What's Missing in Embedded Build Systems
summary
Build systems like buildroot and openembedded AKA yocto provide packages but do not produce a complete product image: common gaps are A/B updates (SWUpdate/RAUC-style artifacts vs a manufacturable image), a guaranteed persistent partition separate from read-only root with first-boot population and factory-reset semantics (fsck + reformat recovery), per-device provisioning data (serial/MAC/keys on a non-reset partition), and integrated support for verified-boot image generation and U-Boot/UEFI interactions.
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chapters (4)
- 0:00Start
- 6:26Traditional distros take care of the desktop and server use cases ⚫ Boot installer, update via package manager, everything writeable • Not even ideal for desktop use case
- 30:17Many things still need to be improved • Define common tooling - produce signed images - changes to bootloader + kernel to maintain trust chain - this is a place to discuss improvements Integrate in build systems -including impact on partitioning
- 31:54Developers still have to reinvent the wheel and make ad hoc choices during integration • Build systems should make those choices - perhaps offer a few alternatives - part of openembedded-core, not just some layer • Also additional tooling needed upstream from build systems
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