mender

Mender is an open-source over-the-air (OTA) update framework for embedded Linux devices designed to deliver, verify, and manage software updates securely and reliably. It provides a client that runs on devices and a backend server that orchestrates deployments and collects telemetry.

The core idea is transactional updates with safety nets: updates are staged and validated before switching to a new system image. If a deployment fails or the device cannot boot, Mender can roll back to the last known-good state.

The architecture consists of a device-side Mender client and a backend server (Mender server) that stores manifests, artifacts, and deployment histories. The client talks to the server to obtain update information, download artifacts, apply them to the active root filesystem or an alternate root, and report status back to the server. The server offers inventory, deployment management, user authentication, and analytics.

Mender supports integration with popular embedded Linux build systems such as Yocto Project/OpenEmbedded, and it is used in various industries including IoT, automotive, and industrial automation. The project is available as an open-source core, with additional enterprise features available in paid offerings.

The project maintains community resources, including documentation and a community hub for sharing artifacts and deployments.