FlexBuild is a component-oriented lightweight build system and integration platform with capabilities of flexible, ease-to-use, scalable system build and distro deployment.
Users can use flexbuild to easily build Debian-based RootFS, linux kernel, BSP components and miscellaneous userspace applications (e.g. graphics, multimedia, networking, connectivity, security, AI/ML, robotics, etc) against Debian-based library dependencies to streamline the system build with efficient CI/CD.
With flex-installer, users also can easily install various distro to target storage device (SD/eMMC card or USB/SATA disk) on target board or on host machine.
- Cross-build in Debian Docker container hosted on x86 Ubuntu or any other distro for arm64 target
- Cross-build on x86 host machine running Debian 12 for arm64 target
- Native-build on ARM board running Debian for arm64 target
- Docker hosted on Ubuntu LTS host (e.g. 22.04, 24.04) or other any distro Refer to docker-setup User can run 'bld docker' to create a Debian docker and build it in docker.
- Debian 12 host Refer to host_requirement
- Debian-based userland (base, desktop, server)
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iMX platform:
imx8mmevk, imx8mpevk, imx8mpfrdm, imx8mqevk, imx8ulpevk, imx93evk, imx93frdm, imx91evk, imx91frdm -
Layerscape platform:
ls1028ardb, ls1043ardb, ls1046ardb, ls2160ardb
$ cd flexbuild
$ . setup.env (in host environment)
$ bld docker (create or attach to docker)
$ . setup.env (in docker environment)
$ bld host-dep (install host dependent packages)
Usage: bld -m <machine>
or bld <target> [ <option> ]
Most used example with automated build:
bld -m imx8mpevk # automatically build BSP + kernel + NXP-specific components + Debian RootFS for imx8mpevk platform
bld -m lx2160ardb # same as above, for lx2160ardb platform
bld auto -p IMX (or -p LS) # same as above, for all arm64 iMX (or Layerscape) platforms
Most used example with separate command:
bld bsp -m imx93frdm # generate BSP composite firmware (including atf/u-boot/kernel/dtb/peripheral-firmware/initramfs) for single machine
bld bspall [ -p IMX|LS ] # generate BSP composite firmware for all i.MX or LS machines
bld rfs [ -r debian:desktop ] # generate Debian-based Desktop rootfs (with more graphics/multimedia packages for Desktop)
bld rfs -r debian:server # generate Debian-based Server rootfs (with more server related packages, no GUI Desktop)
bld rfs -r debian:base # generate Debian-based base rootfs (small footprint with base packages)
bld linux [ -p IMX|LS] # compile linux kernel for all arm64 IMX or LS machines
bld atf -m lx2160rdb -b sd # compile atf image for SD boot on lx2160ardb
bld boot [ -p IMX|LS ] # generate boot partition tarball (including kernel,dtb,modules,distro bootscript) for iMX/LS machines
bld apps # compile NXP-specific components against the runtime dependencies of Debian Desktop rootfs for i.MX machines
bld apps -r debian:server -p LS # compile NXP-specific components against the runtime dependencies of Debian Server rootfs for LS machines
bld merge-apps [ -r <type> ] # merge NXP-specific components into target Debian rootfs (Desktop by default,add '-r debian:server' for Server)
bld packrfs [ -r <type> ] # pack and compress target rootfs as rootfs_xx.tar.zst (or add '-r debian:server' for Server)
bld packapps [ -r <type> ] # pack and compress target app components as apps_xx.tar.zst (add '-p LS' for Layerscape platforms)
bld docker # create or attach docker container to build in docker
bld clean # clean all obsolete firmware/linux/apps binary images except distro rootfs
bld clean-apps [ -r <type> ] # clean the obsolete NXP-specific apps components binary images
bld clean-rfs [ -r <type> ] # clean target debian-based server arm64 rootfs
bld clean-bsp # clean obsolete BSP (u-boot/atf/firmware) images
bld clean-linux # clean obsolete linux image
bld list # list enabled machines and supported various components
bld host-dep # automatically install the depended deb packages on host
Please refer to https://nxp.com/nxpdebian for more information about NXP Debian Linux SDK Distribution. [Debian Linux SDK User's Guide]((https://docs.nxp.com/bundle/UG10155).
flexbuild_usage, build_and_deploy_distro, nxp_linux_sdk for detailed information.
