There are times when the platform you’re developing on and the computer you’re developing for don’t match. For example, you might want to build a PowerPC/Linux application from your x86/Linux laptop. Using the gcc, gas, and ld tools from the GNU toolkits, you can specify and build a cross-compiler that will enable you to build for other targets on your machine. With a bit more work, you can even set up an environment that will build an application for a variety of different targets. In this tutorial, I describe the process required to build a cross-compiler on your system. I also discuss building a complete environment for a range of targets, show you how to integrate with the distcc and ccache tools, and describe the methods required to keep up-to-date with the latest revisions and updates on your new development platform.To build a cross-compiler, you need a basic knowledge of the build process of a typical UNIX open source project, some basic shell skills, and a lot of patience. Read the full article