devshell

devshells are used to cross compile software for the target on the build host.

re-compiling code for an existing recipe

E.g. if you have modified the source code.

A devshell is opened from within a bitbake shell by a command like

bitbake -c devshell canutils

Where canutils stand for a recipe name. From a devshell all bitbake phases can be executed like cross-compiling the source code for the RasPi target board:

../temp/run.do_compile

This is also the place for checking the logfiles of a bitbake:

more ../temp/log.do_compile

cross-compile code without a recipe

A devshell can also be used for general cross-compilation of arbitrary source code, see cross compile.