# Overview

This Qualcomm^®^ Linux^®^ Yocto Guide provides information about how
Qualcomm Linux uses Yocto to build an embedded system software image for Qualcomm
reference hardware.

For an introduction to Yocto, see the
following pages created by the Yocto Project^®^:

- [The Yocto Project](https://www.yoctoproject.org/)
- [The Yocto Project 5.0.6 documentation](https://docs.yoctoproject.org/5.0.6/)

The Yocto Project provides tools, software, configurations, and best
practices to create customized Linux images for
embedded and IoT devices, or anywhere a customized Linux OS is needed.

The Qualcomm Linux release and this documentation are built on the principles of the
Yocto Project to help you further customize Qualcomm Linux.

Qualcomm Linux offers two build variants: `base` and `custom`.

> 
> 
> - The `base` variant allows you to build a system software image using upstream software components. However, there are a few exceptions for Qualcomm software that’s still being upstreamed or is necessary to boot the reference hardware.
> - The `custom` variant allows you to build a system software image that includes Qualcomm value-added software.

For more information about these variants, see [Use of BitBake OVERRIDES in Qualcomm Linux metadata layers](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70018-27/topic/qualcomm_linux_metadata_layers_overview.html#use-of-bitbake-overrides).
The machine configurations defined in [meta-qcom-hwe](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70018-27/topic/qualcomm_linux_metadata_layers_overview.html#meta-qcom-hwe-section) can use these two variants, and
these configurations are mapped to the [development kits](https://www.qualcomm.com/developer/software/qualcomm-linux/hardware).

Note

To find the mapping of supported overrides and machine configurations to a development kit, see Section 4.2 of the
[Qualcomm Linux Release Notes](https://docs.qualcomm.com/bundle/publicresource/topics/RNO-250403001134).

For information about the supported features, see
[Qualcomm Linux features](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70018-27/topic/qualcomm_linux_features.html).

For information about how to customize Qualcomm Linux, see
[User customizations](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70018-27/topic/user_customizations.html).

For diagnosis and troubleshooting procedures for commonly encountered problems with Yocto workspaces,
see [Debug](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70018-27/topic/debug.html).

Note

See [Hardware SoCs](https://docs.qualcomm.com/bundle/publicresource/topics/80-70018-115/soc.html) that are supported on Qualcomm Linux.

Note

This guide uses the QCM6490 and QCS6490 hardware SoCs interchangeably.
The `qcs6490-rb3gen2-core-kit.conf` and `qcs6490-rb3gen2-vision-kit.conf`
machine configuration files defined in the `meta-qcom-hwe/conf/machine/` directory
support the QCM6490, QCS6490, and QCS5430 hardware SoCs.

Last Published: Apr 09, 2025

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