1.. SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0+
2
3Binman bintool Documentation
4============================
5
6This file describes the bintools (binary tools) supported by binman. Bintools
7are binman's name for external executables that it runs to generate or process
8binaries. It is fairly easy to create new bintools. Just add a new file to the
9'btool' directory. You can use existing bintools as examples.
10
11
12
13Bintool: bzip2: Compression/decompression using the bzip2 algorithm
14-------------------------------------------------------------------
15
16This bintool supports running `bzip2` to compress and decompress data, as
17used by binman.
18
19It is also possible to fetch the tool, which uses `apt` to install it.
20
21Documentation is available via::
22
23    man bzip2
24
25
26
27Bintool: cbfstool: Coreboot filesystem (CBFS) tool
28--------------------------------------------------
29
30This bintool supports creating new CBFS images and adding files to an
31existing image, i.e. the features needed by binman.
32
33It also supports fetching a binary cbfstool, since building it from source
34is fairly slow.
35
36Documentation about CBFS is at https://www.coreboot.org/CBFS
37
38
39
40Bintool: fiptool: Image generation for ARM Trusted Firmware
41-----------------------------------------------------------
42
43This bintool supports running `fiptool` with some basic parameters as
44neeed by binman.
45
46It also supports build fiptool from source.
47
48fiptool provides a way to package firmware in an ARM Trusted Firmware
49Firmware Image Package (ATF FIP) format. It is used with Trusted Firmware A,
50for example.
51
52See `TF-A FIP tool documentation`_ for more information.
53
54.. _`TF-A FIP tool documentation`:
55    https://trustedfirmware-a.readthedocs.io/en/latest/getting_started/tools-build.html?highlight=fiptool#building-and-using-the-fip-tool
56
57
58
59Bintool: futility: Handles the 'futility' tool
60----------------------------------------------
61
62futility (flash utility) is a tool for working with Chromium OS flash
63images. This Bintool implements just the features used by Binman, related to
64GBB creation and firmware signing.
65
66A binary version of the tool can be fetched.
67
68See `Chromium OS vboot documentation`_ for more information.
69
70.. _`Chromium OS vboot documentation`:
71    https://chromium.googlesource.com/chromiumos/platform/vboot/+/refs/heads/main/_vboot_reference/README
72
73
74
75Bintool: gzip: Compression/decompression using the gzip algorithm
76-----------------------------------------------------------------
77
78This bintool supports running `gzip` to compress and decompress data, as
79used by binman.
80
81It is also possible to fetch the tool, which uses `apt` to install it.
82
83Documentation is available via::
84
85    man gzip
86
87
88
89Bintool: ifwitool: Handles the 'ifwitool' tool
90----------------------------------------------
91
92This bintool supports running `ifwitool` with some basic parameters as
93neeed by binman. It includes creating a file from a FIT as well as adding,
94replacing, deleting and extracting subparts.
95
96The tool is built as part of U-Boot, but a binary version can be fetched if
97required.
98
99ifwitool provides a way to package firmware in an Intel Firmware Image
100(IFWI) file on some Intel SoCs, e.g. Apolo Lake.
101
102
103
104Bintool: lz4: Compression/decompression using the LZ4 algorithm
105---------------------------------------------------------------
106
107This bintool supports running `lz4` to compress and decompress data, as
108used by binman.
109
110It is also possible to fetch the tool, which uses `apt` to install it.
111
112Documentation is available via::
113
114    man lz4
115
116
117
118Bintool: lzma_alone: Compression/decompression using the LZMA algorithm
119-----------------------------------------------------------------------
120
121This bintool supports running `lzma_alone` to compress and decompress data,
122as used by binman.
123
124It is also possible to fetch the tool, which uses `apt` to install it.
125
126Documentation is available via::
127
128    man lzma_alone
129
130
131
132Bintool: lzop: Compression/decompression using the lzop algorithm
133-----------------------------------------------------------------
134
135This bintool supports running `lzop` to compress and decompress data, as
136used by binman.
137
138It is also possible to fetch the tool, which uses `apt` to install it.
139
140Documentation is available via::
141
142    man lzop
143
144
145
146Bintool: mkimage: Image generation for U-Boot
147---------------------------------------------
148
149This bintool supports running `mkimage` with some basic parameters as
150neeed by binman.
151
152Normally binman uses the mkimage built by U-Boot. But when run outside the
153U-Boot build system, binman can use the version installed in your system.
154Support is provided for fetching this on Debian-like systems, using apt.
155
156
157
158Bintool: xz: Compression/decompression using the xz algorithm
159-------------------------------------------------------------
160
161This bintool supports running `xz` to compress and decompress data, as
162used by binman.
163
164It is also possible to fetch the tool, which uses `apt` to install it.
165
166Documentation is available via::
167
168    man xz
169
170
171
172Bintool: zstd: Compression/decompression using the zstd algorithm
173-----------------------------------------------------------------
174
175This bintool supports running `zstd` to compress and decompress data, as
176used by binman.
177
178It is also possible to fetch the tool, which uses `apt` to install it.
179
180Documentation is available via::
181
182    man zstd
183
184
185
186