Debootstrapping Embedded Linux Root Filesystems - Building and Optimization

Explore the intricacies of debootstrapping embedded Linux root filesystems in this comprehensive conference talk. Delve into essential techniques for running Debian or Ubuntu root filesystems on embedded devices, saving time and effort in customization, size reduction, and boot time optimization. Learn about Debootstrap and cross-debootstrap, compare different Debian-based distributions, and understand package repositories and cached files. Discover common challenges and solutions in debootstrapping, and master recipes for default password setup, motd/issue configuration, SSH implementation, and autologin. Examine considerations for booting a debootstrapped system and selecting the appropriate init framework. Address sizing and performance constraints for build-time, runtime, and recovery scenarios. Gain insights into early runtime tricks, including setting up ethernet networking in ramdisk and switch_rooting. For those attending the workshop, expect hands-on experience with building and running a kernel, as well as packaging the root filesystem in a QEMU target. Access complementary materials on the speaker's YouTube channel and find the distro builder on GitHub for further exploration and implementation.