Tailoring Custom Linux with Yocto Scarthgap : Introduction
The tech landscape is evolving rapidly. We are witnessing a surge in custom hardware solutions, driven by foundries and custom System on Chip (SOC) development. This trend points towards an increasing prevalence of bespoke devices in the future. With this shift, it's crucial that operating systems are tailored to meet the unique needs of these specialized devices.
To utilize this hardware, we need an operating system that is highly customized and optimized for performance and security. This need for highly customized and optimized operating systems is easily filled by Linux. Whether for embedded systems, IoT devices, or specialized computing environments, a tailored Linux distribution can provide the flexibility and performance required for unique applications.
The Yocto Project , an open-source software project, enables hardware and software developers to create custom configurations by specifying hardware architecture, choosing kernel versions, selecting software packages, and optimizing for performance and security. It provides a set of tools, recipes, and guidelines to build Linux-based systems from source code. Scarthgap is a Long Term Supported (LTS) version of the Yocto project.
There are custom Linux distributions (such as Ubuntu, RedHat or Debian), Yocto allows hardware and software developers to create custom configurations.It allows developers to:
Specify hardware architecture (ARM, x86, MIPS, etc.)
Choose kernel versions (Linux 4.x, 5.x, 6.x, etc.)
Select software packages (system libraries, drivers, applications)
Optimize for performance and security
As you design your custom hardware, you don't want unnecessary components that can add overhead. For example, if your hardware doesn't require a GUI interface, consider using a lightweight distribution like Yocto's core image instead of a full desktop environment.
Explore ideas about what this is and how you can leverage the Linux version 6.x with the Scarthgap release of Yocto. See here for more information:
Stay tuned for more details and updates.