Build framework 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.

For a step-by-step tour of what happens on a build — configuration, the artifact cache, rootfs and image assembly — see How a build runs.

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

├── 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
│   └── debs                             Deb packages
│   └── images                           Bootable images - RAW or compressed
│   └── logs                             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

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Next: Getting started

Reference: build commands, build switches, user configurations, extensions.