There are three different host/target architecture for embedded Linux.
- Linked setup
- Removable storage setup
- Standalone setup
1. Linked setup :
- In this host/target architecture, the host and target are permanently linked together by serial cable or Ethernet link.

- In host/target linked setup, no storage device is required in between host and target.
- All the transfers occur via serial cable or Ethernet link.
- The host/target linked setup is most commonly used.
- In host/target linked setup, the host contains cross-platform development environment.
- The target contains bootloader, kernel, and root filesystem.