Mender: over-the-air updater for embedded Linux devices

Mender is an open source over-the-air (OTA) software updater for embedded Linux devices. Mender comprises a client running at the embedded device, as well as a server that manages deployments across many devices.

Embedded product teams often end up creating homegrown updaters at the last minute due to the need to fix bugs in field-deployed devices. However, the most important requirement for an embedded update process is robustness, for example loss of power at any time should not brick a device. This creates a challenge given the time constraints to develop and maintain a homegrown updater.

Mender aims to address this challenge with a robust and easy to use updater for embedded Linux devices, which is open source and available to anyone.

Robustness is ensured with atomic image-based deployments using a dual A/B rootfs partition layout. This makes it always possible to roll back to a working state, even when losing power at any time during the update process.

Ease of use is addressed with an intuitive UI, comprehensive documentation, a meta layer for the Yocto Project for easy integration into existing environments, and high quality software (see the test coverage badge).

This repository contains the Mender client updater, which can be run in standalone mode (manually triggered through its command line interface) or managed mode (connected to the Mender server).

Mender not only provides the client-side updater, but also the backend and UI for managing deployments as open source. The Mender server is designed as a microservices architecture and comprises several repositories.

Getting started

To start using Mender, we recommend that you begin with the Getting started section in the Mender documentation.

Building from source

In order to support rollback, the Mender client depends on integration with U-Boot and the partition layout. It is therefore most easily built as part of your Yocto Project image by using the meta layer for the Yocto Project.

Contributing

We welcome and ask for your contribution. If you would like to contribute to Mender, please read our guide on how to best get started contributing code or documentation.

License

Mender is licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0. See LICENSE for the full license text.

Security disclosure

We take security very seriously. If you come across any issue regarding security, please disclose the information by sending an email to [email protected]. Please do not create a new public issue. We thank you in advance for your cooperation.

Connect with us

• Join our Google group
• Follow us on Twitter. Please feel free to tweet us questions.
• Fork us on Github
• Email us at [email protected]