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+OpenSBI Platform Firmwares
+==========================
+
+OpenSBI provides firmware builds for specific platforms. Different types of
+firmwares are supported to deal with the differences between different platforms
+early boot stage. All firmwares will execute the same initialization procedure
+of the platform hardware according to the platform specific code as well as
+OpenSBI generic library code. The supported firmwares types will differ in how
+the arguments passed by the platform early boot stage are handled, as well as
+how the boot stage following the firmware will be handled and executed.
+
+OpenSBI currently supports two different types of firmwares.
+
+Firmware with Jump Address (*FW_JUMP*)
+--------------------------------------
+
+The *FW_JUMP* firmware only handles the address of the next booting stage
+entry, e.g. a bootloader or an OS kernel, without directly including the
+binary code for this next stage.
+
+A *FW_JUMP* firmware is particularly useful when the booting stage executed
+prior to OpenSBI firmware is capable of loading both the OpenSBI firmware
+and the booting stage binary to follow OpenSBI firmware.
+
+Firmware with Payload (*FW_PAYLOAD*)
+------------------------------------
+
+The *FW_PAYLOAD* firmware directly includes the binary code for the booting
+stage to follow OpenSBI firmware execution. Typically, this payload will be a
+bootloader or an OS kernel.
+
+A *FW_PAYLOAD* firmware is particularly useful when the booting stage executed
+prior to OpenSBI firmware is not capable of loading both OpenSBI firmware and
+the booting stage to follow OpenSBI firmware.
+
+A *FW_PAYLOAD* firmware is also useful for cases where the booting stage prior
+to OpenSBI firmware does not pass a *flattened device tree (FDT file)*. In such
+case, a *FW_PAYLOAD* firmware allows embedding a flattened device tree in the
+.text section of the final firmware.
+
+Firmware Configuration and Compilation
+--------------------------------------
+
+All firmware types mandate the definition of the following compile time
+configuration parameter.
+
+* **FW_TEXT_ADDR** - Defines the address at which the previous booting stage
+  loads OpenSBI firmware.
+
+Additionally, each firmware type as a set of type specific configuration
+parameters. Detailed information for each firmware type can be found in the 
+following documents.
+
+* *[FW_JUMP]*: The *Firmware with Jump Address (FW_JUMP)* is described in more
+  details in the file *fw_jump.md*.
+* *[FW_PAYLOAD]*: The *Firmware with Payload (FW_PAYLOAD)* is described in more
+  details in the file *fw_payload.md*.
+
+[FW_JUMP]: fw_jump.md
+[FW_PAYLOAD]: fw_payload.md