Configuring a host system

The process that we need to set up on our host system depends on the distribution we run on it. Poky has a set of supported Linux distributions, and if we are new to embedded Linux development, it is advisable to use one of the supported Linux distributions to avoid wasting time debugging build issues related to the host system support.

If you use the current release of one of following distributions, you should be good:

• Ubuntu
• Fedora
• CentOS
• Debian
• openSUSE

To confirm if your version is supported, it is advisable to check the official documentation online at http://www.yoctoproject.org/docs/current/mega-manual/mega-manual.html#detailed-supported-distros.

If your preferred distribution is not on the preceding list, it doesn't mean it is not possible to use Poky on it. However, it is unknown whether it will work, and we may get unexpected results.

The packages that need to be installed into the host system vary from one distribution to another. Throughout this book, you will find instructions for Debian and Fedora, our preferred distributions. You can find the instructions for all supported distributions in the Yocto Project Reference Manual.