openwrt-docker-toolchain

The purpose of this docker image is to provide an environment for creating IPK packages which are used in OpenWrt package management system. Similarly, DEB packages are used in Debian-based operating systems.

Quick platforms refs (in case someone needs rough platform overview):

Docker is an open platform for developers and sysadmins to build, ship, and run distributed applications, whether on laptops, data center VMs, or the cloud.

OpenWrt is a GNU/Linux based firmware program for embedded devices such as residential gateways and routers.

OPKG is a lightweight package management system.

Docker image built on top of:

Debian Jessie -- source Docker image, a linux platform, marked stable as of now (end of 2016).

OpenWrt Chaos Calmer -- a codebase of the stable OpenWrt release.

What is the image dealing with for you?

• Installs all the dependencies needed to crosscompie (https://wiki.openwrt.org/doc/howto/buildroot.exigence)
• Downloads the latest Chaos Calmer sources + feeds
• Builds tools with toolchain (needed to crosscompile to different archs)

😎 How to build an OpenWrt package

• ###Create your docker container:

  docker run -p 8022:22 -it mchsk/openwrt-docker-toolchain:chaos_calmer

  You can change 8022 to any other port you would like to be able to connect to with a SFTP Client. If it is convenient to use files in GUI, use it. In terms of using the Docker this is an antipatern though! But yeah, it was rly painful to use Volumes on mac.

  The image has around 7.5 GB.

  SFTP credentials: username: dev password dev.

  Ok, so once you run the docker run ...^ command, you will end up being in the /home/dev directory, logged in as dev user. Use dev password when using sudo. When you ls, you will notice an openwrt directory. These are Chaos Calmer sources, with built toolchain and with updated all the feeds. Basically, these steps were executed:

  sudo apt-get update/upgrade/install -y %all_the_packages%

  git clone -b chaos_calmer git://github.com/openwrt/openwrt.git

  cd openwrt

  scripts/feeds update -a

  scripts/feeds install -a

  (selecting target ar71xx)

  make defconfig

  make prereq

  make tools/install

  make toolchain/install

  cd ~

• ###Prepare package, dependencies, eventually patches and create the Makefile: I was considering to write my own guide, but I believe that is not necessary, just head over to the original sources from OpenWrt community:

  • https://wiki.openwrt.org/doc/howtobuild/single.package
  • https://forum.openwrt.org/viewtopic.php?id=44846

Build & Profit.

☺ Pull requests are welcome.