# System Requirements

Welcome to the Yocto Project Reference Manual! This manual provides reference information for the current release of the Yocto Project. The manual is best used after you have an understanding of the basics of the Yocto Project. The manual is neither meant to be read as a starting point to the Yocto Project nor read from start to finish. Use this manual to find variable definitions, class descriptions, and so forth as needed during the course of using the Yocto Project.

For introductory information on the Yocto Project, see the Yocto Project Website and the "Yocto Project Development Environment" chapter in the Yocto Project Overview and Concepts Manual.

If you want to use the Yocto Project to quickly build an image without having to understand concepts, work through the Yocto Project Quick Build document. You can find "how-to" information in the Yocto Project Development Tasks Manual. You can find Yocto Project overview and conceptual information in the Yocto Project Overview and Concepts Manual.

## Tip

For more information about the Yocto Project Documentation set, see the "Links and Related Documentation" section.

## Supported Linux Distributions

Currently, the Yocto Project is supported on the following distributions:

### Notes

- Yocto Project releases are tested against the stable Linux distributions in the following list. The Yocto Project should work on other distributions but validation is not performed against them.

- In particular, the Yocto Project does not support and currently has no plans to support rolling-releases or development distributions due to their constantly changing nature. We welcome patches and bug reports, but keep in mind that our priority is on the supported platforms listed below.

- The Yocto Project is not compatible with the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL). You cannot use a build host that is running WSL.

- If you encounter problems, please go to Yocto Project Bugzilla and submit a bug. We are interested in hearing about your experience. For information on how to submit a bug, see the Yocto Project Bugzilla wiki page and the "Submitting a Defect Against the Yocto Project" section in the Yocto Project Development Tasks Manual.

- Ubuntu 16.04 (LTS)

- Ubuntu 18.04

- Fedora 28

- Fedora 29

- CentOS 7.x

- Debian GNU/Linux 8.x (Jessie)

- Debian GNU/Linux 9.x (Stretch)

- Debian GNU/Linux 10.x (Buster)

- OpenSUSE 42.3

While the Yocto Project Team attempts to ensure all Yocto Project releases are one hundred percent compatible with each officially supported Linux distribution, instances might exist where you encounter a problem while using the Yocto Project on a specific distribution.

## Required Packages for the Build Host

The list of packages you need on the host development system can be large when covering all build scenarios using the Yocto Project. This section provides required packages according to Linux distribution and function.

### Ubuntu and Debian

The following list shows the required packages by function given a supported Ubuntu or Debian Linux distribution:

If your build system has the `oss4-dev` package installed, you might experience QEMU build failures due to the package installing its own custom `/usr/include/linux/soundcard.h` on the Debian system. If you run into this situation, either of the following solutions exist:

         $ sudo apt-get build-dep qemu
         $ sudo apt-get remove oss4-dev

- Essentials: Packages needed to build an image on a headless system:

           $ sudo apt-get install &UBUNTU_HOST_PACKAGES_ESSENTIAL;

- Documentation: Packages needed if you are going to build out the Yocto Project documentation manuals:

           $ sudo apt-get install make xsltproc docbook-utils fop dblatex xmlto

### Fedora Packages

The following list shows the required packages by function given a supported Fedora Linux distribution:

- Essentials: Packages needed to build an image for a headless system:

           $ sudo dnf install &FEDORA_HOST_PACKAGES_ESSENTIAL;

- Documentation: Packages needed if you are going to build out the Yocto Project documentation manuals:

           $ sudo dnf install docbook-style-dsssl docbook-style-xsl \
           docbook-dtds docbook-utils fop libxslt dblatex xmlto

### openSUSE Packages

The following list shows the required packages by function given a supported openSUSE Linux distribution:

- Essentials: Packages needed to build an image for a headless system:

           $ sudo zypper install &OPENSUSE_HOST_PACKAGES_ESSENTIAL;

- Documentation: Packages needed if you are going to build out the Yocto Project documentation manuals:

           $ sudo zypper install dblatex xmlto

### CentOS Packages

The following list shows the required packages by function given a supported CentOS Linux distribution:

- Essentials: Packages needed to build an image for a headless system:

           $ sudo yum install &CENTOS_HOST_PACKAGES_ESSENTIAL;

  #### Notes

  - Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux (i.e. `epel-release`) is a collection of packages from Fedora built on RHEL/CentOS for easy installation of packages not included in enterprise Linux by default. You need to install these packages separately.

  - The `makecache` command consumes additional Metadata from `epel-release`.

- Documentation: Packages needed if you are going to build out the Yocto Project documentation manuals:

           $ sudo yum install docbook-style-dsssl docbook-style-xsl \
           docbook-dtds docbook-utils fop libxslt dblatex xmlto

## Required Git, tar, and Python Versions

In order to use the build system, your host development system must meet the following version requirements for Git, tar, and Python:

- Git 1.8.3.1 or greater

- tar 1.27 or greater

- Python 3.4.0 or greater

If your host development system does not meet all these requirements, you can resolve this by installing a `buildtools` tarball that contains these tools. You can get the tarball one of two ways: download a pre-built tarball or use BitBake to build the tarball.

### Downloading a Pre-Built `buildtools` Tarball

Downloading and running a pre-built buildtools installer is the easiest of the two methods by which you can get these tools:

1. Locate and download the `*.sh` at .

2. Execute the installation script. Here is an example:

            $ sh ~/Downloads/x86_64-buildtools-nativesdk-standalone-&DISTRO;.sh

   During execution, a prompt appears that allows you to choose the installation directory. For example, you could choose the following:

            /home/your-username/buildtools

3. Source the tools environment setup script by using a command like the following:

            $ source /home/your_username/buildtools/environment-setup-i586-poky-linux

   Of course, you need to supply your installation directory and be sure to use the right file (i.e. i585 or x86-64).

   After you have sourced the setup script, the tools are added to `PATH` and any other environment variables required to run the tools are initialized. The results are working versions versions of Git, tar, Python and `chrpath`.

### Building Your Own `buildtools` Tarball

Building and running your own buildtools installer applies only when you have a build host that can already run BitBake. In this case, you use that machine to build the `.sh` file and then take steps to transfer and run it on a machine that does not meet the minimal Git, tar, and Python requirements.

Here are the steps to take to build and run your own buildtools installer:

1. On the machine that is able to run BitBake, be sure you have set up your build environment with the setup script (`&OE_INIT_FILE;`).

2. Run the BitBake command to build the tarball:

            $ bitbake buildtools-tarball

   The `SDKMACHINE` variable in your `local.conf` file determines whether you build tools for a 32-bit or 64-bit system.

   Once the build completes, you can find the `.sh` file that installs the tools in the `tmp/deploy/sdk` subdirectory of the Build Directory. The installer file has the string "buildtools" in the name.

3. Transfer the `.sh` file from the build host to the machine that does not meet the Git, tar, or Python requirements.

4. On the machine that does not meet the requirements, run the `.sh` file to install the tools. Here is an example:

            $ sh ~/Downloads/x86_64-buildtools-nativesdk-standalone-&DISTRO;.sh

   During execution, a prompt appears that allows you to choose the installation directory. For example, you could choose the following:

            /home/your_username/buildtools

5. Source the tools environment setup script by using a command like the following:

            $ source /home/your_username/buildtools/environment-setup-i586-poky-linux

   Of course, you need to supply your installation directory and be sure to use the right file (i.e. i585 or x86-64).

   After you have sourced the setup script, the tools are added to `PATH` and any other environment variables required to run the tools are initialized. The results are working versions versions of Git, tar, Python and `chrpath`.