brief-yoctoprojectqs: shorten and clarify required host packages

Rather than refer specifically to Ubuntu and show an example of
installing essential packages, just refer the reader to the page on
supported Linux distributions and leave it at that.

Signed-off-by: Robert P. J. Day <rpjday@crashcourse.ca>

---

Hi Robert,

On 11/19/25 2:01 PM, Robert P. J. Day via lists.yoctoproject.org wrote:
> 
> Rather than refer specifically to Ubuntu and show an example of
> installing essential packages, just refer the reader to the page on
> supported Linux distributions and leave it at that.
> 
> Signed-off-by: Robert P. J. Day <rpjday@crashcourse.ca>
> 
> ---
> 
> diff --git a/documentation/brief-yoctoprojectqs/index.rst b/documentation/brief-yoctoprojectqs/index.rst
> index 211b6d70f..36acd655e 100644
> --- a/documentation/brief-yoctoprojectqs/index.rst
> +++ b/documentation/brief-yoctoprojectqs/index.rst
> @@ -71,21 +71,14 @@ can still use the Yocto Project. See the
>   :ref:`ref-manual/system-requirements:required git, tar, python, make and gcc versions`
>   section in the Yocto Project Reference Manual for information.
> 
> -Build Host Packages
> -===================
> -
> -You must install essential host packages on your build host. The
> -following command installs the host packages based on an Ubuntu
> -distribution:
> -
> -.. literalinclude:: ../tools/host_packages_scripts/ubuntu_essential.sh
> -   :language: shell
> -
> -.. note::
> -
> -   For host package requirements on all supported Linux distributions,
> -   see the :ref:`ref-manual/system-requirements:required packages for the build host`
> -   section in the Yocto Project Reference Manual.
> +Supported Linux Distributions and Required Host Packages
> +========================================================
> +
> +Depending on your Linux distribution, you might have to install
> +some essential packages on your build host.  For host package

Spurious whitespace after the dot?

It's unlikely someone's system will have all dependencies already 
installed so I think we can just lose the first sentence?

We should probably also update the note at the top of the page. 
Especially the "running a *recent* Ubuntu distribution". We're often a 
few weeks if not months behind after a new distro version has been 
released before we actually do support it officially, and we don't 
always backport support for that new distro version on older YP/BB/OE 
releases.

Looks good otherwise,
Thanks!
Quentin

On Wed, 19 Nov 2025, Quentin Schulz wrote:

> Hi Robert,
>
> On 11/19/25 2:01 PM, Robert P. J. Day via lists.yoctoproject.org wrote:
> >
> > Rather than refer specifically to Ubuntu and show an example of
> > installing essential packages, just refer the reader to the page on
> > supported Linux distributions and leave it at that.
> >
> > Signed-off-by: Robert P. J. Day <rpjday@crashcourse.ca>
> >
> > ---
> >
> > diff --git a/documentation/brief-yoctoprojectqs/index.rst
> > b/documentation/brief-yoctoprojectqs/index.rst
> > index 211b6d70f..36acd655e 100644
> > --- a/documentation/brief-yoctoprojectqs/index.rst
> > +++ b/documentation/brief-yoctoprojectqs/index.rst
> > @@ -71,21 +71,14 @@ can still use the Yocto Project. See the
> >   :ref:`ref-manual/system-requirements:required git, tar, python, make and
> > gcc versions`
> >   section in the Yocto Project Reference Manual for information.
> >
> > -Build Host Packages
> > -===================
> > -
> > -You must install essential host packages on your build host. The
> > -following command installs the host packages based on an Ubuntu
> > -distribution:
> > -
> > -.. literalinclude:: ../tools/host_packages_scripts/ubuntu_essential.sh
> > -   :language: shell
> > -
> > -.. note::
> > -
> > -   For host package requirements on all supported Linux distributions,
> > -   see the :ref:`ref-manual/system-requirements:required packages for the
> > build host`
> > -   section in the Yocto Project Reference Manual.
> > +Supported Linux Distributions and Required Host Packages
> > +========================================================
> > +
> > +Depending on your Linux distribution, you might have to install
> > +some essential packages on your build host.  For host package
>
> Spurious whitespace after the dot?

  ah, the two spaces after the period? not sure how that got there.
will fix.

