Rootcommit WIP

Board Bring-Up: Radxa Dragon Q6A with Mainline Linux and Yocto

Sat, 18 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Radxa Dragon 6A

The Radxa Dragon Q6A is a credit card-sized single-board computer built around Qualcomm’s QCS6490 — the same silicon family found in the Fairphone 5 and Qualcomm’s own RB3gen2 reference platform. It packs an octa-core Kryo 670 CPU, an Adreno 643 GPU, and a 12 TOPS Hexagon NPU into a board with Gigabit Ethernet, WiFi 6, HDMI, triple camera connectors, and an M.2 NVMe slot. Starting at around $60, it sits in an interesting spot — significantly more compute per dollar than a Raspberry Pi 5, with a genuine ML inference pipeline that doesn’t require an external accelerator. Qualcomm provides Yocto builds for RB3Gen2 boards and Radxa mentions this in their documentation but doesn’t provide any how-to. In this article, we shall explore the steps taken to get Yocto running with Mainline Linux Kernel.

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

U-Boot: protect sensitive environment variables

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This is a follow-up from our Accessing the U-Boot environment from a C program blog post.

🌳Need to protect the environment

When you’re trying to harden an embedded Linux device to make it more resistant to attacks, one key part to secure is the bootloader, because that’s the part that boots the operating system. Even you implement a secure boot chain, if an attacker manages to interrupt the boot process and get access to the bootloader shell, this attacker would be able to load and run her/his own payload on the device.

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Mainline Linux 7.0 running on Arduino Q

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Here are steps to reproduce it by yourself, if you are the happy owner of this board, currently priced at 48 EUR on the Arduino shop for the 2 GB version. This is done without removing the original kernel. Your board will still boot such kernel by default.

Setup and prerequisites

To do this by yourself, you will need:

An Arduino Q board
A USB-C hub with external power, to power the board and to connect external devices such as USB mass storage or USB-Ethernet.

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Accessing the U-Boot environment from a C program

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Need to modify the U-Boot environment from Linux

A/B update and recovery workflow implemented for a Root Commit customer

There are multiple reasons for wanting to modify U-Boot variables from Linux, one of them being to implement A/B update mechanisms. Typically, after you’ve flashed a device with a new version, you’ll set the upgrade_available U-Boot variable to 1, reboot, and let U-Boot try to boot the new version.

Embedded Linux Resources

Sun, 01 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Useful resources for people learning about embedded Linux, or interested in getting the latest updates.

Mobile platforms

Chris Simmonds, David Llewellyn-Jones, Romain Hunault - State on FOSS on Mobile (Video, 2026)
Early 2026 status on Android and other Linux-based operating systems for smartphones

Updates

Jana Perić - OTA Updates in the Wild (Video, PDF, 2025)
A good introduction to all aspects of Over The Air updates.

Yocto Project

Anna-Lena Marx - Managing Long-Term Risk and Compliance in Embedded Linux with Yocto (PDF, 2026)

Embedded Linux Resources

Sun, 01 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Useful resources for people learning about embedded Linux, or interested in getting the latest updates.

Mobile platforms

Chris Simmonds, David Llewellyn-Jones, Romain Hunault - State on FOSS on Mobile (Video, 2026)
Early 2026 status on Android and other Linux-based operating systems for smartphones

Updates

Jana Perić - OTA Updates in the Wild (Video, PDF, 2025)
A good introduction to all aspects of Over The Air updates.

Yocto Project

Anna-Lena Marx - Managing Long-Term Risk and Compliance in Embedded Linux with Yocto (PDF, 2026)

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Contributions to Linux 6.19

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Root Commit’s contributions to Linux 6.19

Linux 6.19 is out with 7 contributions from Root Commit:

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Sun, 18 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Yocto Project Virtual Summit 2025: devtool hands-on class slides

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Happy to share the slides from my Devtool hands-on class presentation at Yocto Project Virtual Summit 2025.

Devtool is a very helpful tool for creating and maintaining recipes. I’m very happy I accepted to take over the traditional devtool hands-on class at the Yocto Project Summit in 2024, because devtool provided invaluable in my Yocto work since then.

Thanks to the additional experience, a devtool section was added to Root Commit’s Yocto Project and OpenEmbedded training course, and the hands-on slides got a complete overhaul compared to the 2024 version. The 2025 version is also based on the upcoming Whinlatter version, and is also expected to be compatible with the next Wrynose LTS version.

Sat, 29 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Using Yocto to build images for Orange Pi 3B

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Introduction

Orange PI 3B is a cheap and attractive Raspberry Pi sized single board computer based on the Rockchip RK3566:

Rockchip RK3566 (4x ARM Cortex-A55 @ 1.6GHz)
ARM Mali-G52-2EE GPU (OpenGL ES 1.1/2.0/3.0/3.1/3.2, Vulkan 1.1, OpenCL 2.0)
LPDDR4 RAM (2/4/8 GB)
Micro-SD card slot
SPI flash (16/32 MB)
Optional eMMC pluggable module (16/32/64/128/256 GB)
Wi-Fi5 + Bluetooth 5.0, BLE
1x USB 2.0 Type A OTG, 2x USB 2.0 Type A HOST, 1x USB 3.0 Type A Host

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Sun, 23 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Mixing Yocto training and consulting in Italy

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Training or consulting?

In partnership with Amarula Solutions, I was in discussion with an Italian company, Novavision. Moving to a new hardware platform, they wanted to take the opportunity to gain ownership of the tools that are used to build their products, here Yocto, instead of subcontracting this part of system development as they did previously.

Their first idea was to order our Yocto Project and OpenEmbedded training course. However, facing project deadline pressure, they also wondered whether consulting wouldn’t be a better choice to get their new project started in an efficient way. However, they didn’t want to fall back to subcontracting what they want to learn. That’s how the idea of a hybrid solution came up: consulting and training at the same time!

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Orange Pi RV2 RISC-V board running Linux 6.18-rc1

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Introduction

Five days ago, I received the Orange Pi RV2 board I ordered. For about 54 EUR / 64 USD (+ shipping), this board has very attractive features, in particular:

Top view - Source Orange Pi

8 GB of LPDDR4X RAM (2 and 4 GB options exist)

Yocto security: Kernel Hardening

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This is another blog post about securing your Yocto built systems:

Introduction

The Linux kernel is the cornerstone and stronghold of a Linux based system. Unlike user-space applications which run with limited privileges, if it’s compromised, there is almost no limit to what an attacker can do.

While nothing is unbreakable, there are two types of settings you can change to make your kernel harder to compromise:

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Training Bookmarks

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

These bookmarks have been created for the participants to our training courses, but are also available for anyone to reuse under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 license.

Printable version (PDF)
Sources
Credits

Training Bookmarks

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

These bookmarks have been created for the participants to our training courses, but are also available for anyone to reuse under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 license.

Printable version (PDF)
Sources
Credits

Yocto bookmark and new training dates

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Bookmark

After a brief announcement two weeks ago, here is the new Yocto command reference bookmark, in a format you can print and modify, according to the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license.

In particular, the PDF version is ready to be printed. This way you will get 5 bookmarks on double-sided A4 paper.

The documents were created with the Scribus open-source publishing application. It’s a great program to create leaflets, brochures and any professional looking documents. Sources are available in our GitLab repository.

