Training > IoT & Embedded Development > Embedded Linux Platform Development with Yocto Project (LFD460)

INSTRUCTOR-LED COURSE

Gain a solid understanding of building repeatable embedded Linux targets with the Yocto Project. Learn the build system along with advanced tools like Toaster, Devtool, WIC, eSDK, and Eclipse IDE integration. This course builds on the foundational concepts from the LFD450 class.

Who Is It For

This course is primarily intended for experienced embedded Linux engineers who are interested in learning how to repeatably build an embedded Linux system. This course assumes you have basic knowledge of Embedded Linux systems such as building and install boot loaders, kernels and user space software. You should also be familiar with building code from the command line, basic Linux utilities and text editors. Some experience with Python is helpful but not required.

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What You’ll Learn

In this Yocto training course you will learn how to use the Poky and Bitbake build process, with its recipes and layers to customize Linux kernel and packages for a custom embedded application, how to build Linux on an embedded board, how to use emulators for verification, how to create board support packages (BSP) for target hardware, and more.

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What It Prepares You For

This course prepares you to take advantage of the Yocto Project – the open source collaboration effort that provides templates, tools and methods to help you create and maintain custom Linux-based systems for embedded products regardless of the specific hardware architecture.

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Course Outline

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Introduction

- Objectives
- Goals
- Audience
- Who You Are
- The Linux Foundation{
- Copyright and No Confidential Information
- The Linux Foundation{ Training
- Certification Programs and Digital Badging
- The Linux Foundation{ THRIVE-ONE Subscriptions
- Things Change in Linux and Open Source Projects

Preliminaries

- Linux Distributions
- Procedures
- Labs

How to Work in OSS Projects **

- Overview on How to Contribute Properly
- Know Where the Code is Coming From: DCO and CLA
- Stay Close to Mainline for Security and Quality
- Study and Understand the Project DNA
- Figure Out What Itch You Want to Scratch
- Identify Maintainers and Their Work Flows and Methods
- Get Early Input and Work in the Open
- Contribute Incremental Bits, Not Large Code Dumps
- Leave Your Ego at the Door: Don't Be Thin-Skinned
- Be Patient, Develop Long Term Relationships, Be Helpful

What is Embedded Linux? **

- Objectives
- Understanding Embedded Linux
- Toolchains and libraries
- Bootloaders
- Kernel
- Root Filesystem

Yocto Project: What It Is and Where It Originated?

- Chapter Overview and Objectives
- From OpenEmbedded to Yocto: How They Fit Together
- Yocto Project and OpenEmbedded Building Blocks
- Creating an Embedded Linux System with the Yocto Project
- BitBake
- Documentation and other resources
- Yocto Project Releases
- Obtaining the Yocto Project

Poky

- Pronouncing Poky
- Yocto/OE Architecture

Bitbake

- Obtaining and Installing
- Metadata
- Metadata Layers
- Metadata Syntax
- Events
- Variants
- File Downloads
- Fetchers
- Built-in Default Metadata
- Checksums
- Event Implementation
- Tasks
- Project Layout
- Provisioning and Dependency Handling
- BitBake Command Line
- Labs

Setting up the Yocto Project Build System

- The Yocto Project Reference System Structure
- Poky Core Components
- OpenEmbedded-Core Metadata Layer
- Poky Metadata Layer
- Yocto Board Support Package (BSP) Layer
- Labs

Building an x86 Emulation Image

- Build Environment Structure
- Labs

Troubleshooting Build Failures

- When Things Break
- Task Logs
- Running Specific Tasks
- Debug Statements
- Dependency Graphs
- Displaying Variables and Metadata
- Bitbake Debug Output
- Developer Shell

Customizing Images

- Extending a Pre-defined Image
- Inheriting from Core-Image
- Package Groups
- Using Image Features
- Labs

Adding Packages

- Recipe Conventions and Best Practices
- Single C-File Package
- Makefile-based Package
- Autotooled Package
- Labs

Layers

- Why Layers?
- Working with Layers
- Labs

Kernel Recipes

- Yocto Kernel Recipes
- Configuring the Yocto Project Kernel
- Building a Custom Kernel
- Extending the Yocto Project Kernel
- Labs

Introduction to selected BBCLASSes

- rm_work.bbclass
- allarch.bbclass
- buildhistory and buildstats
- cve-check.bbclass
- archiver.bbclass

Development Tools

- devtool
- wic

Licensing and Compliance

- License Management with Yocto
- License Tracking
- Enabling Commercially Licensed Recipes
- Labs

Closing and Evaluation Survey

- Evaluation Survey

Kbuild System

- Introduction
- Kbuild Makefiles
- Kconfig Basics
- Searching Kconfig

Cross-Development Toolchain

- The Compiler Triplet
- Built-in Linux Distribution Cross Compiler
- Linaro
- CodeSourcery
- crosstool-ng
- Buildroot
- OpenEmbedded
- Yocto Project
- Clang
- Labs

