Open-source build systems like Yocto and Buildroot have simplified Linux embedding, making it possible for any developer to create a distribution for most hardware architectures and platforms. But which build system is the best?
At Witekio, we have experience with a range of build systems, and we’re big fans of using Yocto for our Linux embedded software development for a variety of reasons. However, is Yocto the best solution for you?
We have compared Yocto alternatives and other build systems, including desktop Linux distributions in terms of ease of development, configuration, updating, component customization, and maintainability to help you make an informed choice on which build system is best for your embedded Linux project.
Why are build systems important for embedded systems?
Before we move to the comparison of Yocto alternatives, we should remember why build systems are important.
For a simple console application or even a mid-scale project, a build system might not even be necessary. But for a complex web application with multiple services, you might need to run tests in parallel, set up various scheduled tasks, and publish artifacts and packages to various endpoints. In this case, a build system is the best way forward.
Unlike a pre-compiled image for a particular embedded device or at least for a particular hardware platform, a build system allows you create a custom system by offline customizing your bootloader, Linux kernel, or root filesystem.
The main benefits of using a build system are:
- Offline customization allowance
- Sources access
- Easy maintenance of different versions of the embedded system
To summarize, a build system should be simple, automatic, configurable, and allow for reproducible outputs of the final project.
What Are Some of the Different Embedded Linux Distributions?
Today, we can find dozens of embedded Linux distribution solutions on the market and it would be difficult to assess them all. Hence, we’ll put the non-open-source solutions and those developed by founders and manufacturers for a particular board’s family to one side.
Instead, we’ll be focusing on the following three build system options, including alternatives to Yocto:
Why Yocto? The key to custom Linux-Based Systems
“The Yocto Project. It’s not an embedded Linux Distribution, it creates a custom one for you.” Yocto Project
The Yocto Project (YP) is an open-source collaborative project that helps developers create custom Linux-based systems regardless of the hardware architecture. A custom Linux BSP can also help optimize the performance of your embedded device and streamline hardware integration.
The project provides a flexible set of tools and a space where embedded developers worldwide can share technologies, software stacks, configurations, and best practices that can be used to create tailored Linux images for embedded and IoT devices, or anywhere a customized Linux OS is needed.
The Yocto project consists of different layers of scripts (Layer Model) to configure the final Linux image. These different layers can be added or removed as needed. Many layers are available through the net which can make it easy to bring up the development of boards – especially the layers designed by the board founders and manufacturers.
Poky is a reference distribution within the Yocto Project. It provides a starting point for creating custom Linux distributions using the Yocto Project’s tools and metadata.
Poky contains a collection of tools and metadata such as BitBake, the build engine, and OpenEmbedded-Core, the core build system metadata.
Besides generating complete images of the system in the desired format, Yocto also allows a certain granularity-generating bootloader, kernel, filesystem, and cross-compilation toolchain.
Yocto vs Buildroot and Other Alternatives: A Comparison Table
| Desktop distributions | Yocto | Buildroot | |
|---|---|---|---|
| System | Looks and feels like desktop Linux by default Has large rootfs | Designed for embedded systems Minimum size rootfs by default | Designed for embedded systems Small rootfs |
| Ease of development | Is well-known by the community, and only requires a basic knowledge of Linux | High learning curve, difficult for beginners | Quick to get up and running, and easy to understand |
| Configuration/Update | Package manager - runtime | Partial manual build and deployment | Full manual build and deployment |
| Build | Distribution component is already prepackaged Image build is fast | Sources incremental builds | Sources build Rebuild needed when change in package |
| Component customization | Can create your own Debian package, but can be difficult to maintain as it’s not designed for it | Apply patches on Yocto sources (designed for it) | Apply patches via Makefile |
| Maintainability | Maintenance is done by the desktop community Support and porting must be done manually if using custom packages | Yocto Project has long-term support Layers may require some corrections and updates Designed for continuous integration | Buildroot git version branches and _br2-external_mechanism |
Aligning your build with your needs
The previous section has highlighted the pros and cons of some competing build system solutions.
Of course, no single solution is perfect. However, the goal here is to determine the best solution from a time and effort point of view as it applies to your embedded Linux project.
1. In-house Skills
The first question that is important to ask is whether your development team is familiar with Yocto. Do they possess solid experience in this area that would allow them to scale? Are they strong in Linux BSP development? Do you have the resources for long-term maintenance?
Yocto is a powerful tool but unfortunately has a steep learning curve.
2. Your End Goals
The second question to consider is the final goal of your product?
If the product is for prototyping, or the goal is to be user-friendly and customizable at runtime, a general-purpose desktop distribution build system, such as Debian or Ubuntu, would certainly be recommended. However, in the case of a specific product goal such as being light and fast or needing to be ultra-customized, Yocto is the best embedded Linux solution.
That said, a compromise solution could be Buildroot. This build system is less flexible than Yocto but is designed for customization. It is much easier to approach than Yocto but has four to five times fewer packages available. Therefore, this is a solution that should only be considered for a simple project with one configuration.
3. Planning For Success
The choices of (a) whether you need to use a build system, and if so (b) which build system to select, are critical and need to be considered at the very beginning of your project. You need to be cautious with your decision and examine all the points we have highlighted in the previous section and the table above.
Remember, going for an easy solution to get your project started fast can easily turn into a dead-end when you realize your project requires significant customization. For the sorts of products that Witekio’s clients seek to deliver, Yocto is more often than not the best choice.
In short:
Witekio: Your expert partner for embedded software development
Choosing the right build for your embedded device can be a make-or-break decision. Fortunately, Witekio has over 20 years of experience in embedded software development services, and we are even Yocto Gold Members!
We can help with Linux BSP development, OS migration, Yocto software development, and more. We have even built our own out-of-the-box Yocto distribution, called The Embedded Kit, to support and accelerate your Yocto development project.
From consultation to development, Witekio is your end-to-end software partner. Get in touch today to find out how our Yocto expertise and solutions can help take your project to the next level.
