99 lines
4.7 KiB
Markdown
99 lines
4.7 KiB
Markdown
---
|
|
title: Libreboot project
|
|
x-toc-enable: true
|
|
...
|
|
|
|
The `libreboot` project provides
|
|
[libre](freedom-status.md) *boot
|
|
firmware* that initializes the hardware (e.g. memory controller, CPU,
|
|
peripherals) on [specific Intel/AMD x86 and ARM targets](docs/hardware/), which
|
|
then starts a bootloader for your operating system. [Linux](docs/linux/)
|
|
and [BSD](docs/bsd/) are well-supported. It replaces proprietary BIOS/UEFI
|
|
firmware. Help is available
|
|
via [\#libreboot](https://web.libera.chat/#libreboot)
|
|
on [Libera](https://libera.chat/) IRC.
|
|
|
|
<img tabindex=1 class="r" src="https://av.libreboot.org/hp9470m/9470m+2560p.jpg" /><span class="f"><img src="https://av.libreboot.org/hp9470m/9470m+2560p.jpg" /></span>
|
|
|
|
**NEW RELEASE: The latest release is Libreboot 20230423, released on
|
|
23 April 2023.
|
|
See: [Libreboot 20230423 release announcement](news/libreboot20230423.md).**
|
|
|
|
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](https://yewtu.be/watch?v=Npd_xDuNi9k) matters.
|
|
Many people use proprietary (non-libre)
|
|
boot firmware, even if they use [a libre OS](https://www.openbsd.org/).
|
|
Proprietary firmware often [contains](faq.html#intel) [backdoors](faq.html#amd),
|
|
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](https://www.coreboot.org/) for [hardware
|
|
initialisation](https://doc.coreboot.org/getting_started/architecture.html).
|
|
Coreboot is notoriously difficult to install for most non-technical users; it
|
|
handles only basic initialization and jumps to a separate
|
|
[payload](https://doc.coreboot.org/payloads.html) program (e.g.
|
|
[GRUB](https://www.gnu.org/software/grub/),
|
|
[Tianocore](https://www.tianocore.org/)), which must also be configured.
|
|
*The libreboot software solves this problem*; it is a *coreboot distribution* with
|
|
an [automated build system](docs/build/) that builds complete *ROM images*, for
|
|
more robust installation. Documentation is provided.
|
|
|
|
Libreboot is not a fork of coreboot
|
|
-----------------------------------
|
|
|
|
In fact, Libreboot tries to stay as close to *stock* coreboot as possible,
|
|
for each board, but with many different types of configuration provided
|
|
automatically by the Libreboot build system.
|
|
|
|
In the same way that *Alpine Linux* is a *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 [simplified instructions, written for non-technical
|
|
users](docs/install/).
|
|
|
|
How to help
|
|
-----------
|
|
|
|
The *single* biggest way you can help it to *add* new mainboards to Libreboot,
|
|
by submitting a config. Anything coreboot supports can be integrated in
|
|
Libreboot, with ROM images provided in releases. See:
|
|
|
|
* [Apply to become a board maintainer/tester](docs/maintain/testing.md)
|
|
* [Porting guide for new mainboards](docs/maintain/porting.md)
|
|
* [Libreboot build system documentation](docs/maintain/)
|
|
|
|
After that, there is build system maintenance (see above), and *documentation*
|
|
which we take seriously. Documentation is critical, in any project.
|
|
|
|
You can check bugs listed on
|
|
the [bug tracker](https://codeberg.org/libreboot/lbmk/issues).
|
|
|
|
If you spot a bug and have a fix, [here are instructions for how to send
|
|
patches](git.md), and you can also report it. Also, this entire website is
|
|
written in Markdown and hosted in a [separate
|
|
repository](https://codeberg.org/libreboot/lbwww) 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](contact.md).
|