Roll your own IoT Linux with Buildroot
Getting Small
© Lead Image © khunaspix, 123RF.com and raspberrypi.com
Whether you need a tiny OS for 1MB of flash memory or a complex Linux with a graphical stack, you can quickly set up a working operating system using Buildroot.
To put together a Linux-based IoT system, you need a quick and easy approach to getting a base system up and running. And while you are at it, you also need to keep an eye on the flash footprint – some IoT platforms only have 64MB flash memory. You will want to keep control of the software included in the system, and you'll want to be able to add your own applications easily. Last but not least, you will need to pay attention to security and comply with both open source and proprietary licenses.
The Buildroot build system [1] will help you with these tasks. Buildroot, which emerged in the early 2000s from the µClinux and Busybox projects, focuses on creating systems with a minimal footprint. Buildroot is easier to use and conceptually simpler than Yocto (see the article on Yocto starting on p. 16 of this issue). If you don't need Yocto's expansive capabilities, with its modular layer system and other advanced features, and you just want to generate an OS for an embedded device, Buildroot is often the better choice.
Buildroot can generate:
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Digital Autonomy
• How the Fediverse Found Parts for Its Platforms
• The Answer Was Already on the Shelf
• Changing the Chip Industry: How Public Investment Has Grown Open Silicon
• United Nations Open Source Portal Goes Live
• EU Open Source Strategy Plays Key Role in Tech Sovereignty Package
• France Says “Au Revoir” to Microsoft
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Epic Games Targets Linux for New Launcher
The Epic Games new launcher is still in preview, but it looks to land on several Linux distributions.
-
Fedora 45 Now Available
The latest iteration of Fedora has arrived with Gnome 51 and KDE Plasma 6.8.
-
Linux 7.4 is "Much Healthier" Thanks to AI
At nearly 42 million lines, Linux 7.4 is the largest merge in the kernel’s history.
-
Working Exploit for a Linux Kernel Flaw Made Public
Even before a bug received its CVE identifier or an upstream fix, the local privilege escalation vulnerability exploit found its way into the wild.
-
r/opensource Bans AI-Assisted and AI-Related Projects
The de facto subreddit for all things open source has not only banned AI-related projects but also users who "don't speak English."
-
Bottlenecks Discovered by Meta Engineers Lead to Scalability Improvements
Thanks to a small group of engineers at Meta, the Linux kernel module kernfs has been improved, which has led to some serious gains.
-
PwnEscape Poses VM Vulnerability
A guest-to-host escape flaw in Linux KVM, named PwnEscape, might be yet another means of attacking Linux.
-
Linux Mint 27 Set for a Christmas Release
The developers behind Linux Mint have announced a Christmas release, and it looks like Santa's sack will be brimming with features.
-
Is Linus Torvalds Vibe Coding?
The creator of Linux has added AI into his process for Linux kernel development, and it's more than just for debugging.
-
openKylin 3.0 Released with Expanded AI Integration
The latest release features a pre-installed AI agent to help perform tasks.