introduction.txt 1.1 KB

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  1. // -*- mode:doc; -*-
  2. // vim: set syntax=asciidoc:
  3. == About Buildroot
  4. Buildroot is a tool that simplifies and automates the process of
  5. building a complete Linux system for an embedded system, using
  6. cross-compilation.
  7. In order to achieve this, Buildroot is able to generate a
  8. cross-compilation toolchain, a root filesystem, a Linux kernel image
  9. and a bootloader for your target. Buildroot can be used for any
  10. combination of these options, independently (you can for example use
  11. an existing cross-compilation toolchain, and build only your root
  12. filesystem with Buildroot).
  13. Buildroot is useful mainly for people working with embedded systems.
  14. Embedded systems often use processors that are not the regular x86
  15. processors everyone is used to having in his PC. They can be PowerPC
  16. processors, MIPS processors, ARM processors, etc.
  17. Buildroot supports numerous processors and their variants; it also
  18. comes with default configurations for several boards available
  19. off-the-shelf. Besides this, a number of third-party projects are based on,
  20. or develop their BSP footnote:[BSP: Board Support Package] or
  21. SDK footnote:[SDK: Software Development Kit] on top of Buildroot.