firmware/README.md

Purpose of This Repository

The Armbian firmware repository provides a curated set of binary firmware files required by various hardware components on ARM-based single board computers (SBCs) supported by Armbian.

Purpose

• Distribute essential proprietary firmware blobs.
• Enable Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPU, VPU, and other peripherals.
• Ensure hardware compatibility out-of-the-box.
• Provide a leaner alternative to full upstream linux-firmware packages by including only relevant firmware for supported boards.

Usage in Armbian

• Packaged as armbian-firmware and installed automatically during OS setup or upgrades.
• Used by Armbian's custom kernels and U-Boot bootloaders to support board-specific features.

Includes Firmware for

• Realtek and Broadcom Wi-Fi/Bluetooth chips
• Mali and other ARM GPU/VPU components
• Various embedded controllers, USB devices, and more

Structure

The layout generally follows upstream linux-firmware standards, with additional Armbian-specific filtering and optimizations.

⚠️ Note: Some firmware files are proprietary and distributed under their respective licenses. Redistribution is limited to non-commercial or usage-only contexts.