Armbian Linux Build Framework
## What does this project do?
- Builds custom **kernel**, **image** or a **distribution** optimized for low-resource hardware,
- Include filesystem generation, low-level control software, kernel image and **bootloader** compilation,
- Provides a **consistent user experience** by keeping system standards across different platforms.
## Getting started
### Requirements
- x86_64 / aarch64 machine
- at least 2GB of memory and ~35GB of disk space for VM, container or bare metal installation
- Ubuntu Jammy 22.04.x for native building or any Docker capable Linux for containerised
- Windows 10/11 with WSL2 subsystem running Ubuntu Jammy 22.04.x
- Superuser rights (configured sudo or root access).
- Make sure your system is up-to-date! Outdated Docker binaries, for example, can cause trouble.
### Start with the build script
##### Development branch:
```bash
apt-get -y install git
git clone --depth=1 --branch=main https://github.com/armbian/build
cd build
./compile.sh
```
##### Stable branch:
```bash
apt-get -y install git
git clone --depth=1 --branch=v23.11 https://github.com/armbian/build
cd build
./compile.sh
```
- Interactive graphical interface.
- Prepares the workspace by installing the necessary dependencies and sources.
- It guides the entire process and creates a kernel package or a ready-to-use SD card image.
### Build parameter examples
Show work-in-progress areas in interactive mode:
```bash
./compile.sh EXPERT="yes"
```
Build minimal CLI Armbian Jammy for Raspberry Pi 4B with LTS kernel and write image directly to the SD card:
```bash
./compile.sh \
BOARD=rpi4b \
BRANCH=current \
RELEASE=jammy \
BUILD_MINIMAL=yes \
BUILD_DESKTOP=no \
KERNEL_CONFIGURE=no \
CARD_DEVICE="/dev/sdX"
```
More information:
- [Building Armbian](https://docs.armbian.com/Developer-Guide_Build-Preparation/) (how to start, how to automate)
- [Build options](https://docs.armbian.com/Developer-Guide_Build-Options/) (all build options)
- [User configuration](https://docs.armbian.com/Developer-Guide_User-Configurations/) (how to add packages, patches, and override sources config)
## Download prebuilt images releases
### Point
- [manually released **standard supported** builds](https://www.armbian.com/download/?device_support=Standard%20support) (quarterly)
### Rolling
- [automatically released **staging and standard supported** builds](https://github.com/armbian/os/releases/latest) (daily)
- [automatically released **community maintained** builds](https://github.com/armbian/community/releases/latest) (weekly)
## Compared with industry standards
Expand
Check similarities, 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 |
Expand
```text
├── cache Work / cache directory
│ ├── aptcache Packages
│ ├── ccache C/C++ compiler
│ ├── docker Docker last pull
│ ├── git-bare Minimal Git
│ ├── git-bundles Full Git
│ ├── initrd Ram disk
│ ├── memoize Git status
│ ├── patch Kernel drivers patch
│ ├── pip Python
│ ├── rootfs Compressed userspaces
│ ├── sources Kernel, u-boot and other sources
│ ├── tools Additional tools like ORAS
│ └── utility
├── 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
├── extensions Extend build system with specific functionality
├── lib Main build framework libraries
│ ├── functions
│ │ ├── artifacts
│ │ ├── bsp
│ │ ├── cli
│ │ ├── compilation
│ │ ├── configuration
│ │ ├── general
│ │ ├── host
│ │ ├── image
│ │ ├── logging
│ │ ├── main
│ │ └── rootfs
│ └── tools
├── 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
├── tools Tools for dealing with kernel patches and configs
└── 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
```
### Also
- [Current and past contributors](https://github.com/armbian/build/graphs/contributors), our families and friends.
- [Support staff](https://forum.armbian.com/members/2-moderators/) that keeps forums usable.
- [Friends and individuals](https://armbian.com/authors) who support us with resources and their time.
- [The Armbian Community](https://forum.armbian.com/) helps with their ideas, reports and [donations](https://www.armbian.com/donate).
## Armbian Partners
Armbian's partnership program helps to support Armbian and the Armbian community! Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with our Partners:
- [Click here to visit our Partners page!](https://armbian.com/partners)
- [How can I become a Partner?](https://forum.armbian.com/subscriptions)
## Star History
[](https://star-history.com/#armbian/build&Date)
## License
This software is published under the GPL-2.0 License license.