Linux 6.17 is out and already running at Root Commit

Mon, 29 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Linux 6.17 has just been released, and it’s already running here at Root Commit.

The first system it’s been running on is this Toradex Verdin iMX8M Mini SOM (below the heat sink!) on the Dahlia Carrier board. I’m using this board for a medical device project at the moment.

Here are my notes for building Linux 6.17 for this device:

Get the Linux 6.17 sources (through git or tarball)

Sat, 20 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Digital hygiene: use USB tethering to connect your laptop

Sun, 14 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

When you are on the go, have you thought about connecting your GNU/Linux PC to the Internet through a USB connection to your phone?

Using open networks is definitely not recommended. Your connection is not encrypted and others could intercept it. If you have no other choice, connecting to the Internet through a Virtual Private Network (VPN) is strongly recommended.
Even using an untrusted WiFi network protected by a password (like in a hotel or in a commercial building) is not fully secure. If the password is shared, other guests could intercept your connection and try to attack your PC. Here, a VPN is recommended too.

Consulting

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

We are available to support you in our areas of expertise

Yocto Project and OpenEmbedded Getting started (training available too) Review of your implementation: layers and recipes Integration of features and applications Meeting security requirements Migration to supported releases Adding new features to upstream releases	Linux Kernel Getting started (training available too) Device driver and Device Tree code reviews Investigating performance and functional issues Adding new features to upstream kernels Kernel hardening
Embedded Linux Getting started with product development (training available too) Choosing a build system Review of your implementation Embedded Linux security audits Implementing software updates Linux boot time reduction (specific training available too)	Use our contact form to share your requirements with us.

Consulting

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

We are available to support you in our areas of expertise

Yocto Project and OpenEmbedded Getting started (training available too) Review of your implementation: layers and recipes Integration of features and applications Meeting security requirements Migration to supported releases Adding new features to upstream releases	Linux Kernel Getting started (training available too) Device driver and Device Tree code reviews Investigating performance and functional issues Adding new features to upstream kernels Kernel hardening
Embedded Linux Getting started with product development (training available too) Choosing a build system Review of your implementation Embedded Linux security audits Implementing software updates Linux boot time reduction (specific training available too)	Use our contact form to share your requirements with us.

Yocto Security: Production and Development Images

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This blog post is part of a series about securing your Yocto built systems:

What to avoid

So, you use Yocto to build an image for your embedded device. You tweak the image and distribution settings to get the features you need, and other developers use the SDK built by Yocto to create and build the User Interface and other applications.

"Securing Yocto Built Systems" presentation slides

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Last week, I gave a “Making Yocto Built Images More Secure” presentation at the Embedded Linux Conference in Amsterdam.

The main goal was to share the research I’ve done so far for a customer project, and gather feedback from the audience.

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

See how U-Boot modifies your board device tree

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

If you compare the device tree as loaded by Linux, available in /sys/firmware/fdt, you will see that it differs from the one that you loaded in U-Boot. Taking the time to make the comparison is quite instructive.

Let’s do this on my Toradex Verdin iMX8M Mini SoM on the Dahlia carrier board.

Decompiling the DTB

It’s easy to decompile any Device Tree Binary (DTB) file using dtc, the Device Tree Compiler.

Copy /sys/firmware/fdt from your live Linux system to external storage (assuming your external storage is mounted on /mnt/usb)
cp /sys/firmware/fdt /mnt/usb/linux.dtb

Seven steps to grow your embedded Linux skills

Sun, 20 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

A variant of this article also exists as a conference presentation.

Do you already have a job in embedded Linux but wish to be given more challenging goals? Or are you in IT, already using Linux on your own laptop, and dreaming about landing an embedded Linux job, possibly starting as your own boss? Follow my advice in a patient and consistent way, and you will achieve your goals in less than 12 months.

Mon, 07 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Thu, 03 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Virtual Packages in Yocto Project / OpenEmbedded

Thu, 03 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Understanding Virtual Packages in Yocto Project / OpenEmbedded

If you are using Yocto, this post will help you learn about Virtual Packages: how they work, why they are useful, and how to create them step by step.

We assume you are already familiar with:

Yocto Project setup
Basic command of BitBake and recipe syntax

What is a Virtual Package?

Imagine you have multiple implementations of the same functionality (for example, different kernels such as a real-time kernel, a boot-time optimized kernel, and a kernel without loadable modules). Of course, your final image will include only one kernel, but you may want to keep several implementations in your project, so you can switch between them easily whenever you like.

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Mon, 19 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Fri, 02 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Public Training Session Inquiry Form

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Interested in joining a Root Commit in-person public session in a convenient location for you?
If so, let us know about the courses you are interested in and your preferred location. If we have enough interested people in the same area, we would be delighted to organize such a session there.

And if you are in a hurry and other co-workers of yours can be interested too, a private session at your employer’s site is also possible! Just ask us.

Public Training Session Inquiry Form

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

And if you are in a hurry and other co-workers of yours can be interested too, a private session at your employer’s site is also possible! Just ask us.

Tue, 08 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Access to Matrix chatroom

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Introduction

At Root Commit, we use Matrix chatrooms to offer support during practical labs as well as outside course hours. This makes it very easy for you to ask questions, share screenshots (just by pasting into the chat), get help from the instructors and other participants, and learn from everyone’s experience.

The Matrix protocol is also end-to-end encrypted and it will protect the privacy of our conversations, especially in private sessions.

Access to Matrix chatroom

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Introduction

The Matrix protocol is also end-to-end encrypted and it will protect the privacy of our conversations, especially in private sessions.

Request access to a Matrix chatroom

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

[ninja_form id=‘9’]

Request access to a Matrix chatroom

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

[ninja_form id=‘9’]

What is provided

Sun, 23 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

	In-person public sessions	In-person private sessions	Online public sessions
Electronic board and all its required accessories, for the duration of the course	✅	✅	❌
Lunch, morning and afternoon breaks	✅	❌	❌
Electronic copies of the lecture and practical lab materials.	✅	✅	✅
Solutions to practical labs	✅	✅	✅
Video recordings of the lectures from the trainer.	❌	❌	✅
Electronic training certificate, after successful completion of the course, which can be shared on your LinkedIn profile and on other social media.	✅	✅	✅

What is provided

Sun, 23 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

	In-person public sessions	In-person private sessions	Online public sessions
Electronic board and all its required accessories, for the duration of the course	✅	✅	❌
Lunch, morning and afternoon breaks	✅	❌	❌
Electronic copies of the lecture and practical lab materials.	✅	✅	✅
Solutions to practical labs	✅	✅	✅
Video recordings of the lectures from the trainer.	❌	❌	✅
Electronic training certificate, after successful completion of the course, which can be shared on your LinkedIn profile and on other social media.	✅	✅	✅

Yocto: variable overrides tricks

Tue, 18 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Kernel Recipes conference in Paris
One of the best for Linux kernel topics 😉.
Recommended by Root Commit!

I discovered a intriguing phenomenon while preparing my How to test the latest mainline Linux kernel or bootloader presentation at OpenEmbedded Workshop 2025. It turned out there was something incomplete in my understanding of BitBake variable overrides.