Booting a Target Development Board over Ethernet

- Using virtual Hardware
- An easier way to develop
- The Boot Sequence using TFTP and NFSroot
- Objectives of the Lab
- Labs

Target Filesystem Packaging

- Embedded Filesystem Goals
- Directories: a Survey
- Embedded Filesystem Types

Root Filesystem Choices

- SysV init vs. BusyBox init
- udev vs. BusyBox mdev
- Systemd
- C Library Choices
- Labs

Right-Sizing

- Oft-Needed Embedded Components
- Taking Inventory of Kernel Sizes

Prerequisites

This course is primarily intended for experienced embedded Linux engineers who are interested in learning how to repeatably build an embedded Linux system. This course assumes you have basic knowledge of Embedded Linux systems such as building and install boot loaders, kernels and user space software (the kinds of things you learn in LFD450: Embedded Linux Development). You should also be familiar with building code from the command line, basic Linux utilities and text editors. Some experience with Python is helpful but not required.

Reviews

Feb 2026

I liked the section on the Linux kernel, and ways to customize it.

Dec 2025

The order in which we go through things is a bit clearer than other resources, we don't skip over fundamentals vs. starting with a guide from a vendor (somebody who has a board using the Yocto project).

Dec 2025

The flow of the material (beginning sections through to the end) seemed to make sense, and were easy to follow.

Dec 2025

The textbook was a good addition to the course, and will be a useful tool to reference.

Dec 2025

Becoming more familiar with Yocto and BitBake.

Dec 2025

Thorough coverage of BitBake concepts and theory, and the Yocto project.

Dec 2025

The labs were probably the most useful. Getting hands on experience using the commands and tools discussed in the various sections was very helpful.

Dec 2025

I feel that I have a much better understanding of Yocto basics.

Dec 2025

The variation of theory and labs, it felt evenly spread across the course.

Nov 2025

It was a good way to ease me into Yocto.

Nov 2025

The labs that reinforce the information with application.

Nov 2025

I liked that we could get hands-on training, and create our own projects to build.

Nov 2025

The labs and exercises!

Nov 2025

I liked the labs, they were engaging, and it's a useful way to apply knowledge. The lab environment also facilitated good collaboration between trainees.

Nov 2025

The information was presented well for what was packed into 3 days.

Nov 2025

Learning through lectures, and doing hands-on labs helped a lot during the course.

Nov 2025

I got a quick understanding of Yocto. I am probably not going to be maintaining a build, but at least I have enough high-level knowledge that if I become involved, I will remember the basics and be able to ask the right questions, instead of it being completely new.

Nov 2025

Learning to work with Yocto builds, and new tools.

Nov 2025

I liked the lectures, material and lab assignments.

Nov 2025

I rather enjoyed the labs; I felt they helped drive home the lessons, and provided a useful contrast to lectures.

Nov 2025

I would strongly recommend people take the in-person courses, rather than online.

Nov 2025

I liked the exercises, and intentional errors that needed to be overcome. Learning to debug a build environment is 99% of what people need to know how to do, as their code hardly ever works the first time.

Nov 2025

Despite being very familiar with Yocto, I found this course informative and well thought out.

Sep 2025

Content, as well as the lessons and teaching methods.

Sep 2025

The material and resources provided were excellent.

Aug 2025

Quite interactive, and useful to walk away with a physical copy of the material.

Aug 2025

I enjoyed the labs and the hands-on exercises.

Apr 2025

The topics were well designed, and many different ones around YOCTO were covered. The labs were sometimes a little challenging, which made the process more enjoyable.

Mar 2025

The fact that it covered all the aspects of Yocto, and the overall source material, will be helpful as a reference later on.

Mar 2025

I liked the labs.

Mar 2025

It's an excellent course, I would definitely recommend it!

Dec 2024

I enjoyed learning about the minor details in Yocto, and obtaining a deeper understanding on how to do platform development.

Oct 2024

The course covered all topics and basics.

Oct 2024

I liked the hands-on labs, and the examples in the training manual.

Aug 2024

I liked the labs, that helped me better understand the build system, yocto/bitbake/poky and the structure of layers/configurations and recipes.

Jun 2024

John was a very good instructor, patient with the students' questions, able to help just about everyone with their problems, and he put everyone at ease.

Jun 2024

Starting out with no knowledge of Yocto environment, I can say I understand more of bitback, and am confident to build my own recipe.

Jun 2024

I think the labs, and having obtained the book, will be helpful. It was a lot of information, and I couldn't absorb it all, but with the material and the labs I can continue to learn on my own.

Jun 2024

I appreciated the detail devoted to all the different aspects of working with Yocto. I have used Yocto before, but even in the early part of the training going over the foundations, I found a lot of useful tips and tricks I didn't know about.

Jun 2024

That it was up-to-date with the most recent LTS release of yocto, even though that has only recently been released. That takes a lot of work, thank you for doing that.