# Introduction to pmbootstrap for Embedded Devices > [! note]- > The content of this page is generated by audio/video transcription and text transformation from the content and links of this source. Source: [https://fosdem.org/2025/schedule/event/fosdem-2025-6187-introduction-to-pmbootstrap/](https://fosdem.org/2025/schedule/event/fosdem-2025-6187-introduction-to-pmbootstrap/) <video src="https://video.fosdem.org/2025/h1302/fosdem-2025-6187-introduction-to-pmbootstrap.av1.webm" controls></video> ## Summary & Highlights: The session 'Introduction to pmbootstrap' at FOSDEM 2025, presented by Anjan Momi, focuses on the use of pmbootstrap in developing PostmarketOS, a Linux distribution for mobile and embedded devices. **Overview of PostmarketOS** PostmarketOS is a Linux distribution based on Alpine Linux, designed to run on mobile devices such as smartphones and other embedded systems. It aims to provide a long lifecycle for devices by supporting a wide range of hardware, including phones, TVs, and wearables. The project emphasizes user freedom and security, offering an alternative to proprietary operating systems. **Role of pmbootstrap** pmbootstrap is a tool that simplifies the installation and development process for PostmarketOS. It automates the setup of development environments, manages cross-compilation, and supports over 500 device ports. This tool abstracts complex workflows, making it accessible for developers and users to work on embedded Linux projects efficiently. **Technical Capabilities** pmbootstrap supports various user interfaces and configurations, allowing customization for different devices. It facilitates package management and image building, supporting both stable and rolling releases. Developers can use pmbootstrap to experiment with different configurations, enabling the creation of customized Linux environments on diverse hardware. **Community and Development** The session highlights the collaborative nature of PostmarketOS development, with pmbootstrap enabling contributions from a global community. By simplifying the development process, pmbootstrap encourages more developers to participate in the open-source project, fostering innovation and collaboration. **Conclusion** In conclusion, pmbootstrap is a powerful tool for developing PostmarketOS, promoting the use of open-source software on a wide range of devices. It supports eco-social transformation by enabling sustainable device usage and enhancing user freedom through open-source alternatives. ## Importance for an eco-social transformation pmbootstrap and PostmarketOS contribute to eco-social transformation by extending the lifespan of electronic devices, reducing electronic waste, and promoting open-source software. These tools empower users with greater control over their devices, enhancing privacy and security. Eco-social designers can leverage pmbootstrap to create sustainable solutions by repurposing older hardware with new Linux-based functionalities. Challenges include overcoming proprietary hardware limitations and fostering wider adoption of open-source alternatives in the face of dominant proprietary systems. ## Slides: | | | | --- | --- | | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Introduction-to-pmbootstrap/preview_001.jpg\|300]] | The first slide introduces pmbootstrap, presented by Anjan Momi at FOSDEM 2025. It provides a brief overview of the session, emphasizing the significance of pmbootstrap in the development of PostmarketOS, a Linux distribution for embedded devices. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Introduction-to-pmbootstrap/preview_002.jpg\|300]] | The second slide outlines the origins of PostmarketOS, inspired by minimalistic Linux distributions running on older PCs. It highlights the goal of running Linux on mobile devices, aiming for a 10-year lifecycle and supporting various form factors like phones, watches, and TVs. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Introduction-to-pmbootstrap/preview_003.jpg\|300]] | This slide is not described in detail in the provided text, but it likely continues to elaborate on the technical aspects and goals of PostmarketOS and pmbootstrap. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Introduction-to-pmbootstrap/preview_004.jpg\|300]] | The fourth slide discusses the variety of user interfaces supported by PostmarketOS, including GNOME, Plasma Mobile, and Tiling Window Managers, demonstrating the flexibility and adaptability of the system across different device types. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Introduction-to-pmbootstrap/preview_005.jpg\|300]] | The fifth slide explains how pmbootstrap simplifies the process of getting a Linux distribution on devices. It emphasizes the tool's role in making PostmarketOS development accessible, leveraging Alpine Linux's minimalism to support over 500 device ports. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Introduction-to-pmbootstrap/preview_006.jpg\|300]] | The sixth slide focuses on the packaging process within pmbootstrap, detailing how packages are built, checked, and archived using a simple APK build format similar to Arch Linux, facilitating easy customization and development. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Introduction-to-pmbootstrap/preview_007.jpg\|300]] | The seventh slide provides a walkthrough of the pmbootstrap initialization process, showcasing the steps to configure a development environment, select user interfaces, and set up device-specific configurations. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Introduction-to-pmbootstrap/preview_008.jpg\|300]] | The eighth slide highlights the use of pmbootstrap with QEMU, illustrating the commands needed to install and run PostmarketOS in a virtual machine for testing and development purposes. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Introduction-to-pmbootstrap/preview_009.jpg\|300]] | The ninth slide describes remote building and sideloading with pmbootstrap, providing commands and configurations for setting up a build server and managing package repositories for cross-compiled packages. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Introduction-to-pmbootstrap/preview_010.jpg\|300]] | The tenth slide focuses on porting, detailing tools and commands like envkernel.sh and pmbootstrap bootimg analyze, which assist in kernel development and device porting, supported by comprehensive documentation on the PostmarketOS wiki. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Introduction-to-pmbootstrap/preview_011.jpg\|300]] | The final slide invites participants to engage with the PostmarketOS community, providing links to the project website and additional talks at FOSDEM, encouraging collaboration and further exploration of the project's developments. ## Links [Video recording (AV1/WebM) - 26.1 MB](https://video.fosdem.org/2025/h1302/fosdem-2025-6187-introduction-to-pmbootstrap.av1.webm) [Video recording (MP4) - 187.8 MB](https://video.fosdem.org/2025/h1302/fosdem-2025-6187-introduction-to-pmbootstrap.av1.mp4) [Video recording subtitle file (VTT)](https://video.fosdem.org/2025/h1302/fosdem-2025-6187-introduction-to-pmbootstrap.vtt) [Slides](https://fosdem.org/2025/events/attachments/fosdem-2025-6187-introduction-to-pmbootstrap/slides/238167/intro_pmb_h1zns1E.pdf) [Chat room(web)](https://fosdem.org/2025/chat/h1302) [Chat room(app)](https://fosdem.org/2025/chat/h1302/app) [Submit Feedback](https://fosdem.org/2025/feedback)