Embedded Linux Development

HRDC Reg. No: 10001705903
Duration: 21 hours (3 days)

Course Overview

Embedded Linux BSP & Porting helps engineers move beyond using pre-built Linux systems and start modifying bootloader, BSP, kernel, Device Tree, and platform driver source code for custom hardware. The course focuses on real-world board bring-up, Linux porting workflow, U-Boot customization, kernel adaptation, and boot-time optimization.

You will learn how:

• Board Support Packages (BSPs) are structured and integrated
• First-stage and second-stage bootloaders initialize hardware
• U-Boot is extended to support new boards
• The Linux kernel is organized internally and adapted for hardware
• Device Tree enables hardware abstraction

This program focuses on giving participants the confidence to read, modify, and extend Embedded Linux source code, which is essential for real-world porting. By the end of the course, participants will not just run Linux on a board but understand how to make it run on new hardware platforms.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

Bootloader Internals & Porting

• Understand the complete code flow of first-stage bootloaders
• Analyze and modify second-stage bootloader (U-Boot) source code
• Identify and work with BSP components in bootloaders
• Add support for a new custom board in the bootloader

BSP (Board Support Package) Understanding

• Identify BSP structure in both bootloader and kernel
• Understand how hardware-specific code is organized
• Modify BSP components for custom hardware

Kernel Internals & Porting

• Navigate Linux kernel source code effectively
• Understand kernel initialization flow
• Modify kernel to support board-specific features

Platform Drivers

• Understand platform device and driver model
• Write and register basic platform drivers
• Integrate drivers with Device Tree

Device Tree Mastery

• Understand the structure and purpose of Device Tree
• Modify and extend Device Tree for custom hardware
• Debug hardware-related issues using Device Tree

System-Level Porting Capability

• Understand how bootloader, kernel, and hardware interact at source level
• Perform initial steps required to port Linux to a new board
• Reduce dependency on vendor BSPs by understanding internals

Prerequisites

Completion of Embedded Linux System Control: Boot, Debug & Recovery or equivalent knowledge of:

• Boot flow
• Bootloader usage and configuration
• Kernel build process
• Root filesystem basics

Teaching Methodology

• Instructor-led explanation
• Source-code walkthroughs
• Hands-on bootloader labs
• Device Tree and driver exercises
• Real board-porting case discussions

Target Audience

• Embedded Linux engineers
• BSP engineers
• Firmware engineers
• Device driver developers
• Board bring-up engineers

Target Industry

• Semiconductor
• Automotive electronics
• IoT and embedded systems
• Consumer electronics
• Telecom and networking