Ubuntu Core

What is Ubuntu Core

Ubuntu Core is a minimal rootfs for use in the creation of custom images for specific needs. Ubuntu Core strives to create a suitable minimal environment for use in Board Support Packages, constrained or integrated environments, or as the basis for application demonstration images.

Ubuntu Core delivers a functional user-space environment, with full support for installation of additional software from the Ubuntu repositories, through the use of the apt-get command.

Deploying Ubuntu Core

Requirements

• Ubuntu Core rootfs

• Appropriate linux kernel for target device
• Appropriate bootloader for target device

Procedure:

1. Uncompress (do not unpack) Ubuntu Core
2. Format target media: at least one partition should be ext2, ext3, or ext4
3. Unpack Ubuntu Core to ext{2,3,4} partition
4. Install bootloader as indicated for device
5. Install linux as indicated for device

6. If the linux kernel requires modules to boot, add these to /lib/modules/$(uname -r) in the ext{2,3,4} filesystem

7. Boot the target device

8. Install any additional required software with apt-get

Usage Considerations

Due to the effort spent to make Ubuntu Core as small as possible, some choices have been made that may not be suitable for some users. Please review the following, and if you are affected, add the appropriate packages to your environment.

Filesystems

Ubuntu Core ships with support for ext2, ext3, and ext4. If you need support for additional filesystems, please install appropriate support packages from the Ubuntu Archives.

The Ubuntu Core rootfs contains both symbolic and hard links: please do not unpack it to a filesystem without support for these features (e.g. fat32), as this may cause the system to malfunction in unpredictable ways.

Syslog

To increase the flexibility of logging options, no syslog server has been selected by default. If your application will need syslog functionality, we recommend the installtion of the rsyslog package, although there are other alternatives available in the Ubuntu repositories for those with special needs.

The Ubuntu Support team is unable to provide support for certain classes of issues without a logging facility. If you are encountering an issue, and have requested support, be aware that the support analysts may request the installation of some syslog implementation to help identify the cause of the issue.

Python

An extremely limited subset of the python environment has been deployed in Ubuntu Core, which environment is unsuitable for most Python applications. If you will be using Python software in your environment, please install the python package to get the full base interpreter.

The Python development team is unable to provide support for issues with Python without the python package installed: if you are encountering errors using the subset of python available, please first verify that you can repeat the issue after installing the python package before filing a bug or support request.

Current Releases

Get Involved

Anyone who wants to get involved with Ubuntu Core should join #ubuntu-devel on irc.freenode.net first. Giving support to other people vary from one-liner answers to solving problems including some known and unknown bugs. The channel is also a good place to get known before taking a bigger part of some problem, or joining the team.

Development discussion is taking place on the development mailing list and #ubuntu-devel on irc.freenode.net. If you are not a developer, and wish to discuss Ubuntu Core, please use development discussion mailing list.

The wider guide for getting involved may also be useful.