Most modern OTA update solutions for embedded Linux support a form of delta updates. Delta updates can reduce the amount of data transferred and the time required to install a new version by reusing locally available parts of the old version of a system. This is especially useful for devices on metered or bandwidth-constrained connections. In this article, we will survey the different delta update techniques implemented within popular OTA update tools, examine their tradeoffs, and present benchmarks that compare their efficiency on the basis of real-world update scenarios.

This article aims to serve as a guide for engineers looking to implement delta updates in their embedded Linux projects. Together with this article, we release Rugix version 0.8.12 which introduces support for static delta updates and functionality for benchmarking delta update techniques. With the benchmarking functionality included in Rugix Bundler, we enable engineers to evaluate the efficiency of different delta update techniques and make informed decisions about which approach to use based on their specific update scenarios. While we aim to present general benchmarks in this article, we would like to encourage you to run your own benchmarks and share your own findings with us.

We are excited to announce the release of Rugix (formerly Rugpi) version 0.8. 🎉 This release marks a significant milestone for the project. With this release, we rename the project from Rugpi to Rugix, cleanly separate Rugix into two independent tools, Rugix Ctrl and Rugix Bakery, and furthermore add a myriad of new and exiting features to both tools. Read on to learn more! 🚀

We are excited to announce the release of Rugpi version 0.7. 🎉 With this release, we expand the device support beyond Raspberry Pi and add official support for Debian and Alpine Linux.

We are excited to announce the release of Rugpi version 0.6. 🎉 This release introduces significant enhancements to the image building pipeline, elevating its flexibility and power.

We are excited to announce the release of Rugpi version 0.5. 🎉

Version 0.5 signifies the end of Rugpi's experimental phase. We are confident that the foundational update mechanism is sound. From this point forward, we aim to maintain backwards-compatibility for updates. This means, if you deploy a system with Rugpi now, you should be able to update it remotely later. While the update process itself is stable, we are still iterating on the design of the image building pipeline and the CLI and APIs. What will change in the upcoming months is the way system images are build. We are planning to introduce layers, drawing inspiration from Docker. Layers will streamline the image-building process and enable fail-safe delta updates in the future.

We are thrilled to introduce Rugpi, the first open-source platform that empowers you to create innovative products based on Raspberry Pi. 🎉 At its core, Rugpi is designed to streamline the process of building commercial-grade, customized variants of Raspberry Pi OS for your projects. Developed out of the need for a reliable platform for our customers, Rugpi boasts three core features: