (note sd card device, and substitute for /dev/sdX below)

1. `yoe_install_image /dev/sdX yoe-simple-image` (Note,

   [Etcher](https://www.balena.io/etcher/) can also be used to write images to

   SD cards).

1. optional: [configure console for serial port](docs/raspberrypi.md)

1. `sudo eject /dev/sdX`

1. Install SD card in a Raspberry PI and enjoy your new image



[Detailed documentation](docs/README.md)



## Vision 🔭 



There are many Embedded Linux distribution built on top of OpenEmbedded/Yocto.

There is the Poky reference distribution. Most SOC and SOM vendors provide a

Yocto variant that supports their products (often put together with repo). While

these all provide good ways to build demo images, we feel something slightly

different is needed for product development. Thus, the following goals:



1. **simple**: directory layout is logical so it is easy to find things, and

   tooling is as simple as possible. Emphasis is on logical organization,

   minimal magic, and good tooling where it makes sense. We try to minimize

   uneeded indirection or abstraction unless it really adds value.

1. **modern**: generate a modern Linux root filesystem using the latest

   technologies.

1. **broad platform support**: support a range of single board computers (SBC),

   system on chips (SoC), and system on modules (SOM). You should not have to

   use a different build system for every SBC/SOC/SOM you might choose to use in

   your products. Rather, one build system should easily support building images

   for a number of different targets in one build tree. Most companies support

   multiple products with SOCs from multiple vendors, thus the build system

   should be centered around the user's products and software.

1. **repeatable**: easy to lock down subprojects (layers) to known versions for

   repeatable builds

1. **extendable**: simple to modify and add your own custom software, scripts

   and tooling. The focus is not on hiding or abstracting Yocto functionality,

   but rather provider simpler and clearer ways to use it.

1. **maintainable**: product lifecycles run for many years, so we need a

   solution where we can build images on a number of different hosts as time

   marches on. We achieve this through a simple and transparent

   [docker wrapper](docs/docker.md) that contains all the host dependencies

   needed. This wrapper is invisible (the file system still lives on the host),

   and is optional if you choose not to use it.

1. **transparent**: we try to use industry standard tools (git, bitbake, etc)

   where possible and not invent a lot of new tooling that needs to be learned

   to use the system. As an example, much of the tooling (envsetup.sh) are

   simple bash functions and are easy to learn from. Using Yoe will teach you

   about Yocto.

1. **minimal**: Embedded Linux images can quickly become bloated so we support

   technologies like musl libc, opkg package manager, etc. where appropriate.



## Supported Machines



See the output of `./envsetup.sh` for examples of projects we regularly test

with.



There is also

[machine specific documentation](docs/README.md#machine-documentation)

available.



Additional machines can be added by including appropriate BSP layers.



## Using ⚙️



### envsetup.sh



This is where all the magic happens. In general, this build system must be run

in a bash shell. To set up the environment, source the following file:



`. ./envsetup.sh `



Or, you can export a PROJECT environment variable, and then source envsetup.sh.



This file will create a bunch of functions in the environment prefixed with

yoe\_ that can be executed. Type yoe\_  to see them.



### directories and key files



- _build_: temporary directory where build actually takes place

- _conf_: configuration files for the build

- _sources_: various sources used for the build. The entries in this directory

  are git submodules. Note, by default, submodules are shallow clones. If you

  need the the full git history of a submodule, then run `git fetch --unshallow`

  in the submodule directory.

- _downloads_: contains files that are downloaded by various recipes during

  builds.

- _tools_: utility scripts

- _localconfig.sh_: file created by envsetup.sh that contains directory specific

  variables based on the build system location.

- _local.sh_: can be used to customize MACHINE, and other variables



### building for another machine



- `export MACHINE=[my machine]`

- `bitbake [recipe name]`



### Layer management



Adding rocko branch of meta-altera layer to layer mix:



`yoe_add_layer https://github.com/kraj/meta-altera rocko`



Remove meta-altera:



`yoe_remove_layer meta-altera`



### Customizing the distribution



`conf/site.conf` contains settings that are common for the project. The

[YOE_PROFILE](docs/yoe-profile.md) templates make it easy to select common

options.



### customizing settings for your build machine



`conf/local.conf` contains settings that are commonly modified such as parallel

build options.



### starting a local feed server



Sometimes you want to install packages you build on the target system without

building and re-installing the entire rootfs. This can be done using a

[feed server](docs/packages.md).



This advantage of a feed server versus scp'ing opkg files to the target and

installing manually is that dependencies will automatically get installed. This

mechanism is very useful for packages that are only needed occasionally during

development (gdb, screen, strace, iperf, etc).



### updating the submodules to the latest



Assuming you have a recent version of git, you can make use of the branch values

specified in .gitmodules to update each submodule branch to the HEAD of the

specified branch:



`git submodule update --remote`



### Support and Contributing



Pull requests are welcome.



For support or to discuss this project, use one of the following options:



- [Yoe community forum](https://community.tmpdir.org/c/yoe-distro/6) 💬 

- [Open a github issue](https://github.com/YoeDistro/yoe-distro/issues/new) #️⃣

- [Yoe Videos](https://www.youtube.com/@yoedistro)  🎬



## License



This build system is licensed under the MIT license which is the same license as

oe-core, etc. See COPYING.MIT