1-day Technical Seminar Request Form

Sun, 16 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

1-day Technical Seminar Request Form

Sun, 16 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Engineering or Consulting Requests

Sun, 16 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Engineering or Consulting Requests

Sun, 16 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Feedback Form

Sun, 16 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Feedback Form

Sun, 16 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Private sessions

Sun, 16 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Private sessions

This course can be taught in a private session anywhere in the world, either in your company’s premises or online. This offers more privacy and allows for customization options.

Private sessions

Sun, 16 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Private sessions

This course can be taught in a private session anywhere in the world, either in your company’s premises or online. This offers more privacy and allows for customization options.

Private Training Session Request

Sun, 16 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

[ninja_form id=‘7’]

Private Training Session Request

Sun, 16 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

[ninja_form id=‘7’]

Public Training Session Registration Form

Sun, 16 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

[ninja_form id=‘4’]

Public Training Session Registration Form

Sun, 16 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

[ninja_form id=‘4’]

Hardware for Linux Kernel, Board Support and Driver Development Course

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Here are the hardware requirements to participate to our Linux Kernel, Board Support and Driver Development training course.

Hardware for Linux Kernel, Board Support and Driver Development Course

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Here are the hardware requirements to participate to our Linux Kernel, Board Support and Driver Development training course.

Public Session Discounts

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

1 We want our training to be accessible to individuals around the world. If our standard rate is a barrier due to local income levels, please apply anyway — we’ll do our best to offer a suitable price.
2 Individuals (from the European Union, not paying through a company) are subject to + 20% V.A.T. However, we offer a discount on the base cost to cancel the impact of V.A.T. and keep the same total price. See also 1. 3 Only for French companies: + 20% V.A.T.

Public Session Discounts

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

USB-serial male cable

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

USB-serial male cable

In this course, you will also need a male USB-serial cable to control the additional serial ports on expansion connectors. You could use this cable from Olimex, or once again the Raspberry Pi Debug Probe which comes with both male and female cables.

USB-serial male cable

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

USB-serial male cable

Google-stored passwords insufficiently protected

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Have you checked the passwords.google.com page? If you have a Google account, it’s the passwords that you’ve supposedly allowed Google to remember for you.

In my case, I have a very limited list, and it’s so old that I don’t even remember letting Google remember them. I most probably accepted this on an Android phone, hoping that the system would store them in a secure way.

However, these are still valid passwords that are poorly protected:

FAQ Linux Kernel

Sat, 08 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

FAQ

Q: Will I get solutions to the practical labs?
A: Yes, C code and Device Tree solutions are shared at the end of each lab.

FAQ Linux Kernel

Sat, 08 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

FAQ

Q: Will I get solutions to the practical labs?
A: Yes, C code and Device Tree solutions are shared at the end of each lab.

FAQ Linux Kernel Private

Sat, 08 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Q: In-house sessions: can practical labs be run on the CPU that my project uses?
A: The Linux kernel tries to offer the same mechanisms for all types of hardware, so most of what you learn on another platform should apply on other ones as well. Another reason to stick with our standard instructions is that the some drivers we develop during the labs depend on the CPU being driven, in particular its hardware registers. Therefore porting our practical labs to different hardware remains possible, if you are ready to accept additional preparation costs.

FAQ Linux Kernel Private

Sat, 08 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Linux kernel agenda

Sat, 08 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Agenda

Configuring, building, booting and kernel modules

https://youtu.be/zeDCODvmo14

Michael Opdenacker showing how to run the latest kernels on your Linux distribution. Can be useful for contributing to kernel sources.

Presentation of the hardware
Big picture: Linux kernel in the whole system. Interface with user applications.
Lab: board setup, serial port access, U-Boot setup, tftp networking between the board and PC.

Linux kernel agenda

Sat, 08 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Agenda

Configuring, building, booting and kernel modules

https://youtu.be/zeDCODvmo14

Michael Opdenacker showing how to run the latest kernels on your Linux distribution. Can be useful for contributing to kernel sources.

Presentation of the hardware
Big picture: Linux kernel in the whole system. Interface with user applications.
Lab: board setup, serial port access, U-Boot setup, tftp networking between the board and PC.

Linux kernel description - Generic

Sat, 08 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Hardware	BeaglePlay board with TI Sitara AM625 SoC (ARM64)
Linux kernel version	6.12 (LTS) used in practical labs
Prerequisites	Familiarity with the Linux command line

Linux kernel description - Generic

Sat, 08 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Hardware	BeaglePlay board with TI Sitara AM625 SoC (ARM64)
Linux kernel version	6.12 (LTS) used in practical labs
Prerequisites	Familiarity with the Linux command line

Linux kernel overview

Sat, 08 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

All you need to know to use make the Linux kernel support your own hardware.

18 practical labs in this course!

Overview

Everything you need to know to make the Linux kernel boot on your new embedded board and write drivers for its specific hardware devices. Learn how to describe your hardware with the device tree, and debug the kernel code (written by yourself or by the community).

Linux kernel overview

Sat, 08 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

All you need to know to use make the Linux kernel support your own hardware.

18 practical labs in this course!

Overview

Linux kernel sessions

Sat, 08 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Upcoming sessions

Trainer	Dates	Cost	Register
Michael Opdenacker	Jun 15-18, 22-25, 2026, online 15:00 to 19:00 UTC+1 Seats left	1190 EUR 1, 2, 3

Linux kernel sessions

Sat, 08 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Upcoming sessions

Trainer	Dates	Cost	Register
Michael Opdenacker	Jun 15-18, 22-25, 2026, online 15:00 to 19:00 UTC+1 Seats left	1190 EUR 1, 2, 3

Linux Kernel, Board Support and Driver Development training – Online

Sat, 08 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Practical details

Required hardware

electronic board and accessories

You will need to get your hands on the BeaglePlay ARM64 board and a few accessories.

Note that those are provided by Root Commit for in-person sessions.

What is provided?

Linux Kernel, Board Support and Driver Development training – Online

Sat, 08 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Practical details

Required hardware

electronic board and accessories

You will need to get your hands on the BeaglePlay ARM64 board and a few accessories.

Note that those are provided by Root Commit for in-person sessions.

What is provided?

Linux Kernel, Board Support and Driver Development training course, Avignon, France

Sat, 08 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Warning: no in-person session currently planned. Please let us know about the location you would be interested in for such a course.

What’s special in our in-person courses

Practical details

FAQ

Linux Kernel, Board Support and Driver Development training course, Avignon, France

Sat, 08 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Warning: no in-person session currently planned. Please let us know about the location you would be interested in for such a course.

What’s special in our in-person courses

Practical details

FAQ

Introducing Yocto Project Overview Seminars

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Following discussions with a customer, and as a teaser for our Yocto Project and OpenEmbedded course, we are now offering a 1-day overview seminar on this topic.

The main goal is to give you a clear view of the Yocto Project and the value it can bring to your embedded Linux device projects. You will have a guided view of its main features and quick demos, all done in an engaging and interactive way.

Build and run the mainline Linux kernel on your PC

Wed, 26 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Last week, I gave a “How to test a specific version of Linux on PC hardware” talk at the Alposs conference in Echirolles near Grenoble, France.

This was a very nice technical conference, with 330 participants (+110 compared to last year), organized in the city hall of Echirolles near Grenoble and by Belledonne Communications (the editors of Linphone) and OW2, an international association of Free Software professionals. Echirolles has a very dynamic orientation, deploying Free and Open Source Software in many of its services, thus improving the services offered to its citizens.

