2007-08-21 19:30:12

by Noud Aldenhoven

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: How to learn Linux Kernel Programming

Hello Kernel Develop mailing list,

I'm not sure if this is the right mailing list, but I couldn't find an
up-to-date topic with the same
context as this one. Furthermore I don't think this will cost very
much band width comparing it
with the amount of emails flowing though this mailing list. If I'm
wrong I'm sorry.

I'm a simple Math/Computer Science student and would like to learn
more about linux and it's kernel.
To be more precise, I'd to learn how to program in the linux kernel
and maybe become a developer,
if everything goes fine.
But where do I start? Almost all information I found on the Internet
if from before 2005 and I think that
means it's out-of-date. Are there up-to-date documentations that are
use full to read and explain how
the kernel is build. (for example, is /usr/src/linux/Documentation a
use full dir?)
An other question I'd like to ask is how and where did you start? I'd
like to know how you manage to became
linux kernel developers.

I do program in c and run Gentoo Linux, so I know quite some things
about Linux and I'm not a complete n00b.
At least, I don't think I am. '^^

Thank you,

Noud Aldenhoven

--
<:3 )~


2007-08-21 19:54:20

by Rik van Riel

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: How to learn Linux Kernel Programming

Noud Aldenhoven wrote:

> I'm a simple Math/Computer Science student and would like to learn
> more about linux and it's kernel.

> But where do I start?

http://kernelnewbies.org/

--
Politics is the struggle between those who want to make their country
the best in the world, and those who believe it already is. Each group
calls the other unpatriotic.

2007-08-22 00:48:30

by Jesper Juhl

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: How to learn Linux Kernel Programming

On 21/08/07, Noud Aldenhoven <[email protected]> wrote:
> Hello Kernel Develop mailing list,
>
...
>
> I'm a simple Math/Computer Science student and would like to learn
> more about linux and it's kernel.
> To be more precise, I'd to learn how to program in the linux kernel
> and maybe become a developer,
> if everything goes fine.
> But where do I start?

Start by reading Documentation/HOWTO from a recent copy of the kernel source.


> Almost all information I found on the Internet
> if from before 2005

There's lots of good kernel related material to be found online. See
for example :

http://kernelnewbies.org/
http://janitor.kernelnewbies.org/
http://lwn.net/Kernel/LDD3/
http://lwn.net/Kernel/
http://kerneltrap.org/
http://kerneltraffic.org/


> and I think that
> means it's out-of-date.

That's not always true.


> Are there up-to-date documentations that are
> use full to read and explain how
> the kernel is build. (for example, is /usr/src/linux/Documentation a
> use full dir?)

Yes it is useful. Not everything in there is 100% up-to-date, but
there is still a *LOT* of useful documentation to be found there.


> An other question I'd like to ask is how and where did you start? I'd
> like to know how you manage to became
> linux kernel developers.
>
Most people start out fixing small bugs, cleanups etc or by
implementing some small feature or driver that they need. There's no
fixed way.


--
Jesper Juhl <[email protected]>
Don't top-post http://www.catb.org/~esr/jargon/html/T/top-post.html
Plain text mails only, please http://www.expita.com/nomime.html

2007-08-22 03:15:58

by Glauber Costa

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: How to learn Linux Kernel Programming

On 8/21/07, Noud Aldenhoven <[email protected]> wrote:

> I'm a simple Math/Computer Science student and would like to learn
> more about linux and it's kernel.
> To be more precise, I'd to learn how to program in the linux kernel
> and maybe become a developer,
> if everything goes fine.
> But where do I start? Almost all information I found on the Internet
> if from before 2005 and I think that
> means it's out-of-date. Are there up-to-date documentations that are
> use full to read and explain how
> the kernel is build. (for example, is /usr/src/linux/Documentation a
> use full dir?)

Besides the sources already mentioned, there are a couple of quite
good books. I know at least Robert Love's Linus Kernel Development, by
O'Reilly, Rubini et. al. Linux Device Drivers, and Mel Gorman's about
Virtual Memory, whose exact name I can't recall.

You can also try to start following LKML's flow. Maybe you won't
understand much in the beginning, but your comprehension on the
discussions will improve in the future. (Maybe reading a subsystem
mailing list - less traffic - is a good idea, if you have some
specific interests)

--
Glauber de Oliveira Costa.
"Free as in Freedom"
http://glommer.net

"The less confident you are, the more serious you have to act."