6 Quick Start

This chapter describes the build environment. Additional chapters describe how the build system parse files, creates C files and assembles binary images into PI compliant firmware images. The EDK II build system uses multiple threads during the build process. The maximum number of threads that will be spawned is controlled in the Conf/target.txt file. Typically, this value will be one more than the number of cores that are on the development workstation. Increasing the number beyond the N+1 value will not offer any performance benefit.

Note: Path and Filename elements within the Build Meta-Data files and command-line arguments are case-sensitive in order to support building on UNIX style operating systems.

A build is always performed within the context of a "platform" defined in a single workspace. Multiple platforms can be defined in any one workspace. While some developers will not be building actual platform firmware; the platform definition file (DSC) format is suitable for Option ROM and stand-alone application development, as well as flexible enough to create binary distribution code for individual modules as well as a full platform firmware file.

One set of EDK II build tools is required on a development system. The source code for these tools is written in either generic C or Python.

Refer to the TianoCore.org Getting Started with EDK II web page for additional information on setting up and using the EDK II build system.