%poky; ] > This chapter provides procedures related to getting set up to use the Yocto Project. For a more front-to-end process that takes you from minimally preparing a build host through building an image, see the Yocto Project Quick Start.

This section provides procedures to set up your development host to use the Yocto Project. You can use the Yocto Project on a native Linux development host or you can use CROPS, which leverages Docker Containers, to prepare any Linux, Mac, or Windows development host.

Follow these steps to prepare a native Linux machine as your Yocto Project development host: Use a Supported Linux Distribution: You should have a reasonably current Linux-based host system. You will have the best results with a recent release of Fedora, openSUSE, Debian, Ubuntu, or CentOS as these releases are frequently tested against the Yocto Project and officially supported. For a list of the distributions under validation and their status, see the "Supported Linux Distributions" section in the Yocto Project Reference Manual and the wiki page at Distribution Support. Have Enough Free Memory: You should have at least 50 Gbytes of free disk space for building images. Meet Minimal Version Requirements: The OpenEmbedded build system should be able to run on any modern distribution that has the following versions for Git, tar, and Python. Git 1.8.3.1 or greater tar 1.27 or greater Python 3.4.0 or greater. If your build host does not meet any of these three listed version requirements, you can take steps to prepare the system so that you can still use the Yocto Project. See the "Required Git, tar, and Python Versions" section in the Yocto Project Reference Manual for information. Install Development Host Packages: Required development host packages vary depending on your build machine and what you want to do with the Yocto Project. Collectively, the number of required packages is large if you want to be able to cover all cases. For lists of required packages for all scenarios, see the "Required Packages for the Host Development System" section in the Yocto Project Reference Manual.

With CROPS, which leverages Docker Containers, you can create a Yocto Project development environment that is operating system agnostic. You can set up a container in which you can develop using the Yocto Project on a Windows, Mac, or Linux machine. Follow these general steps to prepare a Windows, Mac, or Linux machine as your Yocto Project development host: Go to the Docker Installation Site: Docker is a software container platform that you need to install on the host development machine. To start the installation process, see the Docker Installation site. Choose Your Docker Edition: Docker comes in several editions. For the Yocto Project, the stable community edition (i.e. "Docker CE Stable") is adequate. You can learn more about the Docker editions from the site. Go the Install Site for Your Platform: Click the link for the Docker edition associated with your development host machine's native software. For example, if your machine is running Microsoft Windows Version 10 and you want the Docker CE Stable edition, click that link under "Supported Platforms". Understand What You Need: The install page has pre-requisites your machine must meet. Be sure you read through this page and make sure your machine meets the requirements to run Docker. If your machine does not meet the requirements, the page has instructions to handle exceptions. For example, to run Docker on Windows 10, you must have the pro version of the operating system. If you have the home version, you need to install the Docker Toolbox. Another example is that a Windows machine needs to have Microsoft Hyper-V. If you have a legacy version of the the Microsoft operating system or for any other reason you do not have Microsoft Hyper-V, you would have to enter the BIOS and enable virtualization. Install the Software: Once you have understood all the pre-requisites, you can download and install the appropriate software. Follow the instructions for your specific machine and the type of the software you need to install. Optionally Orient Yourself With Dockers: If you are unfamiliar with Dockers and the container concept, you can learn more here - . You should be able to launch Docker or the Docker Toolbox and have a terminal shell on your development host. Set Up the Containers to Use the Yocto Project: Go to and follow the directions for your particular development host (i.e. Linux, Mac, or Windows). Once you complete the setup instructions for your machine, you have the Poky, Extensible SDK, and Toaster containers available. You can click those links from the page and learn more about using each of those containers. Once you have a container set up, everything is in place to develop just as if you were running on a native Linux machine. If you are going to use the Poky container, see the "Cloning the poky Repository" section. If you are going to use the Extensible SDK container, see the "Using the Extensible SDK" Chapter in the Yocto Project Software Development Kit (SDK) Developer's Guide. If you are going to use the Toaster container, see the "Setting Up and Using Toaster" section in the Toaster User Manual.

