Architecture and trade-off decisions behind embedded Linux products — how and why to choose one design over another.
System DesignA read-only root filesystem still needs writable state. Compare tmpfs, bind mounts on a data partition and overlayfs, and see which one…
System DesignDebian vs Yocto vs Ubuntu Core: compare update lifetime, control, build effort and vendor dependence, and see when each base suits an…
System DesignEmbedded Linux log storage compared: RAM, local flash and remote upload, with journald and BusyBox settings and a default for shipped products.
System DesignSwap on embedded Linux: compare no swap, zram and swap on eMMC or SD flash, with a recommended setup, PSI monitoring and…
System DesignVendor BSP vs mainline kernel for an embedded Linux product: when each fits, what each costs in updates and security, and how…
System DesignHow to choose a device heartbeat interval, decide what each field must report, and tell a failed network path apart from a…
System DesignWhen is a two-processor design worth it? A domain-map test, four options from hardware interlock to discrete MCU, and the numbers you…
System DesignA watchdog resets a stuck device but names no fault. What a reliability strategy adds: ordered timeouts, kernel detection and persistent crash…
System DesignA bootloader boot counter catches dead boots; only a userspace check sees a dead application. How to design boot confirmation for a…
System DesignContainers vs packages on embedded Linux: how to deliver and update the application layer on a device that already has an A/B…
System DesignSecure boot key custody decides where your firmware signing key lives. Compare build-tree keys, restricted servers, HSM signing and detached signing.
System DesignPrivate kernel patches and out-of-tree drivers are recurring maintenance costs, not one-time work. How to classify, measure and bound your downstream delta.
System Designsystemd vs BusyBox init for embedded Linux: what each one costs in size, dependencies and kernel version, and how to choose.
System DesignIn-tree vs out-of-tree driver: why upstreaming hardware you own usually costs less over a product life, and when an external module is…
System DesignHow to choose a root filesystem format for embedded Linux: ext4, f2fs, squashfs with overlayfs, or UBIFS on raw NAND — and…
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