Yocto - Layer

 === MicroSoft Bing Copilot  === 

Yocto 层是 Yocto 项目中的一个基本概念，它是一个功能强大的框架，用于构建专为嵌入式系统和物联网设备定制的 Linux 发行版。让我们深入了解一下 Yocto 层是什么以及它们是如何工作的：

1. 层模型：

    * Yocto 项目使用层模型来组织和管理元数据（如配方、配置文件和自定义），以构建嵌入式 Linux 发行版。

    * 层允许你将不同类型的定制相互隔离，从而更容易在 Yocto 环境中协作、共享和定制。

2. 什么是 Yocto 层？

    * 层本质上是一个包含相关元数据的存储库。这些元数据为 OpenEmbedded 构建系统提供了如何构建目标系统的指令。

    * 层在逻辑上分离了项目信息，使您可以专注于特定方面（如硬件支持、应用程序配方或自定义配置）。

3. 要创建自己的图层，请按照以下步骤操作：       

    a. 检查现有图层： 在创建新图层之前，请确保尚未有人创建过包含您所需元数据的图层。您可以查看 OpenEmbedded 元数据索引来查找现有图层。       

    b. 创建目录： 为图层创建一个目录。建议在目录名称前加上 "meta-"（例如，meta-mylayer、meta-GUI_xyz 或 meta-mymachine）。       

    c. 图层配置文件：在新图层文件夹中创建一个 conf/layer.conf 文件。可以先复制现有图层的配置文件，然后根据需要进行修改。将标识符（如 "yoctobsp"）替换为层的唯一名称（如 "meta-machinexyz "层的名称为 "machinexyz"）。 

4. 层的优势：    

• 协作： 层可以促进开发人员之间的协作，在项目的不同方面上工作。   

• 自定义： 每个层都可以包含特定的定制内容，如配方、配置文件和特定机器的设置。 

• 重复使用： 层允许你在不同项目中重复使用现有组件。

总之，Yocto 层提供了一种组织和管理元数据的结构化方式，使为嵌入式系统构建定制的 Linux 发行版变得更加容易。

A Yocto layer is a fundamental concept in the Yocto Project, a powerful framework for building custom Linux distributions tailored for embedded systems and IoT devices. Let’s dive into what Yocto layers are and how they work:

1. Layer Model:

    * The Yocto Project uses a Layer Model to organize and manage metadata (such as recipes, configuration files, and customizations) for building embedded Linux distributions.

    * Layers allow you to isolate different types of customizations from each other, making it easier to collaborate, share, and customize within the Yocto environment.

2. What Is a Yocto Layer?:

    * A layer is essentially a repository that contains relevant metadata. This metadata provides instructions to the OpenEmbedded build system on how to construct the target system.

    * Layers logically separate information for your project, allowing you to focus on specific aspects (e.g., hardware support, application recipes, or custom configurations).

3. To create your own layer, follow these steps:

        a. Check Existing Layers: Before creating a new layer, ensure that someone hasn’t already created a layer containing the metadata you need. You can explore the OpenEmbedded Metadata Index to find existing layers.

        b. Create a Directory: Create a directory for your layer. It’s recommended to prepend the directory name with “meta-” (e.g., meta-mylayer, meta-GUI_xyz, or meta-mymachine).

        c. Layer Configuration File: Inside your new layer folder, create a conf/layer.conf file. You can start by copying an existing layer’s configuration file and modifying it as needed. Replace the identifier (e.g., “yoctobsp”) with a unique name for your layer (e.g., “machinexyz” for a layer named “meta-machinexyz”).

4. Layer Benefits:

    * Collaboration: Layers facilitate collaboration among developers working on different aspects of the project.

    * Customization: Each layer can contain specific customizations, such as recipes, configuration files, and machine-specific settings.

    * Reuse: Layers allow you to reuse existing components across projects.

In summary, Yocto layers provide a structured way to organize and manage metadata, making it easier to build customized Linux distributions for embedded systems.

 === Yocto Doc === 

Overview and Concepts Manual

2 Introducing the Yocto Project — The Yocto Project ® 5.0.999 documentation

2.2 The Yocto Project Layer Model

Yocto 项目的 "层模型 "是一种用于创建嵌入式和物联网 Linux 的开发模型，它使 Yocto 项目有别于其他简单的构建系统。层模型同时支持协作和定制。层是包含相关指令集的资源库，这些指令集告诉 OpenEmbedded 构建系统该做什么。你可以协作、共享和重用图层。

图层可以随时更改先前的说明或设置。这种强大的覆盖功能使您可以定制以前提供的协作图层或社区层，以满足您的产品要求。

您可以使用不同的层来从逻辑上分隔构建中的信息。例如，可以有 BSP 层、图形用户界面层、发行版配置层、中间件层或应用程序层。将整个构建放入一个层会限制未来的定制和重用，并使之复杂化。另一方面，将信息隔离到各层有助于简化未来的定制和重用。在处理单个项目时，你可能会发现把所有东西都放在一个层中很有诱惑力。但是，元数据越模块化，就越容易应对未来的变化。

