Adding new packages

We have seen how to customize our image so that we can add supported packages to it. When we can't find an existing recipe or we need to integrate some new software we have developed, we will need to create a new Yocto recipe.

Getting ready

There are some questions we need to ask ourselves before starting to write a new recipe:

• Where is the source code stored?

• Is it source-controlled or released as a tarball?

• What is the source code license?

• What build system is it using?

• Does it need configuration?

• Can we cross-compile it as is or does it need to be patched?

• What are the files that need to be deployed to the root filesystem, and where do they go?

• Are there any system changes that need to happen, such as new users or init scripts?

• Are there any dependencies that need to be installed into sysroot beforehand?

Once we know the answers to these questions, we are ready to start writing our recipe.

How to do it...

It is best to start from a blank template like the one that follows than to...