Select the version of your OS from the tabs below. If you don't know the version you are using, run the command cat /etc/os-release or cat /etc/issue on the board.
Remember that you can always refer to the Torizon Documentation, there you can find a lot of relevant articles that might help you in the application development.
Torizon is an embedded computing platform that enables robust, scalable, and easy-to-maintain software. The Torizon’s primary component is TorizonCore: a minimal embedded Linux image featuring, among other essential services, a container runtime and components for secure offline and remote over-the-air (OTA) update.
Torizon fully supports the following Computer on Modules:
This article provides a technical TorizonCore’s architectural overview and explores its main components and the tools to work with the system. For step-by-step instructions to start working with Torizon, please see the Torizon Quickstart Guide.
There are some image variants of TorizonCore. See a comparison table below with the currently supported images:
| Image | Evaluation Containers |
|---|---|
| TorizonCore | No containers are pre-provisioned into this image |
| TorizonCore with Evaluation Containers | The Portainer container manager and other containers are pre-provisioned into the image |
Learn more about the evaluation containers in the section Container Runtime: Docker.
A fundamental advantage of the Torizon platform is the possibility to work on application architectures based on multiple containers. This software development technique provides significant benefits such as modularity, scalability, integration, and distributed development.
Application Architecture with TorizonCore
In this section, we will explore the main components of TorizonCore and also the recommended Debian containers provided by Toradex to work with TorizonCore.
Toradex builds TorizonCore on top of its Linux BSPs. An in-house software development team works with the hardware team to design and maintain high-quality Linux BSPs targeting the usage in production devices.
Some characteristics of the TorizonCore image:
Toradex provides TorizonCore in a pre-built binary image. This image features essential command-line utilities and a reasonable amount of peripherals enabled in the Linux kernel. Hence, for most of the use cases, the usage of these binaries is the most recommended approach to design the application, and it is unnecessary to re-build TorizonCore from the source.
In cases in which image re-building and customization are inevitable, TorizonCore is open-source, and Toradex provides instructions to build TorizonCore with Yocto.
Toradex maintain its BSPs with updated software for bootloader and Linux kernel following mainline. An exception may exist for recently launched platforms, where the BSP may contain downstream SoC vendor components until Toradex recognizes the mainline efforts are mature enough to be deployed to production.
The developers can also follow the Toradex Yocto Project BSP Layers release roadmap and TorizonCore release roadmap page to get updated information about known issues, scheduled bug fixes, and feature improvements.
There is no software package management in the base system. The recommended application development and maintenance processes are through the usage of Docker containers.
Get Started With the Torizon Platform
Traditional update solutions in the industry, including Torizon Remote Updates and Secure Offline Updates, widely adopt Aktualizr and OSTree technologies. They comprise the part of Torizon updates features that runs on embedded devices.
Aktualizr comprises a C++ application working on the client-side of OTA. It manages the software update process and implements Uptane, supporting device authentication and provisioning. Aktualizr works alongside OSTree.
OSTree is a technology used by TorizonCore to deliver bootable filesystem trees to a device. The basic principle is having a git-like set of work with the filesystem tree.
Docker logo
By the definition of Docker website:
A container is a standard unit of software that packages up code and all its dependencies, so the application runs quickly and reliably from one computing environment to another. A Docker container image is a lightweight, standalone, executable package of software that includes everything needed to run an application: code, runtime, system tools, system libraries, and settings.
Toradex provide containers based on Debian slim
Application developers will take advantage of the TorizonCore Debian based containers images as a starting point for their Dockerfiles.
As an example, projects targeting TorizonCore running on a Apalis iMX8 can use the command FROM --platform=linux/arm64 torizon/debian:2-bullseye in its Dockerfile.
Below some highlights of these containers:
See the Toradex Debian based containers images article for in-depth information.
Toradex provides optional IDE extensions to work with TorizonCore in:
TorizonCore Extensions for Visual Studio and VS Code
This section has on-demand webinars to help you through development.
Torizon is an embedded computing platform that enables robust, scalable and easy-to-maintain software. The Torizon’s primary component is TorizonCore: a minimal embedded Linux image featuring, among other essential services, a container runtime and components for secure remote over-the-air (OTA) update.
Torizon fully supports the following Computer on Modules:
This article provides a technical TorizonCore’s architectural overview and explores its main components and the tools to work with the system. For step-by-step instructions to start working with Torizon, please see the Torizon Quickstart Guide.
A fundamental advantage of the Torizon platform is the possibility to work on application architectures based on multiple containers. This software development technique provides significant benefits such as modularity, scalability, integration, and distributed development.
Application Architecture with TorizonCore
In this section, we will explore the main components of TorizonCore and also the recommended Debian containers provided by Toradex to work with TorizonCore.
Toradex builds TorizonCore on top of its Linux BSPs. An in-house software development team works with the hardware team to design and maintain high-quality Linux BSPs targeting the usage in production devices.
Some characteristics of the TorizonCore image:
Toradex provides TorizonCore in a pre-built binary image. This image features essential command-line utilities and a reasonable amount of peripherals enabled in the Linux kernel. Hence, for most of the use cases, the usage of these binaries is the most recommended approach to design the application, and it is unnecessary to re-build TorizonCore from the source.
In cases in which image re-building and customization are inevitable, TorizonCore is open-source, and Toradex provides instructions to build TorizonCore with Yocto.
Toradex maintain its BSPs with updated software for bootloader and Linux kernel following mainline. An exception may exist for recently launched platforms, where the BSP may contain downstream SoC vendor components until Toradex recognizes the mainline efforts are mature enough to be deployed to production.
The developers can also follow the Toradex Yocto Project BSP Layers release roadmap and TorizonCore release roadmap page to get updated information about known issues, scheduled bug fixes, and feature improvements.
There is no software package management in the base system. The recommended application design process is through the usage of Docker containers.
Torizon OTA
Traditional OTA solutions in the industry, including Torizon OTA, widely adopt Aktualizr and OSTree technologies. They comprise the part of OTA that runs on embedded devices.
Aktualizr comprises a C++ application working on the client-side of OTA. It manages the software update process and implements Uptane, supporting device authentication and provisioning. Aktualizr works alongside OSTree.
OSTree is a technology used by TorizonCore to deliver bootable filesystem trees to a device. The basic principle is having a git-like set of work with the filesystem tree.
Docker logo
By the definition of Docker website:
A container is a standard unit of software that packages up code and all its dependencies, so the application runs quickly and reliably from one computing environment to another. A Docker container image is a lightweight, standalone, executable package of software that includes everything needed to run an application: code, runtime, system tools, system libraries, and settings.
Toradex provide containers based on Debian slim
Application developers will take advantage of the TorizonCore Debian based containers images as a starting point for their Dockerfiles.
As an example, projects targeting TorizonCore running on a Apalis iMX8 can use the command FROM torizon/arm64v8-base in its Dockerfile.
Below some highlights of these containers:
See the Toradex Debian based containers images article for in-depth information.
Toradex provides optional IDE extensions to work with TorizonCore in:
TorizonCore Extensions for Visual Studio and VS Code
The Torizon resources article lists the ready-to-run demonstration 3rd party containers that Toradex offers in partnership with different industry segments and technologies.
Visit the Dockerhub page to find out other available Docker containers targeting execution in ARM architecture.
