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+****************
+Variable Context
+****************
+
+While you can use most variables in almost any context such as
+``.conf``, ``.bbclass``, ``.inc``, and ``.bb`` files, some variables are
+often associated with a particular locality or context. This chapter
+describes some common associations.
+
+.. _ref-varlocality-configuration:
+
+Configuration
+=============
+
+The following subsections provide lists of variables whose context is
+configuration: distribution, machine, and local.
+
+.. _ref-varlocality-config-distro:
+
+Distribution (Distro)
+---------------------
+
+This section lists variables whose configuration context is the
+distribution, or distro.
+
+-  ``DISTRO``
+
+-  ``DISTRO_NAME``
+
+-  ``DISTRO_VERSION``
+
+-  ``MAINTAINER``
+
+-  ``PACKAGE_CLASSES``
+
+-  ``TARGET_OS``
+
+-  ``TARGET_FPU``
+
+-  ``TCMODE``
+
+-  ``TCLIBC``
+
+.. _ref-varlocality-config-machine:
+
+Machine
+-------
+
+This section lists variables whose configuration context is the machine.
+
+-  ``TARGET_ARCH``
+
+-  ``SERIAL_CONSOLES``
+
+-  ``PACKAGE_EXTRA_ARCHS``
+
+-  ``IMAGE_FSTYPES``
+
+-  ``MACHINE_FEATURES``
+
+-  ``MACHINE_EXTRA_RDEPENDS``
+
+-  ``MACHINE_EXTRA_RRECOMMENDS``
+
+-  ``MACHINE_ESSENTIAL_EXTRA_RDEPENDS``
+
+-  ``MACHINE_ESSENTIAL_EXTRA_RRECOMMENDS``
+
+.. _ref-varlocality-config-local:
+
+Local
+-----
+
+This section lists variables whose configuration context is the local
+configuration through the ``local.conf`` file.
+
+-  ``DISTRO``
+
+-  ``MACHINE``
+
+-  ``DL_DIR``
+
+-  ``BBFILES``
+
+-  ``EXTRA_IMAGE_FEATURES``
+
+-  ``PACKAGE_CLASSES``
+
+-  ``BB_NUMBER_THREADS``
+
+-  ``BBINCLUDELOGS``
+
+-  ``ENABLE_BINARY_LOCALE_GENERATION``
+
+.. _ref-varlocality-recipes:
+
+Recipes
+=======
+
+The following subsections provide lists of variables whose context is
+recipes: required, dependencies, path, and extra build information.
+
+.. _ref-varlocality-recipe-required:
+
+Required
+--------
+
+This section lists variables that are required for recipes.
+
+-  ``LICENSE``
+
+-  ``LIC_FILES_CHKSUM``
+
+-  ``SRC_URI`` - used in recipes that fetch local or remote files.
+
+.. _ref-varlocality-recipe-dependencies:
+
+Dependencies
+------------
+
+This section lists variables that define recipe dependencies.
+
+-  ``DEPENDS``
+
+-  ``RDEPENDS``
+
+-  ``RRECOMMENDS``
+
+-  ``RCONFLICTS``
+
+-  ``RREPLACES``
+
+.. _ref-varlocality-recipe-paths:
+
+Paths
+-----
+
+This section lists variables that define recipe paths.
+
+-  ``WORKDIR``
+
+-  ``S``
+
+-  ``FILES``
+
+.. _ref-varlocality-recipe-build:
+
+Extra Build Information
+-----------------------
+
+This section lists variables that define extra build information for
+recipes.
+
+-  ``DEFAULT_PREFERENCE``
+
+-  ``EXTRA_OECMAKE``
+
+-  ``EXTRA_OECONF``
+
+-  ``EXTRA_OEMAKE``
+
+-  ``PACKAGECONFIG_CONFARGS``
+
+-  ``PACKAGES``