Learning Linux Kernel Programming

[kevinchkin]

Hi Guys,

After searching a lot on google and gone through kernelnewbie.org, I am still kind of not sure as to from where to begin.

I want to learn about Linux Kernel programming, the main problem is I don't know from where to begin. I have browsed through some books, for ex. "Linux Kernel development" by Robert Love, in the second chapter he started talking about all high level stuff. I understand that to learn about Kernel programming one should know well about file systems, scheduling etc. But there are billion file systems out there. I don't know from where to start.

Could any one please guide me through this? I really want to get started with this asap.

Please provide suggestions.

Thanks in advance.

(P.S. If you think that this is ridiculous question and are about to post some useless reply, then do me a favor and don't bother replying to this post and waste your time.)

[jsmith]

At least for the 2.4 kernels there was a book called Linux Core Kernel Commentary (IIRC) that basically had the entire kernel source code in it with textual explanations. But, 1) 2.4 is outdated, and 2) I'm not sure the book is in print any more.

Most of what I've learned of the kernel came either from that book, Love's book which you've already read, and from looking at the source code.

What part of the kernel do you want to learn? Are you intending to do your own kernel development?

[kevinchkin]

Thanks for the reply jsmith.

I am in graduate school right now, and there is one question professor keep on asking in class that have you modified an operating system? I cannot select more than half of the projects just because I don't know how to modify the Kernel. For this semester I have already selected different project but this incident has wanted me to learn all about Kernel. Since I know nothing about Kernel so I would go with learning everything about it.

[seymore15074]

There's a website called Linux from Scratch that might be useful. I don't think it's geared toward kernel development, but it shows all about compiling and configuring a Linux system to your specifications 100% from source code.

I've been meaning to go through it myself. At least after that you'll have some insight into the operating system and how to build the kernel.

[kevinchkin]

Thanks for the reply seymore15074. The website really looks interesting.

Thanks