If you wish to run the build locally, make sure you have a pretty powerful x64 laptop/PC (8-16 powerful cores, 16-32GB RAM, 50GB SSD free space).

Otherwise, we offer some rather powerful VMs hosted inside the Faculty’s private cloud (OpenStack) for use with this workshop.

It’s going to be a headless (no graphics) server-like environment, so Linux command line knowledge is required. Don’t worry, you have all the tools you need in there (plus a tweaked Zsh, TMux for running persistent/multiplexed terminals and vim with AstroNvim config for enthusiasts).

But first, you will need to gain access to this VM. To do this, you must create a SSH private/public key pair and give the public counterpart to the superviser for account creation & authorization (do this on your personal PC / laptop in a Linux sh-compatible shell or Windows Powershell), generate a public/private SSH keypair:

# first, check if a keypair already exists
you@laptop:~# ls ~/.ssh/
# if the files `id_ed25519` and `id_ed25519.pub` already exist, SKIP everything else!
you@laptop:~# ssh-keygen -t ed25519  # Edwards curves: better & shorter keys!
# answer the defaults (aka just press enter multiple times)
you@laptop:~# ls -l ~/.ssh/
-rw------- 1 root root 2602 Oct 15 12:59 id_ed25519     # <-- THE PRIVATE KEY, keep secret!
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  571 Oct 15 12:59 id_ed25519.pub # <-- your PUBLIC key to give away!
# print and copy the private key (including the 'ssh-ed25519' prefix!):
you@laptop:~# cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub
ssh-ed25519 AAAAB3NzaC...  # a longish line containing the public key number + email

Now copy your public key and give it to a supervisor (together with a preferred username to be created) to gain access to the build machine, but wait for confirmation…

When notified, try to connect to your assigned VM and port, e.g.:

ssh -p 220X youruser@arm2026.root.sx  # where X is your assigned VM index

export CROSS_COMPILE = /path/to/your/toolchain/gcc-prefix...-
 
ATF_DIR = imx-atf
ATF_MAKE_FLAGS = SPD=none PLAT=TODO...
atf:
	make -C "$(ATF_DIR)" $(ATF_MAKE_FLAGS)
 
UBOOT_DIR = uboot
UBOOT_MAKE_FLAGS =
uboot:
	make -C "$(UBOOT_DIR)" $(UBOOT_MAKE_FLAGS)
 
.PHONY: uboot atf
# ... and so on !