Minimal Linux dist to run Qt-app from

[AnAx]

Hi

Im currently playing around with Qt and are looking for the fastest way to boot up and get a Qt-app visible (QtWebKit with flash inside).

I would assume that a minimal Linux dist would be a good thing to use.
Since this could not be a very uncommon thing to do would I imagine that there are some ready to use dist somewhere?

How are you all doing it?

FYI: I'm booting from a USB-stick on VIA Pico hardware.

[e8johan]

Something that would be fun to do would be to create a busybox-based minimal distro booting from an initramfs (i.e. integrated into the kernel). Then you would use Qt for Embedded Linux for your application - avoiding X11 and other sources of complexity and added boot time.

That is how you build embedded systems, but usually not how you build for desktop computers.

[AnAx]

Something that would be fun to do would be to create a busybox-based minimal distro booting from an initramfs (i.e. integrated into the kernel). Then you would use Qt for Embedded Linux for your application - avoiding X11 and other sources of complexity and added boot time.

That is how you build embedded systems, but usually not how you build for desktop computers.

Seems a bit complex for me, but sounds good.

[e8johan]

You could use BuildRoot to build a minimal busybox system for x86... aught to be simple enough. :-)

[wysota]

Modern X11 based systems are able to bootup within 10 seconds if you turn off everything that you don't need so you probably don't need any special distros, try some lightweight desktop one and strip it from everything you don't need.

[AnAx]

Modern X11 based systems are able to bootup within 10 seconds if you turn off everything that you don't need so you probably don't need any special distros, try some lightweight desktop one and strip it from everything you don't need.

Qt does not need X11 (?) so I do not need anything X11 based?

Boot time is a big thing in my application so the faster the better.
Running it on a 1 Ghz CPU / USB Stick that limits the speed.

[e8johan]

Qt for embedded Linux does not need X11, Qt/X11 needs X11. When using Qt for embedded Linux, you need to provide it with a framebuffer, keyboard and pointer device. That is pretty much it.

Putting everything in an initramfs, means that as soon as the kernel has been loaded, everything will run from RAM, i.e. be really quick.

[wysota]

Boot time is a big thing in my application so the faster the better.
In that case Qt/Embedded is better but it will be harder to deploy it.

Running it on a 1 Ghz CPU / USB Stick that limits the speed.

Come on, one can do miracles with 1GHz :)

[AnAx]

Qt for embedded Linux does not need X11, Qt/X11 needs X11. When using Qt for embedded Linux, you need to provide it with a framebuffer, keyboard and pointer device. That is pretty much it.

Putting everything in an initramfs, means that as soon as the kernel has been loaded, everything will run from RAM, i.e. be really quick.

Is there anything out there ready-to-use so I only need to add my compiled program?