Linux Kernel Programming: A practical guide to kernel internals, writing kernel modules, and synchronization

✍ Scribed by Kaiwan Billimoria

• Publisher: Packt Publishing
• Year: 2023
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 750
• Edition: 2
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Gain a firm practical understanding of the fundamentals of Linux kernel internals, learn to write high-quality kernel module code, and kernel synchronization

Key Features

• Discover how to write Linux kernel and module code for real-world products
• Implement industry-grade techniques in real-world scenarios for fast, efficient memory allocation and data synchronization
• Understand and exploit kernel architecture, CPU scheduling, and kernel synchronization techniques

Book Description

The 2nd Edition of Linux Kernel Programming is an updated, comprehensive introduction for new programmers to the Linux kernel. This book uses the recent 5.10 Long-Term Support (LTS) Linux kernel series, which will be maintained until 2026, showing 5.X/6.X new features.

In this new edition, you’ll start the journey by learning how to build the kernel from source, including doing a kernel build for the popular Raspberry Pi. You’ll then learn, step by step, how to write your first kernel module by leveraging the kernel’s powerful Loadable Kernel Module (LKM) framework. You’ll then get to delve into key kernel internals topics including Linux kernel architecture, memory management, and CPU scheduling. You’ll understand the deep issues of concurrency, and gain insight into how they can be addressed with various locking technologies (mutexes, spinlocks, atomic / refcount operators and even lock-free technologies).

By the end of this 2nd Edition book, you’ll have a better understanding of the fundamentals of writing Linux kernel and kernel module code that can be used in real-world projects and products.

What you will learn

• Configure and build the 5.10 / 6.x kernels from source
• Write high-quality modular kernel code (LKM framework) for 5.10 / 6.x kernels
• Explore the Linux kernel architecture
• Get to grips with key internals details regarding memory management within the kernel
• Understand and work with various dynamic kernel memory alloc/dealloc APIs
• Discover key internals aspects regarding CPU scheduling within the kernel
• Gain a deeper understanding of kernel concurrency issues
• Learn how to work with key kernel synchronization primitives

Who This Book Is For

This book is for beginner Linux programmers and developers looking to get started with Linux kernel, providing a knowledge base to understand required kernel internal topics and overcome frequent and common development issues.

A basic understanding of Linux CLI and C programming is assumed

Table of Contents

1. Kernel Workspace Setup
2. Building the 5.x Linux Kernel from Source - Part 1
3. Building the 5.x Linux Kernel from Source - Part 2
4. Writing Your First Kernel Module - LKMs Part 1
5. Writing Your First Kernel Module - LKMs Part 2
6. Kernel Internals Essentials - Processes and Threads
7. Memory Management Internals - Essentials
8. Kernel Memory Allocation for Module Authors - Part 1
9. Kernel Memory Allocation for Module Authors - Part 2
10. The CPU Scheduler - Part 1
11. The CPU Scheduler - Part 2
12. Kernel Synchronization - Part 1
13. Kernel Synchronization - Part 2