Milk-V Duo Compile

A Docker container with the Milk-V Duo toolchain.

Don't let your Milk go spoiled!

About Milk-V Duo

From the Milk-V website

The Milk-V Duo is an ultra-compact embedded development platform based on the Sophgo CV1800B chip. It can run Linux and RTOS, providing a reliable, low-cost, and high-performance platform for professionals, industrial ODMs, AIoT enthusiasts, DIY hobbyists, and creators.

Why this Docker Image?

This Docker image is designed to provide a ready-to-use environment for compiling code for the Milk-V Duo. It eliminates the need to manually install and configure the necessary tools on your local machine.

Running the Docker Image

There are two ways to run commands with this Docker image: directly from outside the container or within the container. The method you choose depends on your specific needs.

Running Commands from Outside the Container

If you have a simple task or want to automate a process, you can run a command from outside the container. For example, if you want to compile the hello-world example in this repository, you can do so with the following command:

docker run -it \
    -v $(pwd):/home/milkv/buildroot \
    ghcr.io/aidancrowther/milk-v-duo-docker-compile:latest \
    "cd examples/hello-world && make"

This command mounts your current directory to the /home/milkv/buildroot directory in the Docker container and runs the make command in the hello-world directory. This method is useful for automation and scripting because it allows you to run commands without manually starting a Docker container. Note, the " are needed for your command.

Running Commands Within the Container

If your task is more complex or requires multiple commands, you might find it easier to start the Docker container and run commands within it. To start a Docker container, use the following command:

docker run -it \
    -v $(pwd):/home/milkv/buildroot \
    ghcr.io/aidancrowther/milk-v-duo-docker-compile:latest \
    /bin/bash

This command starts a Docker container and opens a bash shell. From here, you can navigate to the hello-world directory and run the make command:

cd examples/hello-world
make

This method is useful when you need to run multiple commands or want to explore the file system within the Docker container.

Sudo Access

The Docker image has sudo installed, and the default user (milkv) has sudo access. The reason that this container isn't using the root user by default is that anything produced by the container into the current directory will be owned by root and not the user that ran the container. This would include the final binary, and any intermediate files.

You might need to use sudo to install additional packages or run certain tools within the container. To use sudo, run the following command:

# Use the password "milkv"
sudo <command>

Copying Binaries to the Milk-V Duo

The Milk-V Duo runs on Busybox Linux, which has many simpler and/or older implementations of common services. As such, you may encounter an error when following the tutorial from Milk to copy files to the board. If you observe an error regarding /usr/libexec/sftp-server being missing, this means you are using a new version of SCP that usses sftp on its backend. To resolve this issue, simply add the -O flag to your command and it should resolve it.

Building the Docker Image

Building the Docker image yourself can be beneficial for several reasons:

1. Customization: You might want to add additional tools or modify the existing setup to suit your specific needs. Building the image yourself allows you to make these customizations.

2. Learning: If you're new to Docker, going through the process of building an image can be a great learning experience.

3. Security: Although it's generally safe to use images from trusted sources, building the image yourself ensures that you know exactly what's in your image.

To build the Docker image, use the following command:

docker build -t ghcr.io/aidancrowther/milk-v-duo-docker-compile .

In this command, ghcr.io/aidancrowther/milk-v-duo-docker-compile is the tag for the Docker image. The tag is a label for your image so that it can be referenced. This tag is used in subsequent commands (like docker run). By using this tag, you don't need to change any of the other commands in this README.

Using GitHub Codespaces

If you don't have Docker installed on your machine, you can use GitHub Codespaces. Codespaces sets up a cloud-hosted, containerized, and customizable VS Code environment. This repository is already configured for use with Codespaces.

Setting Up Codespaces

1. Navigate to the main page of the repository.
2. Click the green Code button.
3. In the dropdown, select Open with Codespaces.
4. Select + New codespace.

After a short while, your codespace will be ready and you'll be in a fully featured VS Code workspace.

Building and Running in Codespaces

You can build and run your code directly in the terminal in Codespaces, just like you would on your local machine.

Downloading Executables from Codespaces

If you need to download executables or any other files from Codespaces:

1. In the VS Code workspace, right-click the file you want to download.
2. Select Download.

The selected file will be downloaded to your local machine.