Slow deployment on VS Code using Torizon IDE Extension on iMX7 – apt-get update taking 30–90 minutes

Technical Support
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1

Hello,

I am using the Torizon IDE extension in VS Code to deploy my application on a Toradex Colibri iMX7 running Torizon OS.

During deployment, sometimes the first run takes around 30 minutes, but on other days the first run can take 1 to 1.5 hours to complete.

I noticed that the delay mainly happens during the docker-debug stage when the command apt-get -q -y update runs. At this step, the process becomes very slow.

I would like to know:

  • Why does apt-get update take so long during deployment?
  • Why does the deployment time vary significantly between runs?
  • Is there any recommended way to speed up this step or resolve this issue?

Device: Toradex Colibri iMX7
OS: Torizon OS
Deployment method: Torizon IDE Extension in VS Code

Any suggestions or guidance would be appreciated.

Thank you.

2

Hi, I’m the Toradex AI Assistant.

I might make mistakes or occasionally get you wrong. Our support team will step in if needed.

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)

I can help you understand and optimize the deployment process. To provide the most accurate guidance, could you let me know which version of Torizon OS you are running? You can check this using the tdx-info command on your device. For more details about this command, see: tdx-info documentation

Understanding the Deployment Process

The slow apt-get -q -y update command occurs during the debug container build process (1). This command updates package lists from Debian repositories and is part of the automated package installation process (1).

Common Causes of Variable Deployment Times

Based on the Torizon IDE Extension architecture, several factors can affect deployment speed:

1. Network-Related Issues

The variable timing you’re experiencing is often related to network connectivity issues (5). Network instability or low bandwidth can significantly affect the connection and cause timeouts during package downloads (5).

2. Container Build Process

The first-time build can be particularly slow because Docker needs to download and cache all the base layers and dependencies (2). The debug container is built on the host machine and then deployed to the target device (3).

3. Package Repository Access

The apt-get update command downloads package lists from Debian repositories. Slow or overloaded repository servers can cause significant delays (1).

Recommended Solutions

Network Troubleshooting

  • Verify network connectivity between your development machine and the Colibri iMX7 (5)
  • Check that necessary ports are accessible (5)
  • Consider network stability issues in your environment (5)

Docker Configuration

  • Ensure you have only Docker Desktop or Docker Engine installed, not both simultaneously (5)
  • Consider using a pull-through cache to reduce network load (5)

Package Management Optimization

You can optimize package installation by carefully managing your torizonPackages.json file (1). The IDE Extension uses this file to automatically add packages to the debug container during the build process (1).

The packages are installed using this pattern in Dockerfile.debug (1):

RUN apt-get -q -y update && \
    apt-get -q -y install \
# DO NOT REMOVE THIS LABEL: this is used for VS Code automation
    # __torizon_packages_dev_start__
    # __torizon_packages_dev_end__
# DO NOT REMOVE THIS LABEL: this is used for VS Code automation
    && \
    apt-get clean && apt-get autoremove && \
    rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*

(1)

Build Time Expectations

It’s normal for the first build to take considerable time, especially on ARM-based targets like the Colibri iMX7, as the process may use emulation for cross-compilation (2).

Once you provide the Torizon OS version information, I can offer more specific optimization recommendations for your setup.

Best regards, Toradex AI Assistant.

Did you like my answer? :+1: :-1:

If I answered your question, please tick the “Solution” checkbox.

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3

@ToradexAI here is
Software summary

Bootloader: U-Boot
Kernel version: 6.6.108-7.4.0-00057-g451f1e35226f #1-Torizon SMP PREEMPT Mon Jun 30 14:11:55 UTC 2025
Kernel command line: root=LABEL=otaroot rootfstype=ext4 quiet logo.nologo vt.global_cursor_default=0 plymouth.ignore-serial-consoles splash fbcon=map:3 ostree=/ostree/boot.1/torizon/22d58afd3489301015d8dd92011adee7c16b9fe8bedfe39c90cb8b42e0278e8d/0
Distro name: NAME=“Torizon OS Upstream”
Distro version: VERSION_ID=7.4.0-build.28
Distro variant: VARIANT=“Docker”
Hostname: colibri-imx7-emmc-06673340

Hardware info

HW model: Toradex Colibri iMX7D 1GB (eMMC) on Colibri Evaluation Board V3
Toradex version: 0039 V1.1A
Serial number: 06673340
Processor arch: armv7l

When I restart docker its take time 30 to 40 min then thats ok but sometime takes 2 to 3 hr .
Please Give me suggestion to optimize time.

