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+.. SPDX-License-Identifier: CC-BY-SA-2.0-UK
+
+Using a Development Shell
+*************************
+
+When debugging certain commands or even when just editing packages,
+``devshell`` can be a useful tool. When you invoke ``devshell``, all
+tasks up to and including
+:ref:`ref-tasks-patch` are run for the
+specified target. Then, a new terminal is opened and you are placed in
+``${``\ :term:`S`\ ``}``, the source
+directory. In the new terminal, all the OpenEmbedded build-related
+environment variables are still defined so you can use commands such as
+``configure`` and ``make``. The commands execute just as if the
+OpenEmbedded build system were executing them. Consequently, working
+this way can be helpful when debugging a build or preparing software to
+be used with the OpenEmbedded build system.
+
+Here is an example that uses ``devshell`` on a target named
+``matchbox-desktop``::
+
+  $ bitbake matchbox-desktop -c devshell
+
+This command spawns a terminal with a shell prompt within the
+OpenEmbedded build environment. The
+:term:`OE_TERMINAL` variable
+controls what type of shell is opened.
+
+For spawned terminals, the following occurs:
+
+-  The ``PATH`` variable includes the cross-toolchain.
+
+-  The ``pkgconfig`` variables find the correct ``.pc`` files.
+
+-  The ``configure`` command finds the Yocto Project site files as well
+   as any other necessary files.
+
+Within this environment, you can run configure or compile commands as if
+they were being run by the OpenEmbedded build system itself. As noted
+earlier, the working directory also automatically changes to the Source
+Directory (:term:`S`).
+
+To manually run a specific task using ``devshell``, run the
+corresponding ``run.*`` script in the
+``${``\ :term:`WORKDIR`\ ``}/temp``
+directory (e.g., ``run.do_configure.``\ `pid`). If a task's script does
+not exist, which would be the case if the task was skipped by way of the
+sstate cache, you can create the task by first running it outside of the
+``devshell``::
+
+   $ bitbake -c task
+
+.. note::
+
+   -  Execution of a task's ``run.*`` script and BitBake's execution of
+      a task are identical. In other words, running the script re-runs
+      the task just as it would be run using the ``bitbake -c`` command.
+
+   -  Any ``run.*`` file that does not have a ``.pid`` extension is a
+      symbolic link (symlink) to the most recent version of that file.
+
+Remember, that the ``devshell`` is a mechanism that allows you to get
+into the BitBake task execution environment. And as such, all commands
+must be called just as BitBake would call them. That means you need to
+provide the appropriate options for cross-compilation and so forth as
+applicable.
+
+When you are finished using ``devshell``, exit the shell or close the
+terminal window.
+
+.. note::
+
+   -  It is worth remembering that when using ``devshell`` you need to
+      use the full compiler name such as ``arm-poky-linux-gnueabi-gcc``
+      instead of just using ``gcc``. The same applies to other
+      applications such as ``binutils``, ``libtool`` and so forth.
+      BitBake sets up environment variables such as :term:`CC` to assist
+      applications, such as ``make`` to find the correct tools.
+
+   -  It is also worth noting that ``devshell`` still works over X11
+      forwarding and similar situations.
+