Overview
What it does?
Builds custom kernel , image or a Debian based Linux distribution optimized for low-resource hardware,
Include filesystem generation, low-level control software, kernel image and bootloader compilation,
Provides a consistent user experience by keeping system standards across different platforms.
graph LR
A[./compile.sh] --> B{Change<br>kernel<br>config};
B ---> |yes| C["HW"];
B ---> |no| C["HW"];
C ---> |branch| D["legacy<br>vendor<br>current<br>edge"];
D --> |base| E["Debian<br>Ubuntu"];
E ---> |type| F["CLI"];
F ---> |type| G["Server"];
F ---> |type| H["Minimal"];
E ---> I["Desktop"];
I ---> K["XFCE"];
I ---> L["Gnome"];
I ---> M["Cinammon"];
I ---> N["KDE Neon"];
Key Advantages
Simplicity with interactive graphical interface.
Generates widely recognized and well maintained userspace
Fast learning curve for complex operations
Check other similarities, advantages and disadvantages compared with leading industry standard build software.
Function
Armbian
Yocto
Buildroot
Target
general purpose
embedded
embedded / IOT
U-boot and kernel
compiled from sources
compiled from sources
compiled from sources
Board support maintenance
complete
outside
outside
Root file system
Debian or Ubuntu based
custom
custom
Package manager
APT
any
none
Configurability
limited
large
large
Initramfs support
yes
yes
yes
Getting started
quick
very slow
slow
Cross compilation
yes
yes
yes
Framework Structure
Text Only ├── cache Work / cache directory
│ ├── aptcache Packages
│ ├── ccache C/C++ compiler
│ ├── docker Docker last pull
│ ├── git-bare Minimal Git
│ ├── git-bundles Full Git
│ ├── initrd Ram disk
│ ├── memoize Git status
│ ├── patch Kernel drivers patch
│ ├── pip Python
│ ├── rootfs Compressed userspaces
│ ├── sources Kernel, u-boot and other sources
│ ├── tools Additional tools like ORAS
│ └── utility
├── config Packages repository configurations
│ ├── targets.conf Board build target configuration
│ ├── boards Board configurations
│ ├── bootenv Initial boot loaders environments per family
│ ├── bootscripts Initial Boot loaders scripts per family
│ ├── cli CLI packages configurations per distribution
│ ├── desktop Desktop packages configurations per distribution
│ ├── distributions Distributions settings
│ ├── kernel Kernel build configurations per family
│ ├── sources Kernel and u-boot sources locations and scripts
│ ├── templates User configuration templates which populate userpatches
│ └── torrents External compiler and rootfs cache torrents
├── extensions Extend build system with specific functionality
├── lib Main build framework libraries
│ ├── functions
│ │ ├── artifacts
│ │ ├── bsp
│ │ ├── cli
│ │ ├── compilation
│ │ ├── configuration
│ │ ├── general
│ │ ├── host
│ │ ├── image
│ │ ├── logging
│ │ ├── main
│ │ └── rootfs
│ └── tools
├── output Build artifact
│ └── deb Deb packages
│ └── images Bootable images - RAW or compressed
│ └── debug Patch and build logs
│ └── config Kernel configuration export location
│ └── patch Created patches location
├── packages Support scripts, binary blobs, packages
│ ├── blobs Wallpapers, various configs, closed source bootloaders
│ ├── bsp-cli Automatically added to armbian-bsp-cli package
│ ├── bsp-desktop Automatically added to armbian-bsp-desktopo package
│ ├── bsp Scripts and configs overlay for rootfs
│ └── extras-buildpkgs Optional compilation and packaging engine
├── patch Collection of patches
│ ├── atf ARM trusted firmware
│ ├── kernel Linux kernel patches
| | └── family-branch Per kernel family and branch
│ ├── misc Linux kernel packaging patches
│ └── u-boot Universal boot loader patches
| ├── u-boot-board For specific board
| └── u-boot-family For entire kernel family
├── tools Tools for dealing with kernel patches and configs
└── userpatches User: configuration patching area
├── config-example.conf User: example user config file
├── customize-image.sh User: script will execute just before closing the image
├── atf User: ARM trusted firmware
├── extensions User: Extend build system with specific functionality
├── kernel User: Linux kernel per kernel family
├── misc User: various
└── u-boot User: universal boot loader patches