4

Thank you for providing the system information. You’re running Torizon OS 7.4.0-build.28 on a Colibri iMX7D 1GB with the Colibri Evaluation Board V3. This helps me provide more targeted optimization recommendations.

Understanding Your Deployment Architecture

With the Torizon IDE Extension, your deployment involves several container types that affect build time (1):

Debug Container Process

The debug container is built on your host machine and deployed to the target device (1). Since this container is built on the host and executed on the SoM, it cannot bind-mount the workspace directory (2). Instead, build files are copied to the debug container during build time through SSH (2).

Package Installation Process

The slow apt-get -q -y update occurs because the IDE Extension automatically installs packages from your torizonPackages.json file using this pattern in Dockerfile.debug (2):

RUN apt-get -q -y update && \
    apt-get -q -y install \
# DO NOT REMOVE THIS LABEL: this is used for VS Code automation
    # __torizon_packages_dev_start__
    # __torizon_packages_dev_end__
# DO NOT REMOVE THIS LABEL: this is used for VS Code automation
    && \
    apt-get clean && apt-get autoremove && \
    rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*

(2)

Optimization Strategies

1. Optimize Package Management

  • Review your torizonPackages.json file and minimize packages in the devRuntimeDeps array (2)
  • Only include essential packages for debugging - remove any unnecessary development dependencies (2)
  • The IDE Extension supports autocompletion for package selection, which can help you choose only required packages (2)

2. Network and Repository Optimization

  • The variable timing (30-40 minutes vs 2-3 hours) suggests network-related issues
  • Consider configuring a local Debian mirror or package cache if you’re doing frequent deployments
  • Check your network stability during deployment times

3. Container Layer Caching

  • Docker caches layers between builds. The first build downloads all base layers, but subsequent builds should be faster (2)
  • Avoid frequently changing the base container version to maintain cache effectiveness

4. Development Workflow Optimization

Since you’re working with an ARM-based target (armv7l), consider:

  • Use the SDK container for cross-compilation when possible to reduce target-side processing (2)
  • The SDK container mounts the project workspace, so build files are shared and don’t need to rebuild from scratch (2)

5. Alternative Deployment Method

For faster iteration during development, you can also use the simpler container deployment approach (3):

# docker pull torizon/debian:$CT_TAG_DEBIAN
# docker run --rm -it -v /var/run/dbus:/var/run/dbus -v /dev:/dev torizon/debian:$CT_TAG_DEBIAN bash

(3)

This method is faster for testing but doesn’t persist changes between container restarts (3).

6. Monitor Build Dependencies

Check your .vscode/tasks.json file for the dependency chain. The debug deployment task typically depends on multiple sequential tasks (2):

  • validate-settings
  • build-debug-arm
  • build-container-torizon-debug-arm
  • push-container-torizon-debug-arm

Each step adds to the total deployment time.

Immediate Actions to Try

  1. Clean Docker cache on your development machine:

    docker system prune -a

  2. Review your torizonPackages.json and remove any unnecessary packages from the devRuntimeDeps section (2)

  3. Check network connectivity between your development machine and the Colibri iMX7 during slow deployment times

  4. Monitor which specific step is taking the longest in the VS Code terminal output

The 2-3 hour deployments are definitely not normal and likely indicate network timeouts or repository access issues during the apt-get update phase.

Best regards, Toradex AI Assistant.

Did you like my answer? :+1: :-1:

If I answered your question, please tick the “Solution” checkbox.

For follow-up questions to me, please use @ToradexAI in your post.