1.1. Introduction

This is the barebox user manual, which describes how to configure, compile and run barebox on embedded systems.

barebox (just barebox, not the barebox) is a bootloader designed for embedded systems. It runs on a variety of architectures including x86, ARM, MIPS, PowerPC and others.

barebox aims to be a versatile and flexible bootloader, not only for booting embedded Linux systems, but also for initial hardware bringup and development. barebox is highly configurable to be suitable as a full-featured development binary as well as for lean production systems. Just like busybox is the Swiss Army Knife for embedded Linux, barebox is the Swiss Army Knife for bare metal, hence the name.

1.1.1. Feedback

For sending patches, asking for help and giving general feedback you are always welcome to write an e-mail to the barebox mailing list at <mailto:barebox@lists.infradead.org>. Most of the discussion of barebox takes place here:

http://lists.infradead.org/mailman/listinfo/barebox/

Mails sent to the barebox mailing list are archived on lore.barebox.org.

barebox uses a similar patch process as the Linux kernel, so most of the Linux guide for submitting patches also applies to barebox, except forthe need to select your recipient; all barebox patches go to the same list.

Patch series sent there can be applied with b4

git config b4.midmask https://lore.barebox.org/%s
git config b4.linkmask https://lore.barebox.org/%s
b4 shazam -M https://lore.barebox.org/$messageid # replace with link

CI tests are executed by Github Actions an be used by forking the project on Github <https://github.com/barebox/barebox>.

There’s also an IRC channel: #barebox on Libera Chat