This repository serves as a learning platform for understanding and experimenting with embedded Linux using Buildroot. The primary focus of this repository is to explore the process of building embedded Linux systems from scratch through simple yet practical examples. It includes sample projects configured for Raspberry Pi Zero W and Raspberry Pi 3B+ boards. However, the structure of the projects allows for easy modification and adaptation to other embedded boards, offering flexibility for diverse development needs.
Buildroot is an excellent tool for generating minimal and optimized Linux distributions for embedded systems. Through the projects in this repository, I aim to demonstrate how Buildroot can be configured for specific hardware, including board-specific settings, kernel configurations, package integration, and custom scripts, all while exploring the intricacies of the embedded Linux ecosystem.
Detailed project explanations can be found under related project folder.
From /buildroot directory, simply execute below commands according to your board:
make BR2_EXTERNAL=../headless_wifi_setup --- Select the desired project
make custom_raspberrypi0w_defconfig --- Select the board
make --- Build the project
In this simple and first project, buildroot is configured to work with static address WiFi mode and SSH support. Necessary files needs to be changed are under board/ folder. Copying these files to the related places is written in post build script.
With interfaces file, we set our device a static IP. Make sure address is unique in your network domain and other parameters are correct. Do not forget to set your WiFi credentials in wpa_supplicant.conf.
In this example, a simple daemon is being started automatically after the boot and runs in the background. It only logs the counter value periodically and sleeps 1 second.
With this, we will learn how to add our own process and how we make it start automatically. Again, package has been added as external out-of-tree structure. WiFi and SSH settings are the same as previous example and still exists in this example as well. Post build process has one more operation in this example which is copying the S99periodiclogger file under /etc/init.d/ folder.
In this example, two simple processes are being communicating over system bus with DBUS. This example shows how to use system bus by adding new policy and shows what changes are required to communicate over session bus. Server side waits for a message from client and when received a message it both prints and logs.
In this example, a simple web server is created using Nginx with Buildroot. First, the Buildroot configuration is opened, the Nginx package is selected, and the system is built with Nginx. Next, the Nginx configuration file (nginx.conf) is edited, a /www directory is created for the web content, and the content is placed there. Once Nginx is started, the server becomes accessible via the device's IP address.
All suggestions, bug reports and contributions are welcomed.