Variscite Software Support Strategy
Variscite creates software releases for customers building products on Variscite SoMs. These releases are based on upstream silicon vendor software, are adapted to Variscite hardware, and can serve as a foundation for product development.
Use the Software Release Finder to browse Variscite software releases across supported SoMs.
Variscite software releases are reference releases rather than finished production images. They are intended to help customers get started quickly, validate hardware, and customize software for their own product requirements. Customers remain responsible for the final software they deploy in production, including image contents, boot flow, system hardening, software update architecture, validation, vulnerability response, regulatory obligations, and long-term maintenance decisions.
What Variscite Delivers¶
Variscite software support is designed to reduce time-to-market by providing customers with a practical development foundation.
That support typically includes:
- Reference BSPs and software releases for supported SoMs.
- Maintenance on selected software branches, including kernel and package updates for security issues and bug fixes.
- Recovery SD card images that are validated on Variscite evaluation kits.
- Build guides for key software components such as the recovery SD card image, kernel, device trees, and U-Boot.
- Implementation guides for common hardware peripherals, interfaces, and platform features such as GPIO, I2C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and suspend/resume.
- Solutions for delivering software updates to customer products, including documented examples for SWUpdate, Mender, and Android OTA.
- Guidance for enabling and integrating security features such as OP-TEE, secure boot, TPM support, and data protection mechanisms.
These releases and guides are intended to serve as a starting point for development, while customers remain responsible for customizing, integrating, validating, and maintaining the production image for their own product.
Supported Software Options¶
Variscite supports multiple software options across its SoM portfolio, including Linux with the Yocto framework and Debian, Android for rich graphical systems, and real-time software for integrated MCU cores and coprocessors such as Zephyr, MCUXpresso, and MCU-PLUS-SDK. These software options are based on upstream open source ecosystems and are provided as reference baselines adapted and validated for Variscite SoMs. Availability varies by SoM. Use the Software Release Finder or the product page to check current support for each model.
| Software | Description |
|---|---|
|
A customizable Linux distribution framework for production-grade embedded systems, offering reproducible builds and precise control over image layers and contents. |
|
A Linux distribution with a large precompiled package repository and APT-based package management, commonly used for evaluation, prototyping, and development. |
|
A software stack for devices with rich graphical user interfaces, application frameworks, and broad multimedia and connectivity capabilities. |
|
Real-time software for integrated MCU cores and coprocessors, including Zephyr, MCUXpresso, and MCU-PLUS-SDK. |
For broader guidance on how to choose between these software options for a specific project, see Choosing an Operating System for Your Embedded SoM: A Practical Guide to Yocto, Debian, Android, and RTOS.
Software Lifecycle¶
Software lifecycle describes how a software branch is maintained over time, how long it remains suitable for product use, and what customers should expect as upstream projects, vendor branches, and platform support evolve.
Lifecycle matters because product decisions are not only about whether a system boots today. They also affect:
- How long a chosen baseline can realistically be maintained.
- When migration planning needs to begin.
- What security and update work will be required over the life of the product.
- Whether a branch is suitable for new product development or only for maintaining an existing deployment.
Learn more about Variscite's software lifecycle and how lifecycle expectations differ across the supported software families.
Software Maintenance and Security¶
Software support does not end at initial bring-up. Product teams also need a plan for software inventory, vulnerability handling, field updates, and platform security features.
Learn more about how Variscite enables Software Maintenance and Security across supported Variscite SoMs, including capabilities and guidance for:
- SBOM generation and software inventory.
- Vulnerability management.
- Software updates and OTA.
- Device security capabilities and planning.