This section describes how to set up a layer for a Board Support Package (BSP). For structural information on BSPs, see the Yocto Project Board Support Package (BSP) Developer's Guide. Determine the BSP Layer You Want: The Yocto Project supports many BSPs, which are maintained in their own layers or in layers designed to contain several BSPs. To get an idea of machine support through BSP layers, you can look at the index of machines for the release. The Yocto Project uses the following BSP layer naming scheme: meta-bsp_name where bsp_name is the recognized BSP name. Here is an example: meta-raspberrypi See the "BSP Layers" section in the Yocto Project Board Support Package (BSP) Developer's Guide for more information on BSP Layers. Optionally Set Up the meta-intel BSP Layer: If your hardware is based on current Intel CPUs and devices, you can leverage this BSP layer. For details on the meta-intel BSP layer, see the layer's README file. Navigate to Your Source Directory: Typically, you set up the meta-intel Git repository inside the Source Directory (e.g. poky). Clone the Layer: $ git clone git://git.yoctoproject.org/meta-intel.git Cloning into 'meta-intel'... remote: Counting objects: 14224, done. remote: Compressing objects: 100% (4591/4591), done. remote: Total 14224 (delta 8245), reused 13985 (delta 8006) Receiving objects: 100% (14224/14224), 4.29 MiB | 2.90 MiB/s, done. Resolving deltas: 100% (8245/8245), done. Checking connectivity... done. Check Out the Proper Branch: The branch you check out for meta-intel must match the same branch you are using for the Yocto Project release (e.g. &DISTRO_NAME_NO_CAP;): $ git checkout branch_name For an example on how to discover branch names and checkout on a branch, see the "Checking Out By Branch in Poky" section. Optionally Set Up an Alternative BSP Layer: If your hardware can be more closely leveraged to an existing BSP not within the meta-intel BSP layer, you can clone that BSP layer. The process is identical to the process used for the meta-intel layer except for the layer's name. For example, if you determine that your hardware most closely matches the meta-minnow, clone that layer: $ git clone git://git.yoctoproject.org/meta-minnow Cloning into 'meta-minnow'... remote: Counting objects: 456, done. remote: Compressing objects: 100% (283/283), done. remote: Total 456 (delta 163), reused 384 (delta 91) Receiving objects: 100% (456/456), 96.74 KiB | 0 bytes/s, done. Resolving deltas: 100% (163/163), done. Checking connectivity... done.

Kernel development is best accomplished using devtool and not through traditional kernel workflow methods. This section provides procedures to set up for both.

Need the updated wiki stuff here

For traditional kernel development using the Yocto Project, you need to establish local copies of the kernel source. You can find Git repositories of supported Yocto Project kernels organized under "Yocto Linux Kernel" in the Yocto Project Source Repositories at . This setup can involve creating a bare clone of the Yocto Project kernel and then copying that cloned repository. You can create the bare clone and the copy of the bare clone anywhere you like. For simplicity, it is recommended that you create these structures outside of the Source Directory, which is usually named poky. The following steps show how to create a bare clone of the linux-yocto-4.4 kernel and then create a copy of that clone: When you have a local Yocto Project kernel Git repository, you can reference that repository rather than the upstream Git repository as part of the clone command. Doing so can speed up the process. Create the Bare Clone: In the following example, the bare clone is named linux-yocto-4.4.git: $ git clone ‐‐bare git://git.yoctoproject.org/linux-yocto-4.4 linux-yocto-4.4.git Cloning into bare repository 'linux-yocto-4.4.git'... remote: Counting objects: 4543903, done. remote: Compressing objects: 100% (695618/695618), done. remote: Total 4543903 (delta 3818435), reused 4541724 (delta 3816256) Receiving objects: 100% (4543903/4543903), 801.08 MiB | 6.55 MiB/s, done. Resolving deltas: 100% (3818435/3818435), done. Checking connectivity... done. Create the Copy of the Bare Clone: In the following command, the copy of the bare clone is named my-linux-yocto-4.4-work: $ git clone linux-yocto-4.4.git my-linux-yocto-4.4-work Cloning into 'my-linux-yocto-4.4-work'... done. Checking out files: 100% (52221/52221), done. Cloning the meta-yocto-kernel-extras Repository: The meta-yocto-kernel-extras Git repository contains Metadata needed only if you are modifying and building the kernel image. In particular, it contains the kernel BitBake append (.bbappend) files that you edit to point to your locally modified kernel source files and to build the kernel image. Pointing to these local files is much more efficient than requiring a download of the kernel's source files from upstream each time you make changes to the kernel. You can find the meta-yocto-kernel-extras Git Repository in the "Yocto Metadata Layers" area of the Yocto Project Source Repositories at . It is good practice to create this Git repository inside the Source Directory. Following is an example that creates the meta-yocto-kernel-extras Git repository inside the Source Directory, which is named poky, in this case: $ cd ~/poky $ git clone git://git.yoctoproject.org/meta-yocto-kernel-extras meta-yocto-kernel-extras Cloning into 'meta-yocto-kernel-extras'... remote: Counting objects: 727, done. remote: Compressing objects: 100% (452/452), done. remote: Total 727 (delta 260), reused 719 (delta 252) Receiving objects: 100% (727/727), 536.36 KiB | 0 bytes/s, done. Resolving deltas: 100% (260/260), done. Checking connectivity... done.

