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Getting Started with AutoSD

Welcome to AutoSD! This section helps you get productive quickly with clear paths to success based on your goals and experience level.

Choose your starting point

Perfect for hands-on learners

Jump right into building your first AutoSD image with our step-by-step guide.

15-Minute Quick Start →

Recommended for new users

Learn about AutoSD concepts, architecture, and the build process before diving in.

Learn Core Concepts →

For targeted deployments

Choose your development platform and follow optimized setup instructions.

Platform-Specific Setup →

What you’ll learn

By working through this getting started section, you’ll understand:

  • Build Process: How to create custom AutoSD images using manifests
  • Development Workflow: Edit, build, test, and deploy cycle
  • Platform Deployment: Running AutoSD on VMs, cloud, and hardware
  • Application Integration: Adding your software to AutoSD images
  • Safety Concepts: Mixed criticality and automotive-specific features

Understanding AutoSD components

Before diving into the build process, understand the key components:

Automotive Image Builder (AIB)

The primary tool for creating AutoSD images. It takes YAML manifests as input and produces bootable OS images.

Key Features:

  • Declarative configuration through manifests
  • Multiple export formats (QCOW2, raw disk, cloud images)
  • Hardware-specific optimizations
  • Containerized or native installation options

Learn More About the Build Tool →

AIB Manifests

AIB manifests are YAML files that define what goes into your AutoSD image: packages, configurations, users, services, and so on.

What manifests control:

  • Base OS configuration and packages
  • User accounts and permissions
  • Network and security settings
  • Container deployments
  • Hardware-specific optimizations

Explore sample manifests →

Sample images

Pre-built AutoSD images are available for download. These images are perfect to use for testing and as development environments.

Available images:

  • Developer Images: Include tools and utilities for development
  • Minimal Images: Lightweight base system for production
  • Hardware-Specific: Optimized for automotive platforms

Browse Available Images →

Platform-specific setup

Choose your development environment for detailed setup instructions:

Development environments

  • Linux development

    Native development on Fedora, RHEL, CentOS Stream, or Ubuntu. Recommended for production workflows.

    ➤ Linux Setup

  • macOS development

    Develop on macOS using containerized tools and virtualization. Great for cross-platform teams.

    ➤ macOS Setup

  • Cloud development

    Use cloud infrastructure for builds and testing. Ideal for CI/CD and team collaboration.

    ➤ AWS Setup • ➤ Azure Setup

Deployment targets

Common workflows

1. Rapid prototyping

graph LR
    A[Download sample image] --> B[Boot in VM]
    B --> C[Explore & test]
    C --> D[Customize manifest]
    D --> E[Build custom image]

2. Application development

graph LR
    A[Develop application] --> B[Package as RPM/container]
    B --> C[Create custom manifest]
    C --> D[Build & test image]
    D --> E[Deploy to target]

Installing the Automotive Image Builder tool

Quick Start

Get building immediately with containerized tools:

# Works on any system with container support
$ curl -o auto-image-builder.sh \
  "https://gitlab.com/CentOS/automotive/src/automotive-image-builder/-/raw/main/auto-image-builder.sh"
$ chmod +x automotive-image-builder

Native installation

For production environments and optimal performance:

Success metrics

You’ll know you’re ready to move to advanced topics when you can:

  • Build a custom AutoSD image from a manifest.
  • Boot the image in a virtual machine.
  • Log in and verify the system works.
  • Add a simple application to the image.
  • Understand the difference between QM and root partitions.

Next steps

After completing the getting started section:

  1. Build custom images → - Learn advanced image customization.
  2. Explore safety features → - Understand automotive safety concepts.
  3. Deploy to hardware → - Move from VMs to real hardware.
  4. Join the community → - Connect with other AutoSD developers.

Need help?

The AutoSD getting started experience is continuously improved based on user feedback. If you encounter issues or have suggestions, please contribute them back to help other users.

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