openadk/docs/introduction.txt

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About OpenADK
=============

OpenADK is a tool that simplifies and automates the process of
building a complete Linux system for an embedded system, using
cross-compilation. ADK stands for appliance development kit.

In order to achieve this, OpenADK is able to generate a
cross-compilation toolchain, a root filesystem, a Linux kernel image
and a bootloader for your target. 

OpenADK is useful mainly for people working with embedded systems,
but can be used by people playing with emulators or small netbooks
needing a fast and small Linux system.

OpenADK can also be used to generate a cross-toolchain for any kind
of architecture and C library combination. It supports uClibc-ng, musl,
GNU libc and newlib.

Embedded systems often use processors that are not the regular x86
processors everyone is used to having in his PC. 

OpenADK supports 38 different architectures:
AARCH64, Alpha, ARC, ARM, AVR32, Blackfin, C6X, CR16, CRIS, Epiphany, FR-V,
H8/300, HPPA, IA64, LM32, M32R, M68K, METAG, Microblaze, MIPS, MIPS64, MN10300,
Moxie, MSP430, NDS32, NIOS2, OR1K, PPC, PPC64, S/390, SH, SPARC, SPARC64, Tile,
V850, X86, X86_64 and Xtensa.

OpenADK supports numerous processors and their variants; it also comes
with default configurations for many embedded systems, emulators and netbooks.
(Raspberry PI, Cubox-i, Qemu, Aranym, PCEngines APU, Lemote Yeelong, IBM X40 and more)

OpenADK is not a Linux distribution and there are no releases or binary
packages available. If you need something like that, better switch to
something else. OpenADK builds everything from source. There are only a
few exceptions to this rule (f.e. some bootloaders and firmware files for
wireless network cards).