You're reading from Mastering Embedded Linux Programming Create fast and reliable embedded solutions with Linux 5.4 and the Yocto Project 3.1 (Dunfell)

Product type Paperback

Published in May 2021

Publisher Packt

ISBN-13 9781789530384

Length 758 pages

Edition 3rd Edition

Languages

C++

Tools

Linux

Concepts

Embedded Systems

Authors (2):

Frank Vasquez

Mr. Chris Simmonds

View More author details

Table of Contents (27) Chapters

Preface

1. Section 1: Elements of Embedded Linux

2. Chapter 1: Starting Out FREE CHAPTER

3. Chapter 2: Learning about Toolchains

4. Chapter 3: All about Bootloaders

5. Chapter 4: Configuring and Building the Kernel

6. Chapter 5: Building a Root Filesystem

7. Chapter 6: Selecting a Build System

8. Chapter 7: Developing with Yocto

9. Chapter 8: Yocto Under the Hood

10. Section 2: System Architecture and Design Decisions

11. Chapter 9: Creating a Storage Strategy

12. Chapter 10: Updating Software in the Field

13. Chapter 11: Interfacing with Device Drivers

14. Chapter 12: Prototyping with Breakout Boards

15. Chapter 13: Starting Up – The init Program

16. Chapter 14: Starting with BusyBox runit

17. Chapter 15: Managing Power

18. Section 3: Writing Embedded Applications

19. Chapter 16: Packaging Python

20. Chapter 17: Learning about Processes and Threads

21. Chapter 18: Managing Memory

22. Section 4: Debugging and Optimizing Performance

23. Chapter 19: Debugging with GDB

24. Chapter 20: Profiling and Tracing

25. Chapter 21: Real-Time Programming

26. Other Books You May Enjoy

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systemd, https://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/systemd/, defines itself as a system and service manager. The project was initiated in 2010 by Lennart Poettering and Kay Sievers to create an integrated set of tools for managing a Linux system based around an init daemon. It also includes device management (udev) and logging, among other things. systemd is state of the art and is still evolving rapidly. It is common on desktop and server Linux distributions and is becoming popular on embedded Linux systems too, especially on more complex devices. So, how is it better than System V init for embedded systems?

The configuration is simpler and more logical (once you understand it). Rather than the sometimes convoluted shell scripts of System V init, systemd has unit configuration files that are written in a well-defined format.
There are explicit dependencies between services, rather than a two-digit code that merely sets the sequence in which the scripts are run...