Understanding about the MACHINE_FEATURES and DISTRO_FEATURES in the Yocto Project

Yocto Project is used to create the build for a specific machine (target board). In the Yocto project, we need to provide the machine name in the configuration file and each machine refers to a development board or hardware platform.
Most common machine name :
Beaglebone
Raspberry Pi

MACHINE_FEATURES

MACHINE_FEATURES is a variable that defined hardware-specific features supported on the board.
MACHINE_FEATURES variable helps to control the software would be included or excluded.
MACHINE_FEATURES is present in the machine configuration file.

Example:

Suppose if a board supporting Bluetooth and wifi both then machine feature include the Bluetooth and wifi to built the software stack.

MACHINE_FEATURES = " bluethooth wifi"

For raspberry pi board default machine feature in rbi-base.inc
MACHINE_FEATURES += "apm usbhost keyboard vfat ext2 screen touchscreen alsa bluetooth wifi sdio ${@bb.utils.contains('DISABLE_VC4GRAPHICS', '1', '', 'vc4graphics', d)}"

For beaglebone black board default machine feature in beaglebone-yocto.conf
MACHINE_FEATURES = "usbgadget usbhost vfat salsa"

You can remove and add the machine feature based on your board without modifying the default list.

To add wifi as the machine feature:
MACHINE_FEATURES:append = " wifi"    # syntax for "Honister" or newer releases
MACHINE_FEATURES_append = " wifi"    # syntax for older version 

To remove wifi feature:
MACHINE_FEATURES:remove = " wifi"    # syntax for "Honister" or newer releases   
MACHINE_FEATURES_remove = " wifi"    # syntax for older version

DISTRO_FEATURES

It is a variable defined in the configuration file which lists the software features you want to distribute or shipped with the custom Linux Image.
Each distribution contains many packages and utilities like graphical interface packages, package management systems, OpenGL, etc.

Default distro feature on poky thud version:

DISTRO_FEATURES ?= " largefile opengl ptest multiarch wayland vulkan"

Suppose You want to remove the wayland distro feature then:
DISTRO_FEATURES:remove = " wayland"     # syntax for "Honister" or newer releases
DISTRO_FEATURES_remove = " wayland"     # syntax for older version
    
To add x11 distro feature:
DISTRO_FEATURES:append = " x11"         # syntax for "Honister" or newer releases
DISTRO_FEATURES_append = " x11"         # syntax for older version

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