build

Accepting Constraints in Build Systems

by Cliff Brake
2019-04-01

As Embedded Systems become more complex, the complexity of the process to build the software for these systems also increases. As humans, our ability to deal with complexity is limited, so we develop tools and processes to manage the complexity. In the end, these tools and processes are about constraints and patterns. A well-designed tool or process encourages you to do things in a way that is consistent and maintainable, which leads to reliable and predictable results.

by Cliff Brake
2018-02-14

When building a product using Linux, versioning and branching of your software is an important consideration. Everyone’s needs are different depending on the size of the team, culture, and testing requirements, so there is no one size that fits all. However, after working on a number of different projects for a dozen or so different companies, there are several practices that are often used.

Separation of Source and Build Directories

by Cliff Brake
2017-11-16

As we work with larger and more complex systems (i.e. Linux), more and more of our time is spent on integration and pulling different pieces together. We often need to debug or understand code we did not write — especially in build systems. To work effectively in this scenario you must be able to quickly search through a lot of source code. Therefore, we are always looking for ways to make this more efficient.

Why Git?

by Cliff Brake
2016-08-18

Some time back, I gave a presentation that included an overview of the Git version control system. I still occasionally get asked why Git should be used instead of Subversion, as it seems harder at first. Most developers don’t really understand Git until they have used it for awhile, and then they will have an “aha moment.” There are 3 features of Git that are especially interesting to me:

many repositories (vs. one large repository)
distributed development
cheap branches

Best practices for using CMake in OpenEmbedded/Yocto

by Cliff Brake
2015-03-10

I’ve already written about using autotools and qmake in OE. With recent projects, we’re using CMake to build most C/C++ components. Like any good tool, CMake has a learning curve, but it seems to do its job quite well. Below are examples of a CMake build file, and corresponding OE recipe.

OpenEmbedded Build Template

by Cliff Brake
2013-06-282023-09-05

How does one set an OpenEmbedded/Yocto/Poky/Angstrom build? There are many options. Some include: Angstrom setup scripts Poky Freescale Community BSP OpenEmbedded core standalone (I’m sure… Read More »OpenEmbedded Build Template

OS Containers for Build Systems

by Cliff Brake
2013-05-08

Since I’ve been running archlinux on some of my systems, one thing I’ve found useful is systemd-nspawn. systemd-nspawn containers (or chroots on non-systemd systems) give… Read More »OS Containers for Build Systems

Git submodules can now track branches

by Cliff Brake
2013-04-22

As of version 1.8.2, Git submodules can now track branches instead of specific commits. This is good news as in many cases, this is exactly… Read More »Git submodules can now track branches

Git and Distributed Development

by Cliff Brake
2011-03-29

This is part of an ongoing series of articles on the Git version control system. The “many repository” paradigm has been partly driven by the… Read More »Git and Distributed Development

Git and Why Multiple Repositories

by Cliff Brake
2011-03-17

This is part of an ongoing series of articles on the Git version control system. This article discusses the trend in software configuration management toward… Read More »Git and Why Multiple Repositories