Booting the Raspberry Pi 5 with the Mainline Linux Kernel

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000

If you have other boards, read on, these instructions support multiple other Raspberry Pi boards.

Hardware

In this tutorial, we assume you have the Raspberry Pi Debug Probe to access the board’s serial port. You could use the GPIO UARTs too, but they are neither enabled by default at the bootloader level nor as a kernel console. Enabling them for serial console access would slightly complicate these instructions.

Support us

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000

There are multiple ways you can help us share free videos, presentations and technical articles about embedded Linux and Free and Open Source Software in general, to ““Elevate everyone’s low-level Linux skills”!

Get trained by us

One of the strongest ways to support us is to register to one of our public training sessions or ask your employer for a group course at your location or online. See our training page for all details.

Support us

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Get trained by us

Online sessions - Camera and microphone

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The PC should also be equipped with a webcam a microphone. Another possibility would be to connect to the video-conference through another device, like another computer, a smartphone or tablet, while you are running your practical labs on the Linux PC. However, the Linux PC should work better for sharing your screen or screenshots with the instructor.

Online sessions - Camera and microphone

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000

1-day technical seminars

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000

In addition to our regular training courses, we also offer 1-day technical seminars, giving our audience the essence of the corresponding topics, in an interactive and engaging way.

Here are the seminars we can offer:

Yocto Project Overview
Embedded Linux Overview
Linux Kernel, Board Support and Driver Development Overview

If you are interested, ask us for a quote for an in-person or online seminar.

As you can see, some of our seminars are not fully described yet. They will be in the next weeks, or when you ask us for a quote.

1-day technical seminars

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000

In addition to our regular training courses, we also offer 1-day technical seminars, giving our audience the essence of the corresponding topics, in an interactive and engaging way.

Here are the seminars we can offer:

Yocto Project Overview
Embedded Linux Overview
Linux Kernel, Board Support and Driver Development Overview

If you are interested, ask us for a quote for an in-person or online seminar.

As you can see, some of our seminars are not fully described yet. They will be in the next weeks, or when you ask us for a quote.

Yocto Project Overview Seminar

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000

In a nutshell

https://youtu.be/tuGyfSdMmrc

Michael Opdenacker running a tutorial about devtool at Yocto Project Summit 2024.12.

Gain a clear view of the Yocto Project and the value it can bring to your embedded Linux device projects. A guided view of its main features and quick demos, all done in an engaging and interactive way.

Yocto Project Overview Seminar

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000

In a nutshell

https://youtu.be/tuGyfSdMmrc

Michael Opdenacker running a tutorial about devtool at Yocto Project Summit 2024.12.

Gain a clear view of the Yocto Project and the value it can bring to your embedded Linux device projects. A guided view of its main features and quick demos, all done in an engaging and interactive way.

Challenging labs

Fri, 17 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Using progressive but challenging practical labs and varied techniques to make the learning always stimulating and fun, and above all to make it stick. At least 75% of the time is dedicated to practical activities. Learn by doing!

Challenging labs

Fri, 17 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Common footer

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Latest blog posts

Upcoming training sessions

Support our work ❤️

Common footer

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Latest blog posts

Upcoming training sessions

Support our work ❤️

Video replay: Yocto Project devtool hands-on

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

I’ve just produced a 4K video replay of my Devtool Hands-on Class at Yocto Project Summit 2024.12.

Here are the main reasons for shooting such a video:

Compared to the official recording, this video is shorter without the pauses waiting for participants to complete their instructions.
The video can be recorded at a better quality, both in terms of video and audio.
The issues found during the presentation have been corrected.
It’s possible to show presentation slides and command line terminals on the same screen.

What's special - public sessions

Fri, 10 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Course never postponed: once you are registered to one of our public sessions (after we receive your payment), you are sure to participate at the expected dates. We don’t postpone sessions, even with a very small number of participants.

What's special - public sessions

Fri, 10 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

What is provided - Online

Tue, 07 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

What is provided?

The following is provided in our online public sessions:

Video recordings of the lectures from the trainer.
Electronic copies of the lecture and practical lab materials.
Electronic training certificate, after successful completion of the course, which can be shared on your LinkedIn profile and on other social media.

What is provided - Online

Tue, 07 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

What is provided?

The following is provided in our online public sessions:

Video recordings of the lectures from the trainer.
Electronic copies of the lecture and practical lab materials.
Electronic training certificate, after successful completion of the course, which can be shared on your LinkedIn profile and on other social media.

First public training sessions

Mon, 06 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The first sessions announced in 2024 are coming. We are opening in-person and online sessions open to individual registration, for our Embedded Linux and Yocto Project and OpenEmbedded training courses:

Yocto Project and OpenEmbedded
In-person – Feb. 25-28 2025, Avignon, France
Online – Mar 18-20, 25-27, 2025

Embedded Linux
Online, Apr. 14-17, 22-25, 2025
In-person, May 5-9, 2025, Avignon, France

Shared features

Both courses, online and in-person, share the same key features:

75% of active learning time through practical labs and activities. You won’t get more than 25% of the time going through theory.

__Yocto sessions

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Trainer	Dates	Cost	Register
Michael Opdenacker	Jul. 20–24, 27–29, Online (32 h) 15:00 to 19:00 UTC+1 Seats left	1,190 EUR 1, 2, 3

__Yocto sessions

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Trainer	Dates	Cost	Register
Michael Opdenacker	Jul. 20–24, 27–29, Online (32 h) 15:00 to 19:00 UTC+1 Seats left	1,190 EUR 1, 2, 3

all public sessions

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Linux Kernel, Board Support and Driver Development
Online, Jun 15–18, 22–25

Yocto Project and OpenEmbedded
Online, Jul 20–24, 27–29

Embedded Linux
Online, Sep 1–4, 8–11

all public sessions

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Linux Kernel, Board Support and Driver Development
Online, Jun 15–18, 22–25

Yocto Project and OpenEmbedded
Online, Jul 20–24, 27–29

Embedded Linux
Online, Sep 1–4, 8–11

Description - Generic

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Description

Delivery	In-person (all continents) or online, public or private session
Language	English or French
Mix	25% theory - 75% practical activities - Learn by doing!

Description - Generic

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Description

Delivery	In-person (all continents) or online, public or private session
Language	English or French
Mix	25% theory - 75% practical activities - Learn by doing!

