Buildroot
A build tool that generates a custom embedded Linux system by cross-compilation.
- Category
- builder
- Status
- active
- Footprint
- Not a distro. You build exactly the system you configure; typical builds take 15–30 minutes according to the project.
Buildroot is described by its authors as a simple, efficient and easy-to-use tool to generate embedded Linux systems through cross-compilation. It builds the cross-compilation toolchain, the root filesystem, the kernel image and the bootloader, and supports several thousand packages.
Configuration uses kernel-style menuconfig, gconfig and xconfig. Because you choose every component, the result can be very small — but you also own updates and security patching of the image.
Key terms
Last verified 2026-09-20. Sources:buildroot.org. Official site: buildroot.org.