@@ -96,3 +96,46 @@ corresponding tool on the host system:
* Graph generation tools:
** +graphviz+ to use 'graph-depends' and '<pkg>-graph-depends'
** +python-matplotlib+ to use 'graph-build'
+
+
+=== Docker images
+
+The Buildroot project also provides a set of Docker images descriptions,
+in the directory `support/docker/`, which provide ready to use systems
+for using Buildroot. Those images are available on the
+https://gitlab.com/buildroot.org/buildroot/container_registry[docker
+registry of the Buildroot project].
+
+For a given distribution, and a given version of that distribution,
+there are up to three variants: 'base', 'ci', and 'user':
+
+* the 'base' variant is a minimalist system, which contains only the
+ minimal set of packages required for running Buildroot (i.e. the
+ packages listed as mandatory in the manual). The 'base' image shall
+ be used to verify that a package has all its dependencies defined,
+ for example by using:
+
+** `utils/test-pkg`
+
+* the 'ci' image inherits from the 'base' one, and adds the few packages
+ that are needed to run the CI jobs. The 'ci' image shall be used to
+ run the various tests and tooling in Buildroot:
+
+** `make check-package`
+** `support/testing/run-tests`
+** `utils/check-symbols`
+
+* the 'user' image inherits from the 'ci' image, and adds a few more
+ packages and setup that are useful for interactive use (e.g. the
+ `br-user` is sudoer without any password, but can just run a login
+ shell, using _exactly_ `sudo su -`).
+
+The Buildroot developers by no mean enforce or recommend using those
+images, or even suggest that Buildroot only works when using one of
+those images; instead, they are known-working environments that can be
+used where the distribution on the build machine can't be configured
+to match Buildroot's needs (e.g. on a shared server), or to provide a
+quick and easy way to test on various ditributions.
+
+Finally, those images can serve as the basis for further customisation:
+one can use them in the `FROM` directive in their own +Dockerfile+.
Signed-off-by: Yann E. MORIN <yann.morin.1998@free.fr> --- docs/manual/prerequisite.adoc | 43 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 43 insertions(+)