This section presents the steps needed to set up your host if you are going to be using the popular Eclipse IDE. The steps in this procedure are links to sections in the Yocto Project Software Development Kit (SDK) Developer's Guide that provide detailed procedures given the Neon version of Eclipse. For procedures on the entire development process using Eclipse, see the "Developing Applications Using Eclipse" section in the Yocto Project Software Development Kit (SDK) Developer's Guide. Install Eclipse: See the "Installing the Neon Eclipse IDE" section. Configure Eclipse: See the "Configuring the Neon Eclipse IDE" section. Configure Eclipse: See the "Installing or Accessing the Neon Eclipse Yocto Plug-in" section. Configure Eclipse: See the "Configuring the Neon Eclipse Yocto Plug-in" section.

This section contains procedures related to locating and securing Yocto Project files. You establish and use these local files to work on projects. For concepts and introductory information about Git as it is used in the Yocto Project, see the "Git" section in the Yocto Project Reference Manual. For concepts on Yocto Project source repositories, see the "Yocto Project Source Repositories" section in the Yocto Project Reference Manual."

Yocto Project maintains upstream Git Source Repositories that you can examine and access using a browser-based UI: Access Repositories: Open a browser and go to to access the GUI-based interface into the Yocto Project source repositories. Select a Repository: Click on any repository in which you are interested (e.g. poky). Find the URL Used to Clone the Repository: At the bottom of the page, note the URL used to clone that repository (e.g. &YOCTO_GIT_URL;/poky). Examine Change History of the Repository: At the top of the page, click on any branch in which you might be interested (e.g. &DISTRO_NAME_NO_CAP;). You can then view the commit log or tree view for that development branch.

Yocto Project maintains an Index of Releases area that contains related files that contribute to the Yocto Project. Rather than Git repositories, these files represent snapshot tarballs. The recommended method for accessing Yocto Project components is to use Git to clone a repository and work from within that local repository. The procedure in this section exists should you desire a tarball snapshot of any given component. Access the Index of Releases: Open a browser and go to to access the Index of Releases. The list represents released components (e.g. eclipse-plugin, sato, and so on). The yocto directory contains the full array of released Poky tarballs. The poky directory in the Index of Releases was historically used for very early releases and exists for retroactive completeness only. Select a Component: Click on any released component in which you are interested (e.g. yocto). Find the Tarball: Drill down to find the associated tarball. For example, click on yocto-2.3 to view files associated with the Yocto Project 2.3 release (e.g. poky-pyro-17.0.0tar.bz2, which is the released Poky tarball). Download the Tarball: Click a tarball to download and save a snapshot of a given component.

The Yocto Project Website uses a "Downloads" area from which you can locate and download tarballs of any Yocto Project release. Rather than Git repositories, these files represent snapshot tarballs. The recommended method for accessing Yocto Project components is to use Git to clone a repository and work from within that local repository. The procedure in this section exists should you desire a tarball snapshot of any given component. Go to the Yocto Project Website: Open The Yocto Project Website in your browser. Get to the Downloads Area: Click the "Downloads" tab. Select the Type of Files: Click the type of files you want (i.e "Build System", "Tools", or "Board Support Packages (BSPs)". Locate and Download the Tarball: From the list of releases, locate the appropriate download link and download the files.

To use the Yocto Project, you need a release of the Yocto Project locally installed on your development system. The locally installed set of files is referred to as the Source Directory in the Yocto Project documentation. You create your Source Directory by using Git to clone a local copy of the upstream poky repository. The preferred method of getting the Yocto Project Source Directory set up is to clone the repository. Working from a copy of the upstream repository allows you to contribute back into the Yocto Project or simply work with the latest software on a development branch. Because Git maintains and creates an upstream repository with a complete history of changes and you are working with a local clone of that repository, you have access to all the Yocto Project development branches and tag names used in the upstream repository. Follow these steps to create a local version of the upstream poky Git repository. Set Your Directory: Be in the directory where you want to create your local copy of poky. Clone the Repository: The following command clones the repository and uses the default name "poky" for your local repository: $ git clone git://git.yoctoproject.org/poky Cloning into 'poky'... remote: Counting objects: 367178, done. remote: Compressing objects: 100% (88161/88161), done. remote: Total 367178 (delta 272761), reused 366942 (delta 272525) Receiving objects: 100% (367178/367178), 133.26 MiB | 6.40 MiB/s, done. Resolving deltas: 100% (272761/272761), done. Checking connectivity... done. Unless you specify a specific development branch or tag name, Git clones the "master" branch, which results in a snapshot of the latest development changes for "master". Once the repository is created, you can change to that directory and check its status. Here, the single "master" branch exists on your system and by default, it is checked out: $ cd ~/poky $ git status On branch master Your branch is up-to-date with 'origin/master'. nothing to commit, working directory clean $ git branch * master Your local repository of poky is identical to the upstream poky repository at the time from which it was cloned.