Description - Public in-person

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Description

Type	In-person
Mix	25% theory - 75% practical activities
Language	English
Max participants	8

Description - Public in-person

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Description

Type	In-person
Mix	25% theory - 75% practical activities
Language	English
Max participants	8

Description - Public online

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Description

Type	Online
Mix	25% theory - 75% practical activities - Learn by doing!
Language	English
Max participants	8

Description - Public online

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Description

Type	Online
Mix	25% theory - 75% practical activities - Learn by doing!
Language	English
Max participants	8

Duration - 24 hours

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Duration	24 hours (6 sessions of 4 hours)

Duration - 24 hours

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Duration	24 hours (6 sessions of 4 hours)

Duration - 32 hours

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Duration	32 hours (8 sessions of 4 hours)

Duration - 32 hours

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Duration	32 hours (8 sessions of 4 hours)

Duration - 4 days

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Duration	4 days

Duration - 4 days

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Duration	4 days

Duration - 4 days - 24 hours

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Duration	4 days (in-person), 32 hours (online)

Duration - 4 days - 24 hours

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Duration	4 days (in-person), 32 hours (online)

Duration - 5 days

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Duration	5 days

Duration - 5 days

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Duration	5 days

Duration - 5 days - 32 hours

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Duration	5 days (in-person), 32 hours (online)

Duration - 5 days - 32 hours

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Duration	5 days (in-person), 32 hours (online)

Embedded Linux agenda

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Agenda

Part 1 - Overview, bootloader, Linux kernel

Demo: Embedded Linux from scratch in 30 minutes.
Introduction to embedded Linux.
Differences between desktop / server and embedded Linux distributions.
Interacting with a live embedded Linux system
Choosing a hardware platform. RAM, storage and CPU requirements.
Bootloader principles - Booting on ARM, RISC-V and x86.
U-Boot bootloader, most useful commands. How to load and boot a Linux kernel.
The Linux kernel: understanding development and release process, getting the sources, configuring and building

Embedded Linux agenda

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Agenda

Part 1 - Overview, bootloader, Linux kernel

Demo: Embedded Linux from scratch in 30 minutes.
Introduction to embedded Linux.
Differences between desktop / server and embedded Linux distributions.
Interacting with a live embedded Linux system
Choosing a hardware platform. RAM, storage and CPU requirements.
Bootloader principles - Booting on ARM, RISC-V and x86.
U-Boot bootloader, most useful commands. How to load and boot a Linux kernel.
The Linux kernel: understanding development and release process, getting the sources, configuring and building

Embedded Linux Description - Generic

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Hardware	BeaglePlay board with TI Sitara AM625 SoC (ARM64)
Linux kernel version	6.12 (LTS) used in practical labs
Prerequisites	Familiarity with the Linux command line Familiarity with Embedded Linux.

Embedded Linux Description - Generic

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Hardware	BeaglePlay board with TI Sitara AM625 SoC (ARM64)
Linux kernel version	6.12 (LTS) used in practical labs
Prerequisites	Familiarity with the Linux command line Familiarity with Embedded Linux.

Embedded Linux overview

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

All you need to know to run Linux and applications on your own system.

Overview

https://youtu.be/zeDCODvmo14

Michael Opdenacker showing how to run the latest kernels on your Linux distribution. Can be useful for contributing to kernel sources.

Everything you need to know to build, boot and debug your own embedded Linux system, leveraging many features implemented by the Open Source community. Add your own applications.

Embedded Linux overview

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

All you need to know to run Linux and applications on your own system.

Overview

https://youtu.be/zeDCODvmo14

Michael Opdenacker showing how to run the latest kernels on your Linux distribution. Can be useful for contributing to kernel sources.

Everything you need to know to build, boot and debug your own embedded Linux system, leveraging many features implemented by the Open Source community. Add your own applications.

Embedded Linux sessions

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Upcoming sessions

Trainer	Dates	Cost	Register
Michael Opdenacker	Sep 1–4, 8–11, online 15:00 to 19:00 UTC+2 Seats left	1,190 EUR 1, 2, 3

Embedded Linux sessions

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Upcoming sessions

Trainer	Dates	Cost	Register
Michael Opdenacker	Sep 1–4, 8–11, online 15:00 to 19:00 UTC+2 Seats left	1,190 EUR 1, 2, 3

Embedded Linux training course - Online

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Practical details

Required hardware

electronic board and accessories

You will need to get your hands on the BeaglePlay ARM64 board and a few accessories.

Note that those are provided by Root Commit for in-person sessions.

What is provided?

FAQ

Embedded Linux training course - Online

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Practical details

Required hardware

electronic board and accessories

You will need to get your hands on the BeaglePlay ARM64 board and a few accessories.

Note that those are provided by Root Commit for in-person sessions.

What is provided?

FAQ

Embedded Linux training course, Avignon, France

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Warning: no in-person session currently planned. Please let us know about the location you would be interested in for such a course.

What’s special in our in-person courses

Practical details

FAQ

Embedded Linux training course, Avignon, France

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Warning: no in-person session currently planned. Please let us know about the location you would be interested in for such a course.

What’s special in our in-person courses

Practical details

FAQ

FAQ - Cannot order hardware

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Q: What happens if I can’t order all the required hardware in time?
A: This won’t prevent you from attending the course, as fallback instructions with QEMU emulated hardware will be provided. However, you should do your best to avoid such an issue, as some labs will be less exhaustive without real hardware. In addition, working with real hardware helps to grasp the difference between the build machine and the target hardware.

FAQ - Cannot order hardware

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

FAQ Embedded Linux Private

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Q: Can the practical labs be run on the CPU that my project uses?
A: The Linux kernel provides the same mechanisms for all types of hardware, so what you learn on another platform will apply on other ones as well. However, porting our practical labs to different hardware should be possible if you are ready to accept additional preparation costs.

FAQ Embedded Linux Private

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Hardware - Adafruit gamepad

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Adafruit mini I2C gamepad

This small I2C device is used in the practical labs. You can order it from Adafruit, or from your favorite retailer for electronic parts.

To connect it to the board, you will also need a cable with JST-SH female 4-pin connectors on both ends. You can order order from Adafruit or from another retailer for electronic parts.

Hardware - Adafruit gamepad

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Adafruit mini I2C gamepad

This small I2C device is used in the practical labs. You can order it from Adafruit, or from your favorite retailer for electronic parts.

To connect it to the board, you will also need a cable with JST-SH female 4-pin connectors on both ends. You can order order from Adafruit or from another retailer for electronic parts.

Hardware - BeaglePlay

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

BeaglePlay ARM64 board

Provided by Root Commit except in on-line sessions.

Order this board from the resellers described on the BeagleBoard website.

It is also used in other Root Commit training course labs.

Hardware - BeaglePlay

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

BeaglePlay ARM64 board

Provided by Root Commit except in on-line sessions.

Order this board from the resellers described on the BeagleBoard website.

It is also used in other Root Commit training course labs.

Hardware - micro SD card

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Micro-SD card

You will also need a regular micro-SD card to boot the board. 2 GB of capacity will do, but bigger cards will work too. Getting a fast one is recommended to save time during labs, as the SD card image will be updated pretty frequently during the practical labs. 3 seconds instead of 20 can make a noticeable difference!

You will also probably need a micro-SD to SD card adapter, depending on the card reader slots on your PC.

Hardware - micro SD card

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Micro-SD card

You will also probably need a micro-SD to SD card adapter, depending on the card reader slots on your PC.

Hardware - PC accessories

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

PC accessories

You will also need standard PC accessories, which are easier to get:

A USB to Ethernet adapter to connect the board to your PC. That will be necessary if your PC doesn’t have a spare Ethernet port (assuming it will be connected to the Internet via WiFi). Just make sure the one you choose is supported by Linux (which is extremely likely).
A short Ethernet cable to connect the board to your PC.

Hardware - PC accessories

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

PC accessories

You will also need standard PC accessories, which are easier to get:

A USB to Ethernet adapter to connect the board to your PC. That will be necessary if your PC doesn’t have a spare Ethernet port (assuming it will be connected to the Internet via WiFi). Just make sure the one you choose is supported by Linux (which is extremely likely).
A short Ethernet cable to connect the board to your PC.

