// -*- mode:doc; -*- // vim: set syntax=asciidoc: About OpenADK ============= OpenADK is a tool that simplifies and automates the process of building a complete Linux system for an embedded system, using cross-compilation. ADK stands for appliance development kit. In order to achieve this, OpenADK is able to generate a cross-compilation toolchain, a root filesystem, a Linux kernel image and a bootloader for your target. OpenADK is useful mainly for people working with embedded systems, but can be used by people playing with emulators or small netbooks needing a fast and small Linux system. OpenADK can also be used to generate a cross-toolchain for any kind of architecture and C library combination. It supports uClibc-ng, musl, GNU libc and newlib. With newlib support you can build bare-metal toolchains without need for Linux as operating system. Embedded systems often use processors that are not the regular x86 processors everyone is used to having in his PC. OpenADK supports 40 different architectures: AARCH64, Alpha, ARC, ARM, AVR32, Blackfin, C6X, CR16, CRIS, Epiphany, FR-V, H8/300, HPPA, IA64, LM32, M32R, M68K, METAG, Microblaze, MIPS, MIPS64, MN10300, Moxie, MSP430, NDS32, NIOS2, OR1K, PPC, PPC64, RiscV, RX, S/390, SH, SPARC, SPARC64, Tile, V850, X86, X86_64 and Xtensa. OpenADK supports numerous processors and their variants; it also comes with sample configurations for many embedded systems, emulators and netbooks. OpenADK is not a Linux distribution and there are no releases or binary packages available. If you need something like that, better switch to something else. OpenADK builds everything from source. There are only a few exceptions to this rule (f.e. some bootloaders and firmware files for wireless network cards).