The build from initdc

armbian build framework

What this project does?
Getting started
Compare with industry standards
Download prebuilt images
Project structure
Contribution
Support
Contact
Contributors
Sponsors
License

What this project does?

Builds custom Linux optimized for single board computers(SBCs).
Including filesystem generation, low-level control software, kernel image compilation and bootloader compilation.
Provides a consistent user experience by keeping system standards across different platforms.

Getting started

Prepare your environment

x64 / aarch64 machine with at least 2GB of memory and ~35GB of disk space for a VM, container or native OS,
Ubuntu Jammy 22.04 x64 / aarch64 for native building or any Docker capable x64 / aarch64 Linux for containerised,
Superuser rights (configured sudo or root access).

Simply start with the build script

apt-get -y install git
git clone https://github.com/armbian/build
cd build
./compile.sh

Interactive graphical interface.
The workspace will be prepared by installing the necessary dependencies and sources.
It guides the entire process until a kernel package or ready-to-use image of the SD card is created.

Build parameter examples

Show work in progress areas in interactive mode:

./compile.sh EXPERT="yes"

Run build framework inside Docker container:

./compile.sh docker

Build minimal CLI Armbian Focal image for Orangepi Zero. Use modern kernel and write image to the SD card:

./compile.sh \
BOARD=orangepizero \
BRANCH=current \
RELEASE=focal \
BUILD_MINIMAL=yes \
BUILD_DESKTOP=no \
KERNEL_ONLY=no \
KERNEL_CONFIGURE=no \
CARD_DEVICE="/dev/sda"

Build parameters, advanced build options, user defined configuration, build with Docker?

Compare with industry standards

Check similarity, advantages and disadvantages compared with leading industry standard build software.

Function	Armbian	Yocto	Buildroot
Target	general purpose	embedded	embedded / IOT
U-boot and kernel	compiled from sources	compiled from sources	compiled from sources
Board support maintenance	complete	outside	outside
Root file system	Debian or Ubuntu based	custom	custom
Package manager	APT	any	none
Configurability	limited	large	large
Initramfs support	yes	yes	yes
Getting started	quick	very slow	slow
Cross compilation	yes	yes	yes

Download

https://www.armbian.com/download/

Armbian releases quarterly at the end of February, May, August, November. You are welcome to propose changes to our default images build list.

Project structure

├── cache                                Work / cache directory
│   ├── rootfs                           Compressed vanilla Debian and Ubuntu rootfilesystem cache
│   ├── sources                          Kernel, u-boot and various drivers sources. Mainly C code
│   ├── toolchains                       External cross compilers from Linaro™ or ARM™
├── config                               Packages repository configurations
│   ├── targets.conf                     Board build target configuration
│   ├── boards                           Board configurations
│   ├── bootenv                          Initial boot loaders environments per family
│   ├── bootscripts                      Initial Boot loaders scripts per family
│   ├── cli                              CLI packages configurations per distribution
│   ├── desktop                          Desktop packages configurations per distribution
│   ├── distributions                    Distributions settings
│   ├── kernel                           Kernel build configurations per family
│   ├── sources                          Kernel and u-boot sources locations and scripts
│   ├── templates                        User configuration templates which populate userpatches
│   └── torrents                         External compiler and rootfs cache torrents
├── lib                                  Main build framework libraries
├── output                               Build artifact
│   └── deb                              Deb packages
│   └── images                           Bootable images - RAW or compressed
│   └── debug                            Patch and build logs
│   └── config                           Kernel configuration export location
│   └── patch                            Created patches location
├── packages                             Support scripts, binary blobs, packages
│   ├── blobs                            Wallpapers, various configs, closed source bootloaders
│   ├── bsp-cli                          Automatically added to armbian-bsp-cli package 
│   ├── bsp-desktop                      Automatically added to armbian-bsp-desktopo package
│   ├── bsp                              Scripts and configs overlay for rootfs
│   └── extras-buildpkgs                 Optional compilation and packaging engine
├── patch                                Collection of patches
│   ├── atf                              ARM trusted firmware
│   ├── kernel                           Linux kernel patches
|   |   └── family-branch                Per kernel family and branch
│   ├── misc                             Linux kernel packaging patches
│   └── u-boot                           Universal boot loader patches
|       ├── u-boot-board                 For specific board
|       └── u-boot-family                For entire kernel family
└── userpatches                          User: configuration patching area
    ├── lib.config                       User: framework common config/override file
    ├── config-default.conf              User: default user config file
    ├── customize-image.sh               User: script will execute just before closing the image
    ├── atf                              User: ARM trusted firmware
    ├── kernel                           User: Linux kernel per kernel family
    ├── misc                             User: various
    └── u-boot                           User: universal boot loader patches

🙌 Contribution

You don't need to be a programmer to help! Check out our list choose what you wanna do ❤️
The easiest way to help is by "Starring" our repository - it helps more people find our code.
You also can maintain and develop docs, CI, autotests, seed torrents, help on forum moderating, project administration, costs.

Please make sure to read the Contributing Guide before you write any code.

Support

Community support

Armbian is free software and provides best effort help through community forums. If you can't find answer there and/or with help of general project search engine and documentation, consider hiring an expert.
Personal support

Personal support limited to active project supporters and sponsors. The shortest way to become one and receive our attention is a four figure donation to our non-profit project.