documentation/toaster-manual/toaster-manual-intro.xml

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<chapter id='toaster-manual-intro'>
<title>Introduction</title>

    <para>
        Toaster is a web interface to the Yocto Project's
        <ulink url='&YOCTO_DOCS_DEV_URL;#build-system-term'>OpenEmbedded build system</ulink>.
        The interface enables you to configure and run your builds.
        Information about builds is collected and stored in a database.
        You can use Toaster to configure and start builds on multiple
        remote build servers.
    </para>

    <note>
        <para>
            This release of Toaster does allow you to configure and initiate
            builds.
            However, you cannot use Toaster to customize image recipes, which
            still must either be done by hand or through
            <ulink url='&YOCTO_HOME_URL;/tools-resources/projects/hob'>Hob</ulink>.
            As Toaster matures, it eventually will equal and surpass Hob
            functionality, at which time Hob will be deprecated.
        </para>

        <para>
            For more information on Hob,
            see the
            "<ulink url='&YOCTO_DOCS_DEV_URL;#image-development-using-hob'>Image Development Using Hob</ulink>"
           section in the Yocto Project Development Manual.
        </para>
    </note>

    <section id='intro-modes'>
        <title>Toaster Operational Modes</title>

        <para>
            You can use Toaster in Analysis Mode or Build Mode:
            <itemizedlist>
                <listitem><para><emphasis>Analysis Mode:</emphasis>
                    In Analysis Mode, you can record builds and statistics.
                    In this Mode, you directly access the
                    <filename>bitbake</filename> command, which you then use to
                    build images.</para>
                    <para>Analysis Mode requires you to have first started
                    Toaster and then to initiate your build using the
                    <filename>bitbake</filename> command from the shell.
                    Toaster must be started before the build or it will not
                    collect build data.</para>
                    <para>Toaster has the following capabilities in
                    Analysis Mode:
                    <itemizedlist>
                        <listitem><para>
                            See what was built (recipes and packages) and what
                            packages were installed into your final image.
                            </para></listitem>
                        <listitem><para>
                            Browse the directory structure of your image.
                            </para></listitem>
                        <listitem><para>
                            See the value of all variables in your build
                            configuration, and which files set each value.
                            </para></listitem>
                        <listitem><para>
                            Examine error, warning and trace messages to aid
                            in debugging.
                            </para></listitem>
                        <listitem><para>
                            See information about the BitBake tasks executed
                            and reused during your build, including those that
                            used shared state.
                            </para></listitem>
                        <listitem><para>
                            See dependency relationships between recipes,
                            packages and tasks
                            </para></listitem>
                        <listitem><para>
                            See performance information such as build time,
                            task time, CPU usage, and disk I/O.
                            </para></listitem>
                    </itemizedlist>
                    </para></listitem>
                <listitem><para><emphasis>Build Mode:</emphasis>
                    In Build Mode, Toaster handles the build configuration,
                    scheduling and execution.
                    In this mode, all your interaction with the build system
                    happens through the web interface.
                    You do not have direct access to the
                    <filename>bitbake</filename> command.</para>
                    <para>Using this mode, you configure and start your builds
                    within Toaster's GUI.
                    Each project can be configured for a specific version
                    of the build system.
                    As shipped, Toaster supports Yocto Project Releases 1.7 and
                    beyond.</para>
                    <para>Toaster has all the same capabilities in Build Mode
                    as it does in Analysis Mode plus the following:
                    <itemizedlist>
                        <listitem><para>
                            Browse layers listed in the various
                            <link linkend='layer-source'>layer sources</link>
                            that are available in your project (e.g. the
                            OpenEmbedded Metadata Index at
                            <ulink url='http://layers.openembedded.org/layerindex/'></ulink>).
                            </para></listitem>
                        <listitem><para>
                            Import your own layers for building.
                            </para></listitem>
                        <listitem><para>
                            Add and remove layers from your configuration.
                            </para></listitem>
                        <listitem><para>
                            Set configuration variables.
                            </para></listitem>
                        <listitem><para>
                            Select a target or multiple targets to build.
                            </para></listitem>
                        <listitem><para>
                            Start your builds.
                            </para></listitem>
                    </itemizedlist>
                    </para></listitem>
            </itemizedlist>
        </para>
    </section>

    <section id='toaster-installation-options'>
        <title>Installation Options</title>

        <para>
            You can set Toaster up to run as a local instance or as a shared
            hosted service.
            Regardless of how you set up Toaster, both Analysis and Build
            Modes are available.
        </para>

        <para>
            When Toaster is set up as a local instance, all the components
            reside on a single build host.
            Fundamentally, a local instance of Toaster is suited for a single
            user developing on a single build host.
        </para>

        <para>
            <imagedata fileref="figures/simple-configuration.png" align="center" width="6in" depth="1.5in" />
        </para>

        <para>
            Toaster as a hosted service is suited for multiple users
            developing across several build hosts.
            When Toaster is set up as a hosted service, its components can
            be spread across several machines:
        </para>

        <para>
            <imagedata fileref="figures/hosted-service.png" align="center" width="6in" depth="3.5in" />
        </para>
    </section>

<!--THIS EXTRA INFORMATION PROBABLY WILL GO AWAY
        For additional information on installing and running Toaster, see the
        "<ulink url='https://wiki.yoctoproject.org/wiki/Toaster#Installation_and_Running'>Installation and Running</ulink>"
        section of the "Toaster" wiki page.
        For complete information on the API and its search operation
        URI, parameters, and responses, see the
        <ulink url='https://wiki.yoctoproject.org/wiki/REST_API_Contracts'>REST API Contracts</ulink>
        Wiki page.
    </para>
-->
</chapter>