注意事项

* 尽可能使用芯片供应商提供的板卡支持包（BSP）层。

* 熟悉 Yocto 项目兼容层或 OpenEmbedded 层索引。后者包含的层数更多，但普遍性验证较低。

* 层支持包含技术、硬件组件和软件组件。Yocto项目兼容称号提供了最低程度的标准化，有助于形成强大的生态系统。"YP 兼容 "适用于适当的产品和软件组件，如 BSP、其他 OE 兼容层和相关开源项目，允许生产者使用 Yocto Project 徽章和品牌资产。

要说明如何使用层来保持模块化，请考虑机器定制。这些类型的定制通常位于一个特殊层，而不是一般层，称为 BSP 层。此外，机器定制应与支持新图形用户界面环境（例如）的配方和元数据隔离开来。这种情况下就会产生两个层：一个是机器配置层，另一个是图形用户界面环境层。但必须明白的是，BSP 层仍可对 GUI 环境层中的配方进行特定于机器的添加，而不会让这些特定于机器的更改污染 GUI 层本身。您可以通过 BitBake 附加文件（.bbappend）来实现这一点，本节稍后将对此进行介绍。

注意事项

有关 BSP 层结构的一般信息，请参阅《Yocto 项目板支持包开发人员指南》。

源码目录包含普通层和 BSP 层。在源码目录中，你可以很容易地通过图层的名称来识别随 Yocto Project 发行的图层。图层的名称通常以 meta- 开头。

注意

图层名称必须以 meta- 前缀开头，但这是 Yocto Project 社区普遍接受的标准。

例如，如果你要查看 poky 仓库的树形视图，你会看到几个层：meta、meta-skeleton、meta-selftest、meta-poky 和 meta-yocto-bsp。 每个仓库都代表一个不同的层。

有关如何创建层的步骤，请参阅《Yocto 项目开发任务手册》中的 "理解和创建层 "部分。

2.2 The Yocto Project Layer Model

The Yocto Project’s “Layer Model” is a development model for embedded and IoT Linux creation that distinguishes the Yocto Project from other simple build systems. The Layer Model simultaneously supports collaboration and customization. Layers are repositories that contain related sets of instructions that tell the OpenEmbedded Build System what to do. You can collaborate, share, and reuse layers.

Layers can contain changes to previous instructions or settings at any time. This powerful override capability is what allows you to customize previously supplied collaborative or community layers to suit your product requirements.

You use different layers to logically separate information in your build. As an example, you could have BSP, GUI, distro configuration, middleware, or application layers. Putting your entire build into one layer limits and complicates future customization and reuse. Isolating information into layers, on the other hand, helps simplify future customizations and reuse. You might find it tempting to keep everything in one layer when working on a single project. However, the more modular your Metadata, the easier it is to cope with future changes.

Note

* Use Board Support Package (BSP) layers from silicon vendors when possible.

* Familiarize yourself with the Yocto Project Compatible Layers or the OpenEmbedded Layer Index. The latter contains more layers but they are less universally validated.

* Layers support the inclusion of technologies, hardware components, and software components. The Yocto Project Compatible designation provides a minimum level of standardization that contributes to a strong ecosystem. “YP Compatible” is applied to appropriate products and software components such as BSPs, other OE-compatible layers, and related open-source projects, allowing the producer to use Yocto Project badges and branding assets.

To illustrate how layers are used to keep things modular, consider machine customizations. These types of customizations typically reside in a special layer, rather than a general layer, called a BSP Layer. Furthermore, the machine customizations should be isolated from recipes and Metadata that support a new GUI environment, for example. This situation gives you a couple of layers: one for the machine configurations, and one for the GUI environment. It is important to understand, however, that the BSP layer can still make machine-specific additions to recipes within the GUI environment layer without polluting the GUI layer itself with those machine-specific changes. You can accomplish this through a recipe that is a BitBake append (.bbappend) file, which is described later in this section.

Note

For general information on BSP layer structure, see the Yocto Project Board Support Package Developer’s Guide.

The Source Directory contains both general layers and BSP layers right out of the box. You can easily identify layers that ship with a Yocto Project release in the Source Directory by their names. Layers typically have names that begin with the string meta-.

Note

It is not a requirement that a layer name begin with the prefix meta-, but it is a commonly accepted standard in the Yocto Project community.

For example, if you were to examine the tree view of the poky repository, you will see several layers: meta, meta-skeleton, meta-selftest, meta-poky, and meta-yocto-bsp. Each of these repositories represents a distinct layer.

For procedures on how to create layers, see the “Understanding and Creating Layers” section in the Yocto Project Development Tasks Manual.