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Version: Torizon OS 7.x.y

Software Packages Management

Introduction​

In this article, you learn how to manage software packages for Applications, Torizon OS images, and Bootloader with the Torizon Cloud.

Sofware Packages​

It is important to know that Torizon Cloud is capable of updating different components, managing specific types of packages for each one:

  • OS Packages: Torizon OS with all the pieces needed to host and run your Torizon Application Packages - kernel, filesystem, drivers, hardware configurations, your customizations, utilities, and services, such as update client, device monitoring client, container daemon, and more.
  • Application Packages: every software that is needed by your application, including libraries and other services, packaged in one or multiple containers.
  • Bootloader Packages: whenever needed to perform a major upgrade in the Torizon OS version, Toradex provides fully validated bootloader packages in the Torizon Cloud so you can securely update your device's bootloader.
  • Custom component Packages: when you want to update Subsystems connected to a Torizon OS Device.

Prerequisites​

Application Updates: Containers Packages​

OS Updates​

Subsystem Updates: Custom Component Package​

You are able to update any subsystem connected to your Torizon Device using the Torizon Subsystem Updates Feature.

To learn how to enable and deploy subsystem updates using custom component packages, follow the First Steps with Subsystem Updates article.

OS and Application: Synchronous Updates​

In the context of Torizon Cloud and offline updates, the simultaneous update of the OS and application packages on a Torizon OS device is called "synchronous update." It is more than just updating 2 components at once. It’s truly synchronous, in the sense that both OS and application must update successfully or they fail together as if they were a single component.

Declaring a synchronous update using the Torizon Cloud

The main motivation behind synchronous updates is for cases where the OS and application are intertwined. For example, when you have a new application that relies on a new driver, and it is only available in a new version of the OS. Given the dependency, it would be ideal to update both OS and application at the same time.

Due to the design of synchronous updates, it’s guaranteed that you’ll end up with a system that either failed to update or successfully updated both components. This way the system prevents awkward scenarios, where only one component is updated successfully leaving you with a halfway updated system with mismatched components.

The preceding example is not the only situation that would warrant synchronous updates. Whenever you need to tie the failure and success states of both an OS and application updates, use synchronous updates. Otherwise, if it is acceptable for the OS and application update to fail or succeed independently, then two non-synchronous updates are sufficient.

The update procedure in this case has additional checks to ensure integrity of the process. Learn more at the Torizon Updates Architecture.

Bootloader Packages​

In some cases, Toradex explicitly recomends you to update your bootloader. Toradex maintains and publishes the correct bootloader package for your devices. Learn more in the Bootloader Updates Documentation article.

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