Hardware - PC and board accessories

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

PC and board accessories

Provided by Root Commit except in on-line sessions.

Hardware - PC and board accessories

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

PC and board accessories

Provided by Root Commit except in on-line sessions.

Hardware - USB-C power cable

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Power cable

The first thing you need is a regular USB-C cable to power up your board when connected to your PC or to a USB power adaptor. See the BeagleBoard specifications.

Hardware - USB-C power cable

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Power cable

The first thing you need is a regular USB-C cable to power up your board when connected to your PC or to a USB power adaptor. See the BeagleBoard specifications.

Hardware - USB-serial cable

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

USB-serial female cable

The second thing you need is a USB-serial cable to access the serial port of the board, for bootloader and kernel debugging, like this cable from Olimex, or the Raspberry Pi Debug Probe. See the BeagleBoard specifications. At least make sure you order a cable supporting 3.3V operation, as a 5V only cable may damage your board.

Hardware - USB-serial cable

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

USB-serial female cable

Hardware for embedded Linux course

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Here are the hardware requirements to participate to our Embedded Linux course.

USB audio

You will also need a USB audio card or a USB headset, with a USB-A connector. Most such devices are supported by Linux, when they comply with the USB audio class.

Of course, unless you have a USB headset, you should also get regular 3.5 mm jack headphones.

Hardware for embedded Linux course

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Here are the hardware requirements to participate to our Embedded Linux course.

USB audio

You will also need a USB audio card or a USB headset, with a USB-A connector. Most such devices are supported by Linux, when they comply with the USB audio class.

Of course, unless you have a USB headset, you should also get regular 3.5 mm jack headphones.

What's special - Generic

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Majority of practical activities, representing at least 75% of learning time.

Short lectures only: sequences of theory never exceed 30 minutes, and are interleaved with quick or longer practice. Too long series of lectures are hard to digest, especially in an online setting.

Technical and teaching experience: courses taught by an industry veteran with more than 20 years of experience in embedded Linux and 30 years using and advocating for Free and Open Source Software.

What's special - Generic

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Majority of practical activities, representing at least 75% of learning time.

What's special - In-person

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Much better interactivity with the instructor and other learners compared to an online setting. It’s also much easier to get help.

Board and accessories provided: except for the Linux computers, electronic boards and accessories are provided by Root Commit for the duration of the course.

What's special - In-person

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Much better interactivity with the instructor and other learners compared to an online setting. It’s also much easier to get help.

Board and accessories provided: except for the Linux computers, electronic boards and accessories are provided by Root Commit for the duration of the course.

What's special - Online

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

What’s special in our online courses

Real labs, not just demos: unlike in some other offerings, each participant has time to do the practical labs during the course hours, with support from the trainer. The number of participants is limited to 8 to make sure that the instructor has enough time to support everyone.

Daily slots are just 4 hours long, allowing to continue working on regular projects, and to finish the labs with support from the trainer. We provide a Matrix channel to get support outside official hours, and even after the course is over. The timing also allows for participants from North America.

What's special - Online

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

What’s special in our online courses

Yocto Description - Generic

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Hardware	BeaglePlay board with TI Sitara AM625 SoC (ARM64)
Yocto Project version	6.0 (Wrynose LTS, when released) and 5.0 (Scarthgap LTS) used in practical labs
Prerequisites	Familiarity with the Linux command line – understanding low-level details about Embedded Linux will help but isn’t a strict requirement.

Yocto Description - Generic

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Hardware	BeaglePlay board with TI Sitara AM625 SoC (ARM64)
Yocto Project version	6.0 (Wrynose LTS, when released) and 5.0 (Scarthgap LTS) used in practical labs
Prerequisites	Familiarity with the Linux command line – understanding low-level details about Embedded Linux will help but isn’t a strict requirement.

Yocto Project and OpenEmbedded training course - Online

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Practical details

Required hardware

ELECTRONIC Board and accessories

You will need to get your hands on the BeaglePlay ARM64 board and a few accessories.

Note that those are provided by Root Commit for in-person sessions.

What is provided?

Yocto Project and OpenEmbedded training course - Online

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Practical details

Required hardware

ELECTRONIC Board and accessories

You will need to get your hands on the BeaglePlay ARM64 board and a few accessories.

Note that those are provided by Root Commit for in-person sessions.

What is provided?

Hardware for Yocto and OpenEmbedded course

Sat, 04 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Here are the hardware requirements to participate to our Yocto Project and OpenEmbedded course.

Hardware for Yocto and OpenEmbedded course

Sat, 04 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Here are the hardware requirements to participate to our Yocto Project and OpenEmbedded course.

Avignon image credits

Fri, 03 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Image credits: commons.wikimedia.org

Avignon image credits

Fri, 03 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Image credits: commons.wikimedia.org

FAQ public sessions

Fri, 03 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Q: It is possible to leave a little earlier on the last day?
A: Yes, if necessary for some participants, we will make sure that all lectures are over before 4:00 pm.

FAQ public sessions

Fri, 03 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Q: It is possible to leave a little earlier on the last day?
A: Yes, if necessary for some participants, we will make sure that all lectures are over before 4:00 pm.

FAQ see also

Fri, 03 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

See also our FAQ for all types of courses and our sustainability efforts.

FAQ see also

Fri, 03 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

See also our FAQ for all types of courses and our sustainability efforts.

Laptop requirements

Fri, 03 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

PC running Linux

For this session, you will need a laptop computer running a native installation of Linux, with one of the distributions currently supported by the Yocto Project. This way, you can practice with your preferred distribution, as you would do in your real job. We suggest Ubuntu 24.04 if you don’t have any preference yet.

If you haven’t installed Linux on your laptop yet, most Linux distributions will allow you to install Linux alongside Windows, after making enough free space. Note that we don’t support the use of Virtual Machines (to run Linux from inside another operating system), as from our experience, connecting the Linux VM to the board and other devices is an endless source of distractions. Using VMs also causes a substantial loss of compiling performance.

Laptop requirements

Fri, 03 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

PC running Linux

Yocto FAQ

Fri, 03 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

FAQ

Q: Will I get solutions to the practical labs?
A: Yes, solutions for the files to create or modify are shared at the end of each lab.

Yocto FAQ

Fri, 03 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

FAQ

Q: Will I get solutions to the practical labs?
A: Yes, solutions for the files to create or modify are shared at the end of each lab.

Yocto Overview

Fri, 03 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Overview

Everything you need to know to build your custom Linux system images for your own hardware. Learn how to create your own layers to reuse and override hardware vendor and community provided layers, just providing what is specific to your project.

In case you wish to support images for different targets, the Yocto Project will enable you to cleanly separate your hardware customizations, your distribution policies and the sets of applications you want to use.

Yocto Overview

Fri, 03 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Overview

Yocto private FAQ

Fri, 03 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Q: In-house sessions: can practical labs be run on the CPU that my project uses?
A: The Linux kernel and the Yocto Project try to offer the same mechanisms for all types of hardware, so most of what you learn on another platform should apply on other ones as well. However, bootloader and kernel settings can be platform specific, so it can help participants to gain practical experience on the hardware platform they will work on. So, porting our practical labs to different hardware should be possible, if you are ready to accept additional preparation costs.