When you clone the upstream poky repository, you have access to all its development branches. Each development branch in a repository is unique as it forks off the "master" branch. To see and use the files of a particular development branch locally, you need to know the branch name and then specifically check out that development branch. Checking out an active development branch by branch name gives you a snapshot of that particular branch at the time you check it out. Further development on top of the branch that occurs after check it out can occur. Switch to the Poky Directory: If you have a local poky Git repository, switch to that directory. If you do not have the local copy of poky, see the "Cloning the poky Repository" section. Determine Existing Branch Names: $ git branch -a * master remotes/origin/1.1_M1 remotes/origin/1.1_M2 remotes/origin/1.1_M3 remotes/origin/1.1_M4 remotes/origin/1.2_M1 remotes/origin/1.2_M2 remotes/origin/1.2_M3 . . . remotes/origin/master-next remotes/origin/master-next2 remotes/origin/morty remotes/origin/pinky remotes/origin/purple remotes/origin/pyro Checkout the Branch: Checkout the development branch in which you want to work. For example, to access the files for the Yocto Project 2.3 Release (Pyro), use the following command: $ git checkout -b pyro origin/pyro Branch pyro set up to track remote branch pyro from origin. Switched to a new branch 'pyro' The previous command checks out the "pyro" development branch and reports that the branch is tracking the upstream "origin/pyro" branch. The following command displays the branches that are now part of your local poky repository. The asterisk character indicates the branch that is currently checked out for work: $ git branch master * pyro

Similar to branches, the upstream repository uses tags to mark specific commits associated with significant points in a development branch (i.e. a release point or stage of a release). You might want to set up a local branch based on one of those points in the repository. The process is similar to checking out by branch name except you use tag names. Checking out a branch based on a tag gives you a stable set of files not affected by development on the branch above the tag. Switch to the Poky Directory: If you have a local poky Git repository, switch to that directory. If you do not have the local copy of poky, see the "Cloning the poky Repository" section. Fetch the Tag Names: To checkout the branch based on a tag name, you need to fetch the upstream tags into your local repository: $ git fetch --tags $ List the Tag Names: You can list the tag names now: $ git tag 1.1_M1.final 1.1_M1.rc1 1.1_M1.rc2 1.1_M2.final 1.1_M2.rc1 . . . yocto-2.2 yocto-2.2.1 yocto-2.3 yocto_1.5_M5.rc8 Checkout the Branch: $ git checkout tags/2.2_M2 -b my_yocto_2.2_M2 Switched to a new branch 'my_yocto_2.2_M2' $ git branch master * my_yocto_2.2_M2 The previous command creates and checks out a local branch named "my_yocto_2.2_M2", which is based on the commit in the upstream poky repository that has the same tag. In this example, the files you have available locally as a result of the checkout command are a snapshot of the "morty" development branch at the point where milestone two was reached.

Several methods exist that allow you to build an image within the Yocto Project. This procedure shows how to build an image using BitBake from a Linux host. For information on how to build an image using Toaster, see the Yocto Project Toaster Manual. For information on how to use devtool to build images, see the "Using devtool in Your SDK Workflow" section in the Yocto Project Software Development Kit (SDK) Developer's Guide. The build process creates an entire Linux distribution from source and places it in your Build Directory under tmp/deploy/images. For detailed information on the build process using BitBake, see the "Images" section in the Yocto Project Reference Manual. You can also reference the "Building Images" section in the Yocto Project Quick Start. The following figure and list overviews the build process: Set Up Your Host Development System to Support Development Using the Yocto Project: See the "The Linux Distribution" and the "The Build Host Packages" sections both in the Yocto Project Quick Start for build host requirements. Set Up Your Source Directories: Make sure you have set up the Source Directory described in the "Cloning the poky Repository" section. Initialize the Build Environment: Initialize the build environment by sourcing a build environment script (i.e. &OE_INIT_FILE; or oe-init-build-env-memres). Make Sure Your local.conf File is Correct: Ensure the conf/local.conf configuration file, which is found in the Build Directory, is set up how you want it. This file defines many aspects of the build environment including the target machine architecture through the MACHINE variable, the packaging format used during the build (PACKAGE_CLASSES), and a centralized tarball download directory through the DL_DIR variable. Build the Image: Build the image using the bitbake command. For example, the following command builds the core-image-minimal image: $ bitbake core-image-minimal For information on BitBake, see the BitBake User Manual.