libreboot build system (LibreBoot-MaKe). Libreboot performs hardware initialization on your computer, using coreboot, to replace the proprietary BIOS/UEFI firmware on supported x86 computers.

Leah Rowe a52c99524d Merge pull request 'Add fedora 38 other unifont dependencies' (#45) from MrArthegor/lbmk:master into master 10 months ago
blobs 6ff0284a51 Add HP EliteBook Folio 9470m 11 months ago
resources bc85118c51 add fedora 38 unifont dependencies 10 months ago
util f49eccee72 util/e6400-flash-unlock: do void on ec_fdo_command 11 months ago
.gitcheck f787044642 Do not rely on bashisms and behaviour undefined by the POSIX specification. 1 year ago
.gitignore b9ee4e79c3 blobutil: support fetching KBC1126 EC (HP laptops) 11 months ago
COPYING 89517ed6b9 libreboot! 2 years ago
Makefile f787044642 Do not rely on bashisms and behaviour undefined by the POSIX specification. 1 year ago
README.md 49356c3dd7 update to codeberg links in the readme 11 months ago
blobutil f787044642 Do not rely on bashisms and behaviour undefined by the POSIX specification. 1 year ago
build f787044642 Do not rely on bashisms and behaviour undefined by the POSIX specification. 1 year ago
download f787044642 Do not rely on bashisms and behaviour undefined by the POSIX specification. 1 year ago
gitclone a942bd6590 move download/gitmodule script to root directory 1 year ago
modify f787044642 Do not rely on bashisms and behaviour undefined by the POSIX specification. 1 year ago
projectname 208a793107 update README 2 years ago
update f787044642 Do not rely on bashisms and behaviour undefined by the POSIX specification. 1 year ago

README.md

Libreboot

Find libreboot documentation at https://libreboot.org/

The libreboot project provides libre boot firmware that initializes the hardware (e.g. memory controller, CPU, peripherals) on specific Intel/AMD x86 and ARM targets, which then starts a bootloader for your operating system. Linux/BSD are well-supported. It replaces proprietary BIOS/UEFI firmware. Help is available via #libreboot IRC on Libera IRC.

Why use Libreboot?

Why should you use libreboot?

Libreboot gives you freedoms that you otherwise can't get with most other boot firmware. It's extremely powerful and configurable for many use cases.

You have rights. The right to privacy, freedom of thought, freedom of speech and the right to read. In this context, Libreboot gives you these rights. Your freedom matters. Right to repair matters. Many people use proprietary (non-libre) boot firmware, even if they use a libre OS. Proprietary firmware often contains backdoors (more info on the FAQ), and it and can be buggy. The libreboot project was founded in in December 2013, with the express purpose of making coreboot firmware accessible for non-technical users.

The libreboot project uses coreboot for hardware initialisation. Coreboot is notoriously difficult to install for most non-technical users; it handles only basic initialization and jumps to a separate payload program (e.g. GRUB, Tianocore), which must also be configured. The libreboot software solves this problem; it is a coreboot distribution with an automated build system (named lbmk) that builds complete ROM images, for more robust installation. Documentation is provided.

How does Libreboot differ from coreboot?

In the same way that Debian is a GNU+Linux distribution, libreboot is a coreboot distribution. If you want to build a ROM image from scratch, you otherwise have to perform expert-level configuration of coreboot, GRUB and whatever other software you need, to prepare the ROM image. With libreboot, you can literally download from Git or a source archive, and run make, and it will build entire ROM images. An automated build system, named lbmk (Libreboot MaKe), builds these ROM images automatically, without any user input or intervention required. Configuration has already been performed in advance.

If you were to build regular coreboot, without using libreboot's automated build system, it would require a lot more intervention and decent technical knowledge to produce a working configuration.

Regular binary releases of libreboot provide these ROM images pre-compiled, and you can simply install them, with no special knowledge or skill except the ability to follow installation instructions and run commands BSD/Linux.

Project goals

  • Support as much hardware as possible! Libreboot aims to eventually have maintainers for every board supported by coreboot, at every point in time.
  • Make coreboot easy to use. Coreboot is notoriously difficult to install, due to an overall lack of user-focused documentation and support. Most people will simply give up before attempting to install coreboot. Libreboot's automated build system and user-friendly installation instructions solves this problem.

Libreboot attempts to bridge this divide by providing a build system automating much of the coreboot image creation and customization. Secondly, the project produces documentation aimed at non-technical users. Thirdly, the project attempts to provide excellent user support via IRC.

Libreboot already comes with a payload (GRUB), flashrom and other needed parts. Everything is fully integrated, in a way where most of the complicated steps that are otherwise required, are instead done for the user in advance.

You can download ROM images for your libreboot system and install them without having to build anything from source. If, however, you are interested in building your own image, the build system makes it relatively easy to do so.

Not a coreboot fork!

Libreboot is not a fork of coreboot. Every so often, the project re-bases on the latest version of coreboot, with the number of custom patches in use minimized. Tested, stable (static) releases are then provided in Libreboot, based on specific coreboot revisions.

How to help

You can check bugs listed on the bug tracker.

If you spot a bug and have a fix, the website has instructions for how to send patches, and you can also report it. Also, this entire website is written in Markdown and hosted in a separate repository where you can send patches.

Any and all development discussion and user support are all done on the IRC channel. More information is on the contact page of libreboot.org.

LICENSE FOR THIS README

It's just a README file. This README file is released under the terms of the Creative Commons Zero license, version 1.0 of the license, which you can read here:

https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/legalcode.txt