Lecture 7 — Module 5: Layers: how metadata stays maintainable¶
Course: Yocto guide | Phase 2 — Embedded Linux, Yocto
Previous: Lecture 06 | Next: Lecture 08 — Module 6
1. Why layers exist¶
Layers let teams separate concerns: BSP with hardware knowledge, corporate distro policy across products, product-specific tweaks isolated and reviewable.
2. Creating a custom layer (pattern)¶
Use the official bitbake-layers create-layer workflow for your release. You should end with conf/layer.conf, recipes-* trees, and optional README for layer intent and maintainers.
3. bbappend discipline¶
If you did not write the upstream recipe, prefer .bbappend in your layer. Good: add a patch, tweak PACKAGECONFIG, add a runtime dependency, install a config via FILESPATH patterns. Bad: fork a recipe to change one variable you could append.
4. Lab 5 — Your own layer, minimal change¶
Create meta-mycourse, add it to bblayers.conf, append a trivial change to a recipe (harmless PACKAGECONFIG toggle or FILES tweak).
Done when: bitbake-layers show-layers lists your layer in the expected priority order and the build still succeeds.
Previous: Lecture 06 | Next: Lecture 08 — Module 6