# Supported Targets Nerves supports a variety of hardware. These are called targets and are identified by short tag names. Examples of tag names are `rpi0`, `bbb`, etc. When building a Nerves project, set the `MIX_TARGET` environment variable to the tag name. This controls which dependencies and configuration settings are used when building your project. See the [Mix Targets](https://hexdocs.pm/mix/Mix.html#module-targets) documentation for further information on this concept. In Nerves, the term _system_ refers to the library (usually posted to hex.pm) that provides the bootloader, Linux kernel, C libraries, and more for a device. Systems have names like `nerves_system_rpi0`. Since it's possible to create firmware for more than one hardware device, Nerves uses the Mix target feature to select the desired system in your project's `mix.exs`. The naming of target tags is arbitrary. You can choose tags however makes the most sense for your project. Nerves uses the convention of naming the target tag after the system that it uses. For example, when using the Nerves new project generator, it will set up the `mix.exs` to use the tag `rpi0` to select the `nerves_system_rpi0` library for building for a Raspberry Pi Zero. ## Supported Targets and Systems The following table summarize officially supported hardware, the associated system and the `$MIX_TARGET` tag to use. Target | System | Tag ------ | ------ | --- Raspberry Pi A+, B, B+ | [nerves_system_rpi](https://github.com/nerves-project/nerves_system_rpi) | `rpi` Raspberry Pi 2 | [nerves_system_rpi2](https://github.com/nerves-project/nerves_system_rpi2) | `rpi2` Raspberry Pi 3 B, B+ | [nerves_system_rpi3](https://github.com/nerves-project/nerves_system_rpi3) | `rpi3` Raspberry Pi 4 | [nerves_system_rpi4](https://github.com/nerves-project/nerves_system_rpi4) | `rpi4` Raspberry Pi 5 | [nerves_system_rpi5](https://github.com/nerves-project/nerves_system_rpi5) | `rpi5` Raspberry Pi Zero | [nerves_system_rpi0](https://github.com/nerves-project/nerves_system_rpi) | `rpi0` Raspberry Pi Zero 2W and 3A (32 bits) | [nerves_system_rpi3a](https://github.com/nerves-project/nerves_system_rpi3a) | `rpi3a` Raspberry Pi Zero 2W and 3A (64 bits) | [nerves_system_rpi0_2](https://github.com/nerves-project/nerves_system_rpi0_2) | `rpi0_2` BeagleBone Black, BeagleBone Green, BeagleBone Green Wireless, and PocketBeagle. | [nerves_system_bbb](https://github.com/nerves-project/nerves_system_bbb) | `bbb` Generic x86_64 | [nerves_system_x86_64](https://github.com/nerves-project/nerves_system_x86_64) | `x86_64` OSD32MP1 | [nerves_system_osd32mp1](https://github.com/nerves-project/nerves_system_osd32mp1) | `osd32mp1` GRiSP 2 | [nerves_system_grisp2](https://github.com/nerves-project/nerves_system_grisp2) | `grisp2` MangoPi MQ Pro | [nerves_system_mangopi_mq_pro](https://github.com/nerves-project/nerves_system_mangopi_mq_pro) | `mangopi_mq_pro` While the Nerves core team only officially supports the above hardware, the community has added support for other boards. See [Nerves Systems on hex.pm](https://hex.pm/packages?search=depends:nerves_system_br) ## Supporting New Target Hardware If you're trying to support a new Target, there may be quite a bit more work involved, depending on how mature the support for that hardware is in the Buildroot community. If you're not familiar with [Buildroot](https://buildroot.org/), you should learn about that first, using the excellent training materials on their website. If you can find an existing Buildroot configuration for your intended hardware and you want to get it working with Nerves, you will need to make a custom System as follows: 1. Follow their procedure and confirm your target boots (independent of Nerves). 2. Figure out how to get everything working with the version of Buildroot Nerves uses. See the [`NERVES_BR_VERSION` variable in `create-build.sh`](https://github.com/nerves-project/nerves_system_br/blob/main/create-build.sh). * Look for packages and board configs can need to be copied into your System. * Look for patches to existing packages that are needed. 3. Create a defconfig that mimics the one from step 1, and get `nerves_system_br` to build it. See the section in the [System](systems.html) documentation about customizing Nerves Systems. > NOTE: You probably want to disable any userland packages that may be included > by default to avoid distraction.