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Qualcomm Linux
Qualcomm® Linux
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Linux offering for IoT development with an LTS kernel, multi-SoC support, and an upstream-first development model.

Qualcomm® Linux® software stack is a comprehensive package of software, tools, and documentation designed to support Qualcomm Dragonwing™ IoT platforms. It delivers a unified Linux distribution that enables developers to build once, scale, and deploy across all supported IoT SoCs. The distribution is built on the Yocto Project LTS and incorporates standard boot infrastructure, the latest Long-Term Support (LTS) kernel, and drivers aligned with upstream Linux development.

At the core of Qualcomm Linux is an upstream-first, publicly developed open development model. The software stack supports all processors, subsystems, and components within the platform, including the CPU, GPU, VPU, DPU, NPU, PMICs, and more. Qualcomm Linux extensively leverages upstream open-source software (OSS), integrating Qualcomm proprietary components as clean, modular overlays where required to ensure compatibility and optimal functionality. Beyond core enablement, Qualcomm Linux is designed for production-grade deployment, with support for virtualization, over-the-air (OTA) updates, and long-term lifecycle support for Dragonwing IoT platforms.

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Release Notes

Introduction to Qualcomm Linux

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Introduction to Qualcomm Linux

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Benefits

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Simplified development

A single system image and a unified BSP architecture streamline development, improve productivity, accelerate time to market, and enhance collaboration across Qualcomm® IoT SoCs.
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Platform-agnostic software development kits (SDKs)
A comprehensive set of tools, resources, upstream packages, sample apps, and APIs make development more efficient across Qualcomm IoT platforms.
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Easy accessibility
Open, community-aligned workflows, including public development branches, open CI/CD, open-source software, tools, documentation, sources, and common libraries enable faster development and encourage broader ecosystem participation.
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Extended product longevity
Open-source software and standardized frameworks ensure support through a predictable release cadence and long-term support model aligned with product lifecycles.
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Upstream-first development model
Code is contributed upstream first and continuously rebased to mainline, maintaining alignment with the Linux kernel and user space. Ongoing contributions to Yocto/OpenEmbedded help keep the distribution current as major components update.
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Optimize onboarding
Industry-standard workflows, easy access, standardized libraries and frameworks promote reuse and help enable rapid bring-up across multiple SoCs and products.

Qualcomm Linux Roadmap

Release info | Minor: 1x/quarter | Major 1x/2yr | 2yr development + 2yr standard maintenance + 10yr extended support

Qualcomm Linux Software Architecture

Software Roadmap

Embedded AI workflow

Dragonwing RB3 Gen 2 development kits are supported by platforms and SDKs such as Edge Impulse, Qualcomm AI Hub, and Foundries.io, for a streamlined AI model workflow, and Qualcomm Intelligent Multimedia (IM) SDK for a simplified integration of video and audio streams. The AI workflow includes AI model selection, raw data acquisition, model training/refining and benchmarking, and deployment onto multiple edge devices in production.

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