Mastering Embedded Linux Development

Written by Frank Vasquez, an embedded Linux expert, this new edition enables you to harness the full potential of Linux to create versatile and robust embedded solutions

All formats include a free PDF and an invitation to the Embedded System Professionals community

Free with your book: DRM-free PDF version + access to Packt's next-gen Reader*

Key Features

• Learn how to develop and configure reliable embedded Linux devices
• Discover the latest enhancements in Linux 6.6 and the Yocto Project 5.0, codename Scarthgap
• Explore different ways to debug and profile your code in both user space and the Linux kernel
• Purchase of the print or Kindle book includes a free PDF eBook

Book Description

Mastering Embedded Linux Development is designed to be both a learning resource and a reference for your embedded Linux projects.

In this fourth edition, you'll learn the fundamental elements that underpin all embedded Linux projects: the toolchain, the bootloader, the kernel, and the root filesystem. First, you will download and install a pre-built toolchain. After that, you will cross-compile each of the remaining three elements from scratch and learn to automate the process using Buildroot and the Yocto Project. The book progresses with coverage of over-the-air software updates and rapid prototyping with add-on boards. Two new chapters tackle modern development practices, including Python packaging and deploying containerized applications. These are followed by a chapter on writing multithreaded code and another on techniques to manage memory efficiently. The final chapters demonstrate how to debug your code, whether it resides in user space or in the Linux kernel itself. In addition to GNU debugger (GDB), the book also covers the different tracers and profilers that are available for Linux so that you can quickly pinpoint any performance bottlenecks in your system.

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What you will learn

• Cross-compile embedded Linux images with Buildroot and Yocto
• Enable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity with a Yocto board support package
• Update IoT devices securely in the field with Mender or balena
• Prototype peripheral additions by connecting add-on boards, reading schematics, and coding test programs
• Deploy containerized software applications on edge devices with Docker
• Debug devices remotely using GDB and measure the performance of systems using tools like perf and ply

Who this book is for

If you are a systems software engineer or system administrator who wants to learn how to apply Linux to embedded devices, then this book is for you. The book is also for embedded software engineers accustomed to programming low-power microcontrollers and will help them make the leap to a high-speed system-on-chips that can run Linux. Anyone who develops hardware for Linux will find something useful in this book. But before you get started, you will need a solid grasp of the POSIX standard, C programming, and shell scripting.

Table of Contents

1. Starting Out
2. Learning about Toolchains
3. All about Bootloaders
4. Configuring and Building the Kernel
5. Building a Root Filesystem
6. Selecting a Build System
7. Developing with Yocto
8. Yocto under the Hood
9. Creating a Storage Strategy
10. Updating Software in the Field
11. Interfacing with Device Drivers
12. Prototyping with Add-On Boards
13. Starting Up – The init Program
14. Managing Power
15. Packaging Python
16. Deploying Container Images
17. Learning about Processes and Threads

(N.B. Please use the Read Sample option to see further chapters)

Frank Vasquez is an independent software consultant specializing in consumer electronics. He has more than a decade of experience designing and building embedded Linux systems. During that time, he has shipped numerous products including a rackmount DSP audio server, a diver-held sonar camcorder, an IoT hotspot, a home battery, and a grid-scale energy storage system. Since the third edition of this book was published, Frank has also become a frequent speaker at open source software conferences including the Yocto Project Summit, Embedded Linux Conference, FOSDEM, and All Systems Go! He is passionate about learning new technologies and teaching them to others.

Chris Simmonds is a software consultant and trainer living in southern England. He has almost two decades of experience in designing and building open-source embedded systems. He is the founder and chief consultant at 2net Ltd, which provides professional training and mentoring services in embedded Linux, Linux device drivers, and Android platform development. He has trained engineers at many of the biggest companies in the embedded world, including ARM, Qualcomm, Intel, Ericsson, and General Dynamics. He is a frequent presenter at open source and embedded conferences, including the Embedded Linux Conference and Embedded World.