Yocto private FAQ

Fri, 03 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Yocto sessions

Fri, 03 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Upcoming sessions

Also available on-line or through private sessions worldwide. Ask us for a quote.

Yocto sessions

Fri, 03 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Upcoming sessions

Also available on-line or through private sessions worldwide. Ask us for a quote.

Public Session Details

Thu, 02 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

What do I need to bring?

What is provided?

Public Session Details

Thu, 02 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

What do I need to bring?

What is provided?

Public Session Registration

Thu, 02 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Registration

To register to one or several of our sessions (in-person or on-line), please use this contact form.

Public Session Registration

Thu, 02 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Registration

To register to one or several of our sessions (in-person or on-line), please use this contact form.

Avignon

Thu, 19 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Venue

The session will take place at Hotel Mercure Pont d’Avignon Centre (map).

The hotel offers a discounted rate for participants to our session. If you are interested in staying there, call them and let them know about your participation. Otherwise, many affordable hotels and accommodation solutions are available within walking distance in Avignon. The Avignon city center is great for relaxing and having dinner in the evenings.

Avignon

Thu, 19 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Venue

The session will take place at Hotel Mercure Pont d’Avignon Centre (map).

Public training sessions

Thu, 19 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Upcoming sessions

Dates	Course type	Location
Feb. 25-28, 2025	Yocto Project and Open Embedded	In-person, Avignon, France
Mar. 18-20 and 25-27, 2025	Yocto Project and Open Embedded	On-line (3:00 pm -7:00 pm UTC+1)
Apr. 14-17 and 22-25, 2025	Embedded Linux	On-line (3:00 pm - 7:00 pm UTC+1)
May 5-9, 2025	Embedded Linux	In-person, Avignon, France
More to be announced…

Public training sessions

Thu, 19 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Upcoming sessions

Dates	Course type	Location
Feb. 25-28, 2025	Yocto Project and Open Embedded	In-person, Avignon, France
Mar. 18-20 and 25-27, 2025	Yocto Project and Open Embedded	On-line (3:00 pm -7:00 pm UTC+1)
Apr. 14-17 and 22-25, 2025	Embedded Linux	On-line (3:00 pm - 7:00 pm UTC+1)
May 5-9, 2025	Embedded Linux	In-person, Avignon, France
More to be announced…

Yocto Agenda

Thu, 19 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Introduction

https://youtu.be/tuGyfSdMmrc

Michael Opdenacker running a tutorial about devtool at Yocto Project Summit 2024.12.

Demo: Build an embedded Linux image for a different board (BeagleBone Black) and boot it.
Learning techniques used in this course.
Lab: environment setup.
Introduction to embedded Linux — Differences with server / desktop systems.
History of OpenEmbedded and the Yocto Project.
Roles of the various components: OpenEmbedded, Poky, Yocto. Yocto releases.

Yocto Agenda

Thu, 19 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Introduction

https://youtu.be/tuGyfSdMmrc

Michael Opdenacker running a tutorial about devtool at Yocto Project Summit 2024.12.

Demo: Build an embedded Linux image for a different board (BeagleBone Black) and boot it.
Learning techniques used in this course.
Lab: environment setup.
Introduction to embedded Linux — Differences with server / desktop systems.
History of OpenEmbedded and the Yocto Project.
Roles of the various components: OpenEmbedded, Poky, Yocto. Yocto releases.

Yocto Project and OpenEmbedded training course, Avignon, France

Thu, 19 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Warning: no in-person session currently planned. Please let us know about the location you would be interested in for such a course.

Agenda

What’s special in our in-person courses

Practical details

Yocto Project and OpenEmbedded training course, Avignon, France

Thu, 19 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Warning: no in-person session currently planned. Please let us know about the location you would be interested in for such a course.

Agenda

What’s special in our in-person courses

Practical details

Oh My Zsh - Improve your shell experience

Fri, 13 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Introduction

Have you already seen people making presentations which a fancy shell prompt like the above? This is particularly useful in presentations because viewers can clearly see in which directory the commands are being run.

The second great feature is for developers. When the current directory is in a Git repository, the prompt shows the current branch and its status, using a color that reveals whether there are uncommitted changes or not.

Our difference

Thu, 24 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Why choose Root Commit courses?

Root Commit courses strive to be innovative and different in multiple ways. In particular, we are using teaching techniques that are backed not only by experience, but also backed by science.

No exhaustive theory

We don’t give you all possible details about a topic for several hours before you get a chance to practice and test your understanding.

No long sequences of slides: at least every 30 minutes, we keep participants active through quizzes and short practical activities to make sure that new concepts are understood and connected with each other, and to help remember them.

Our difference

Thu, 24 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Why choose Root Commit courses?

Root Commit courses strive to be innovative and different in multiple ways. In particular, we are using teaching techniques that are backed not only by experience, but also backed by science.

No exhaustive theory

We don’t give you all possible details about a topic for several hours before you get a chance to practice and test your understanding.

No long sequences of slides: at least every 30 minutes, we keep participants active through quizzes and short practical activities to make sure that new concepts are understood and connected with each other, and to help remember them.

Sustainability

Thu, 24 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In addition to exploring innovative training methods, Root Commit was also created to prove that engineering and training services can be performed in more sustainable ways.

We are doing our best to follow the following guidelines:

Long distance travel within Europe should be done primarily by train, or otherwise by bus or by carpooling. This applies even if train travel takes a much greater amount of time than air travel. Flying should only be a solution in case of unexpected issues, like closed train lines or a risk to be late at a customer location.

Sustainability

Thu, 24 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In addition to exploring innovative training methods, Root Commit was also created to prove that engineering and training services can be performed in more sustainable ways.

We are doing our best to follow the following guidelines:

Long distance travel within Europe should be done primarily by train, or otherwise by bus or by carpooling. This applies even if train travel takes a much greater amount of time than air travel. Flying should only be a solution in case of unexpected issues, like closed train lines or a risk to be late at a customer location.

Michael Opdenacker

Wed, 23 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Michael has been working on embedded Linux since 2004.

He started his career by working on Electronic Design Automation for STMicroelectronics and Texas Instruments. He then moved to embedded software in 2004 by creating Bootlin (Free Electrons at that time), which contributed to the increasing popularity of Linux in embedded systems, thanks to publicly available training materials and experience sharing through technical articles and conference presentations.

Michael founded Root Commit in 2024, to pursue new research on embedded software, and to explore more effective ways of training and sharing knowledge.

Michael Opdenacker

Wed, 23 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Michael has been working on embedded Linux since 2004.

Michael founded Root Commit in 2024, to pursue new research on embedded software, and to explore more effective ways of training and sharing knowledge.

Linux Boot Time Reduction training

Mon, 14 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

All you need to know to make Linux boot faster on your embedded Linux system.

Overview

By default, the embedded Linux systems that you build with Yocto or Buildroot are not optimized for fast boot time. The kernel, the bootloader and the way the system starts are still based on standard settings, some of which are not used in your system.

This course will show you techniques for identifying the biggest time consumers in all parts of the system, from the bootloader, to the kernel, the filesystem, the init manager, the system services and your own applications.

Linux Boot Time Reduction training

Mon, 14 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

All you need to know to make Linux boot faster on your embedded Linux system.

