Part 2: Build System Fundamentals

This section covers Zephyr’s powerful build system, including west, CMake, Kconfig, and device tree.

What You’ll Learn

Deep dive into west commands and workspace management
CMake build system structure and customization
Kconfig configuration system and troubleshooting
Device tree fundamentals, overlays, and troubleshooting
Standard application structure and organization

Chapters

Chapter	Description
West Commands	Complete west command reference with workflows
CMake Basics	CMakeLists.txt structure and build flow
Kconfig	Configuration system with hierarchy diagrams
Kconfig Troubleshooting	Common Kconfig errors and how to fix them
Device Tree	DTS fundamentals and syntax
Overlays	Device tree overlays and config fragments
Devicetree Troubleshooting	Decoding DTS errors and debugging strategies
Application Structure	Standard Zephyr app layout

Build System Overview

flowchart TB
    subgraph Input["Build Inputs"]
        APP[Application Code]
        CONF[prj.conf]
        DTS[Device Tree]
        KCONFIG[Kconfig Options]
    end

    subgraph BuildSystem["Build System"]
        WEST[West Meta-Tool]
        CMAKE[CMake]
        NINJA[Ninja]
    end

    subgraph Output["Build Outputs"]
        ELF[zephyr.elf]
        HEX[zephyr.hex]
        BIN[zephyr.bin]
    end

    Input --> WEST
    WEST --> CMAKE
    CMAKE --> NINJA
    NINJA --> Output

Prerequisites

Before starting this section, you should have:

Completed Part 1 (working Zephyr environment)
Basic understanding of build systems
Familiarity with configuration files

Key Concepts

West

The meta-tool that orchestrates everything - workspace management, building, flashing, and debugging.

CMake

The build system generator that creates ninja build files from your CMakeLists.txt.

Kconfig

Linux kernel-style configuration system that lets you enable/disable features and set options.

Device Tree

Hardware description language that tells Zephyr about your board’s peripherals.

Understanding the build system is crucial for effective Zephyr development. Take your time with this section.