> It's unlikely someone's system will have all dependencies already installed so
> I think we can just lose the first sentence?

  sure.

> We should probably also update the note at the top of the page. Especially the
> "running a *recent* Ubuntu distribution". We're often a few weeks if not
> months behind after a new distro version has been released before we actually
> do support it officially, and we don't always backport support for that new
> distro version on older YP/BB/OE releases.

  what about "relatively recent"? that leaves a lot of wiggle room.

rday

On 11/19/25 5:15 PM, Robert P. J. Day wrote:
> On Wed, 19 Nov 2025, Quentin Schulz wrote:
> 
>> Hi Robert,
>>
>> On 11/19/25 2:01 PM, Robert P. J. Day via lists.yoctoproject.org wrote:
>>>
>>> Rather than refer specifically to Ubuntu and show an example of
>>> installing essential packages, just refer the reader to the page on
>>> supported Linux distributions and leave it at that.
>>>
>>> Signed-off-by: Robert P. J. Day <rpjday@crashcourse.ca>
>>>
>>> ---
>>>
>>> diff --git a/documentation/brief-yoctoprojectqs/index.rst
>>> b/documentation/brief-yoctoprojectqs/index.rst
>>> index 211b6d70f..36acd655e 100644
>>> --- a/documentation/brief-yoctoprojectqs/index.rst
>>> +++ b/documentation/brief-yoctoprojectqs/index.rst
>>> @@ -71,21 +71,14 @@ can still use the Yocto Project. See the
>>>    :ref:`ref-manual/system-requirements:required git, tar, python, make and
>>> gcc versions`
>>>    section in the Yocto Project Reference Manual for information.
>>>
>>> -Build Host Packages
>>> -===================
>>> -
>>> -You must install essential host packages on your build host. The
>>> -following command installs the host packages based on an Ubuntu
>>> -distribution:
>>> -
>>> -.. literalinclude:: ../tools/host_packages_scripts/ubuntu_essential.sh
>>> -   :language: shell
>>> -
>>> -.. note::
>>> -
>>> -   For host package requirements on all supported Linux distributions,
>>> -   see the :ref:`ref-manual/system-requirements:required packages for the
>>> build host`
>>> -   section in the Yocto Project Reference Manual.
>>> +Supported Linux Distributions and Required Host Packages
>>> +========================================================
>>> +
>>> +Depending on your Linux distribution, you might have to install
>>> +some essential packages on your build host.  For host package
>>
>> Spurious whitespace after the dot?
> 
>    ah, the two spaces after the period? not sure how that got there.
> will fix.
> 
>> It's unlikely someone's system will have all dependencies already installed so
>> I think we can just lose the first sentence?
> 
>    sure.
> 
>> We should probably also update the note at the top of the page. Especially the
>> "running a *recent* Ubuntu distribution". We're often a few weeks if not
>> months behind after a new distro version has been released before we actually
>> do support it officially, and we don't always backport support for that new
>> distro version on older YP/BB/OE releases.
> 
>    what about "relatively recent"? that leaves a lot of wiggle room.
> 

Not really. Don't forget that people can still read the documentation 
for older unsupported releases today. What is "relatively recent" today 
isn't something we supported back then and that shouldn't be something 
we should let the user be confused about.

Cheers,
Quentin

On Wed, 19 Nov 2025, Quentin Schulz wrote:

> On 11/19/25 5:15 PM, Robert P. J. Day wrote:
> >
> >    what about "relatively recent"? that leaves a lot of wiggle room.
> >
>
> Not really. Don't forget that people can still read the documentation for
> older unsupported releases today. What is "relatively recent" today isn't
> something we supported back then and that shouldn't be something we should let
> the user be confused about.

  ok, i'll just word it as "running a supported Linux distribution",
and that is expanded on in the next section. we're not saying that
they *must* be running a supported distro, only that the examples on
this page are assuming a supported distro.

rday