Overview

Linux Kernel, Board Support and Driver Development training

Thu, 10 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

What is provided?

What’s special in our courses?

Linux Kernel, Board Support and Driver Development training

Thu, 10 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

What is provided?

What’s special in our courses?

Yocto Project and OpenEmbedded training

Wed, 09 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Agenda

What is provided?

What’s special in our courses?

Yocto Project and OpenEmbedded training

Wed, 09 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Agenda

What is provided?

What’s special in our courses?

FAQ

Tue, 08 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Frequently asked questions about Root Commit training sessions

Q: How many participants can a session accommodate?
A: Up to 12 participants, but working on a maximum of 6 workstations.

Q: Do we need to purchase the hardware?
A: Not for in-house sessions. All the hardware and accessories are brought by the instructor.

Q: In-house sessions: what do we need to provide?
A: A training room with a project and up to 6 powerful PC computers with Linux (Ubuntu 24.04) preinstalled, with a high bandwidth connection to the Internet.

FAQ

Tue, 08 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Frequently asked questions about Root Commit training sessions

Q: How many participants can a session accommodate?
A: Up to 12 participants, but working on a maximum of 6 workstations.

Q: Do we need to purchase the hardware?
A: Not for in-house sessions. All the hardware and accessories are brought by the instructor.

Contact

Mon, 07 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Training requests	Public sessions - Private sessions or training@rootcommit….
Engineering and consulting requests	Request form or info@rootcommit….
Feedback about technical resources	Feedback form
Phone	+33 465-020-973 (Signal preferred)
Address	Root Commit SASU 94, rue du Docteur Allauzen 84100 Orange France

Scan this QR code on your phone to chat with us on Signal

Contact

Mon, 07 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Training requests	Public sessions - Private sessions or training@rootcommit….
Engineering and consulting requests	Request form or info@rootcommit….
Feedback about technical resources	Feedback form
Phone	+33 465-020-973 (Signal preferred)
Address	Root Commit SASU 94, rue du Docteur Allauzen 84100 Orange France

Scan this QR code on your phone to chat with us on Signal

Legal

Mon, 07 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Company name	Root Commit
Structure	Public Limited Company (“Société par Actions Simplifiée Unipersonnelle” in France
Capital	1,000 EUR
Registration number (France)	RCS Avignon No 932 778 798
SIRET number (France)	93277879800011
EU VAT number	FR90932778798
APE / NAF Code (France)	8559A
Address	94 rue du Docteur Allauzen, 84100 Orange, France
CEO	Michael Opdenacker

Legal

Mon, 07 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Company name	Root Commit
Structure	Public Limited Company (“Société par Actions Simplifiée Unipersonnelle” in France
Capital	1,000 EUR
Registration number (France)	RCS Avignon No 932 778 798
SIRET number (France)	93277879800011
EU VAT number	FR90932778798
APE / NAF Code (France)	8559A
Address	94 rue du Docteur Allauzen, 84100 Orange, France
CEO	Michael Opdenacker

Search

Mon, 07 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Search

Mon, 07 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Embedded Linux training

Sun, 06 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

What is provided?

What’s special in our courses?

FAQ

Embedded Linux training

Sun, 06 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

What is provided?

What’s special in our courses?

FAQ

Make it Stick book review

Sat, 05 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

I’ve finished reading a very insightful book about learning and teaching: Make It Stick by Peter C. Brown, Henry L. Roediger III and Marc A. McDaniel at Harvard University Press.

I am very grateful to Michael Estner for recommending this book to me. I feel it is now my turn to promote it.

Yocto Binary Distributions presentation

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Here are the slides of the “Building and Maintaining Binary Distributions with the Yocto Project” presentation I gave at the Embedded Linux Conference in Vienna.

The abstract I submitted is a good way to describe my presentation:

Imagine a world in which you can try the Yocto Project without even using it. This was possible in the past with the Ångström distribution, offering ready-made images which could be extended through binary package feeds. Though Ångström is long gone, the Yocto Project still has the ability to generate such images and package feeds. While system makers are still using this feature, the Yocto Project itself has never published such binaries.

The Yocto Project, thanks to funding from the Sovereign Tech Fund, has recently developed its abilities to support binary distributions, by creating tooling to verify the ability to upgrade the images built for its releases through package feeds, and to support managing a “local” distribution that can customize packages offered by an “upstream” distribution.

Since Yocto is about recipes, I will first present a cookbook for building your own images so that they can be updated through package feeds. I will then describe the recently developed features related to binary distributions and what possibilities they open for the Yocto Project and its users.

Digital Hygiene presentation

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Here’s a presentation I prepared for high school students in my area, but which actually targets any computer and smartphone user. Here are the main topics:

Get familiar with the biggest threats. Also learn about less frequent but also more advanced threats.
Protect your personal information and that of your contacts.
Protect your computer, your smartphone and the data they contain.
Improve your daily practice and the durability of your data.

The presentation is available in English and in French.

Elevate your low-level Linux skills

Wed, 26 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

At Root Commit we commit to making you the master of your embedded Linux devices, in a nutshell, a true root user.

We do this by

Contributing to Free and Open Source projects, doing technical research and sharing experience through technical articles and presentations at technical conferences.
Offering training sessions with innovative teaching techniques, to help you commit to remembering what you learn.
Offering consulting services around the Yocto Project, the Linux kernel and embedded Linux in general.

Elevate your low-level Linux skills

Wed, 26 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

At Root Commit we commit to making you the master of your embedded Linux devices, in a nutshell, a true root user.

We do this by

Contributing to Free and Open Source projects, doing technical research and sharing experience through technical articles and presentations at technical conferences.
Offering training sessions with innovative teaching techniques, to help you commit to remembering what you learn.
Offering consulting services around the Yocto Project, the Linux kernel and embedded Linux in general.

Embedded Linux, Kernel and Yocto Training

Wed, 26 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Available courses

Image credit: Openclipart

Upcoming public sessions

Embedded Linux, Kernel and Yocto Training

Wed, 26 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Available courses

Image credit: Openclipart

Upcoming public sessions

Writing a new story

Mon, 27 May 2024 00:00:00 +0000

LinkedIn posts quickly fade out from view and may not last forever. Here is a copy of my most successful post in 2024.

Last Friday was my last day at Bootlin, the company which I created 20 years ago.

Bootlin is in good hands now, and has become a great contributor to many Open Source projects. I stayed there for three more years after selling it in 2021 to two of its engineers, Thomas Petazzoni and Alexandre Belloni. This was a very good experience to get back to engineering, especially contributing to the Yocto Project, teaching training sessions and sharing experience through speaking at international conferences. Bootlin has also managed to hire incredibly talented engineers over the years. However, working as an employee didn’t leave enough time to explore as many new techniques and resources as I was interested in.

Kernel Panic QR Code

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Building and Simulating Linux Kernel Panic QR with DRM/KMS in QEMU

When a Linux system runs into a serious error that it can’t recover from, it triggers a kernel panic. This fills the system console with complex information, including registers, call stacks, and error codes. When the system console is on a serial line on terminal, such information is easy to copy to another machine for analysis. Retrieving all the data becomes much more difficult when the panic is displayed on a graphical console. You can take a picture with a smartphone but then getting the corresponding text back is tedious.