# Introduction to the BeagleBone Black Device Tree

## Overview

![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/010/082/medium800/beaglebone_BeagleBone_Black_Large.jpg?1396901930)

The Device Tree (DT), and Device Tree Overlay are a way to describe hardware in a system. An example of this would be to describe how the UART interfaces with the system, which pins, how they should be muxed, the device to enable, and which driver to use.   
  
The original BeagleBone didn't use the DT, but the recently released BeagleBone Black was released with the DT and is now using the 3.8 Linux Kernel.  
  
The following pages will attempt to break down the concepts, and give examples on how and why you'd want to use the device tree in your every day development and hacking.

- [Next Page](https://learn.adafruit.com/introduction-to-the-beaglebone-black-device-tree/device-tree-background.md)

## Related Guides

- [BeagleBone](https://learn.adafruit.com/beaglebone.md)
- [Setting up WiFi with BeagleBone Black](https://learn.adafruit.com/setting-up-wifi-with-beaglebone-black.md)
- [Measuring Temperature with a BeagleBone Black](https://learn.adafruit.com/measuring-temperature-with-a-beaglebone-black.md)
- [User-space SPI TFT Python Library - ILI9341](https://learn.adafruit.com/user-space-spi-tft-python-library-ili9341-2-8.md)
- [Measuring Light with a BeagleBone Black](https://learn.adafruit.com/measuring-light-with-a-beaglebone-black.md)
- [Bonjour (Zeroconf) Networking for Windows and Linux](https://learn.adafruit.com/bonjour-zeroconf-networking-for-windows-and-linux.md)
- [Connecting a Push Button to BeagleBone Black](https://learn.adafruit.com/connecting-a-push-button-to-beaglebone-black.md)
- [Using the BMP085/180 with Raspberry Pi or Beaglebone Black](https://learn.adafruit.com/using-the-bmp085-with-raspberry-pi.md)
- [TMP006 Temperature Sensor Python Library](https://learn.adafruit.com/tmp006-temperature-sensor-python-library.md)
- [SSD1306 OLED Displays with Raspberry Pi and BeagleBone Black](https://learn.adafruit.com/ssd1306-oled-displays-with-raspberry-pi-and-beaglebone-black.md)
- [Bone Box](https://learn.adafruit.com/bone-box.md)
- [LedGames - a BeagleBone Black 64x64 LED Game](https://learn.adafruit.com/ledgames-beaglebone-black-64x64-led-game.md)
- [DHT Humidity Sensing on Raspberry Pi or Beaglebone Black with GDocs Logging](https://learn.adafruit.com/dht-humidity-sensing-on-raspberry-pi-with-gdocs-logging.md)
- [BNO055 Absolute Orientation Sensor with Raspberry Pi & BeagleBone Black](https://learn.adafruit.com/bno055-absolute-orientation-sensor-with-raspberry-pi-and-beaglebone-black.md)
- [Nokia 5110/3310 LCD Python Library](https://learn.adafruit.com/nokia-5110-3310-lcd-python-library.md)