← All platforms
SSWUpdate
The update client that quietly runs inside a large share of shipped Linux devices — a library, not a service.
OSS Linux updaterEmbedded LinuxBy Stefano Babic / communitySince 2014Open source: GPL-2.0
- Type
- OSS Linux updater
- How it works
- A configurable updater invoked on the device. You describe the update in a sw-description file, and it handles verification, signature checking and writing to the right place — U-Boot, GRUB or EFI integration decides what happens on a failed boot. There is no management backend; pair it with hawkBit or your own.
- Targets
- Embedded Linux
- Deployment
- On-device (no server)
- Rollback
- Configurable: A/B, single-copy, or rescue, with bootloader integration
- Pricing*
- Free
- Free tier
- Yes
- Open source
- GPL-2.0
- Best for
- Custom update logic on Yocto builds
- Notable
- Pairs natively with hawkBit
* Published list pricing at August 2026 (vendor pricing pages, August 2026), not a quote.
Strengths
- Extremely flexible update strategies
- Tiny footprint, no runtime service
- Signature verification and encryption built in
- Well established in Yocto and Buildroot
Trade-offs
- No fleet management whatsoever
- Configuration is expert territory
- You own the whole operational side
Visit SWUpdate → Documentation
Listed for comparison as of August 2026 — not an endorsement, and SWUpdate did not pay for placement. See disclosure.
Compare SWUpdate with…