O'Reilly has updated its guide to Building Embedded Linux Systems by Karim Yaghmour. In the 462-page Second Edition, Yaghmour is joined by new co-authors Gilad Ben-Yossef and Jonathan Masters in updating this “in-depth, hard-core guide to putting together embedded systems based on Linux,” says O'Reilly.

(Click for larger view of Building Embedded Linux Systems, Second Edition )

The world of embedded Linux has changed considerably since the book was first published in 2003. The Second Edition reflects the many changes made to the Linux kernel, as well as to some 40 different open source and free software packages covered in the book, says O'Reilly.

Yaghmour and his new co-authors stick to the original charter of providing comprehensive advice on building embedded Linux systems, along with tips on configuration and setup of Linux tools. The book does not assume a particular Linux distribution or processor platform, but rather shows readers how to download “pristine” source materials DIY style, in the spirit of Linux pioneers, says the publisher.

Topics covered in the book include:

• Strengths and weaknesses of using Linux in an embedded system
• Linux licensing issues
• Building a GNU development toolchain
• Selecting, configuring, building, and installing a target-specific kernel
• Creating a complete target root filesystem
• Setting up, manipulating, and using solid-state storage devices
• Installing and configuring a bootloader for a target
• Cross-compiling a slew of utilities and packages
• Debugging tools and techniques
• Using uClibc, BusyBox, U-Boot, OpenSSH, thttpd, tftp, strace, and gdb
• Exploiting real-time features with Xenomai or the RT kernel patch

Author Karim Yaghmour is an open-source software expert and the president of Linux training firm Opersys. Gilad Ben-Yossef, who recently wrote a LinuxDevices whitepaper on benchmarking x86 boot latency, is the CTO of Isreali development firm Codefidence, as well as a leader in open-source organizations in Israel, including “Hamakor” and “August Penguin.”

Jonathan Masters works on the Linux kernel for Red Hat.

Availability

Building Embedded Linux Systems, Second Edition is available now for $50, or $40 for the PDF version, says O'Reilly. More information may be found here.

 
This article was originally published on LinuxDevices.com and has been donated to the open source community by QuinStreet Inc. Please visit LinuxToday.com for up-to-date news and articles about Linux and open source.