@Lazar-Demin Actually the Arduino project did the add-in work, and Intel did the Galileo/Edison "board package". But the board support package model is available to all and documented at Arduino.cc.

@Lazar-Demin In the case of an Arduino/AVR it generates an executable using the gcc cross compiler, linker, ar, etc. It then generates a .hex file from the executable for firmware upload to the board using a tool such as avrdude, dfu, etc.

For a board which has an embedded linux, it generates a cross compiled executable for the board using the proper gcc, linker, ar, etc. It then has an SSH/RCP style method of copying the executable to the target system.

The key is recent changes to the Arduino IDE lets you customize the actions for every step. You can choose the headers and libraries to compile against for the target, you can choose the tools (cross compilers that run on the host and generate for the target), and the upload/copy method.

Intel Edison/Galileo is one example of such as setup targeting a board with embedded Linux from an Arduino IDE. It's made available as an add in as a "board package". Arduino 1.6.5 supports this newer way of supporting multiple embedded boards.

@Boken-Lin Sure. Intel Edison and Galileo create a library (it's open sourced) that allows you to take simple Arduino programs and generate a native Linux executable. It easier the porting of existing projects.

The basic Arduino program setup is straightforward, the challenge is getting the right libraries and macro's to compiled out some AVR specific modifiers and intrinsics.

It may be a lot to ask, but it's popular to create Arduino IDE add-ins for different embedded devices. Recent work with Arduino 1.6.5 or later makes it easier to add in CPU specific compilers and tool chains, library headers, etc. They now have an SSH option to upload programs as well.

Maybe it's something the community could work on.

@John-Richardson In addition get one of the Arduino style libraries for Linux that the Intel Galileo people did to ease porting of Arduino Sketches.

Eventually the tool chain could plug into the Arduino IDE.

@Boken-Lin Setup a Docker with the tool chain and cross compilers pre-configured. This way people can just docker run it from Ubuntu 14.04.

A VM for virtual box would be more general, similar to what the C.H.I.P. people are doing.