| Linux kernel |
| ============ |
| |
| The Linux kernel is the core of any Linux operating system. It manages hardware, |
| system resources, and provides the fundamental services for all other software. |
| |
| Quick Start |
| ----------- |
| |
| * Report a bug: See Documentation/admin-guide/reporting-issues.rst |
| * Get the latest kernel: https://kernel.org |
| * Build the kernel: See Documentation/admin-guide/quickly-build-trimmed-linux.rst |
| * Join the community: https://lore.kernel.org/ |
| |
| Essential Documentation |
| ----------------------- |
| |
| All users should be familiar with: |
| |
| * Building requirements: Documentation/process/changes.rst |
| * Code of Conduct: Documentation/process/code-of-conduct.rst |
| * License: See COPYING |
| |
| Documentation can be built with make htmldocs or viewed online at: |
| https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/latest/ |
| |
| |
| Who Are You? |
| ============ |
| |
| Find your role below: |
| |
| * New Kernel Developer - Getting started with kernel development |
| * Academic Researcher - Studying kernel internals and architecture |
| * Security Expert - Hardening and vulnerability analysis |
| * Backport/Maintenance Engineer - Maintaining stable kernels |
| * System Administrator - Configuring and troubleshooting |
| * Maintainer - Leading subsystems and reviewing patches |
| * Hardware Vendor - Writing drivers for new hardware |
| * Distribution Maintainer - Packaging kernels for distros |
| |
| |
| For Specific Users |
| ================== |
| |
| New Kernel Developer |
| -------------------- |
| |
| Welcome! Start your kernel development journey here: |
| |
| * Getting Started: Documentation/process/development-process.rst |
| * Your First Patch: Documentation/process/submitting-patches.rst |
| * Coding Style: Documentation/process/coding-style.rst |
| * Build System: Documentation/kbuild/index.rst |
| * Development Tools: Documentation/dev-tools/index.rst |
| * Kernel Hacking Guide: Documentation/kernel-hacking/hacking.rst |
| * Core APIs: Documentation/core-api/index.rst |
| |
| Academic Researcher |
| ------------------- |
| |
| Explore the kernel's architecture and internals: |
| |
| * Researcher Guidelines: Documentation/process/researcher-guidelines.rst |
| * Memory Management: Documentation/mm/index.rst |
| * Scheduler: Documentation/scheduler/index.rst |
| * Networking Stack: Documentation/networking/index.rst |
| * Filesystems: Documentation/filesystems/index.rst |
| * RCU (Read-Copy Update): Documentation/RCU/index.rst |
| * Locking Primitives: Documentation/locking/index.rst |
| * Power Management: Documentation/power/index.rst |
| |
| Security Expert |
| --------------- |
| |
| Security documentation and hardening guides: |
| |
| * Security Documentation: Documentation/security/index.rst |
| * LSM Development: Documentation/security/lsm-development.rst |
| * Self Protection: Documentation/security/self-protection.rst |
| * Reporting Vulnerabilities: Documentation/process/security-bugs.rst |
| * CVE Procedures: Documentation/process/cve.rst |
| * Embargoed Hardware Issues: Documentation/process/embargoed-hardware-issues.rst |
| * Security Features: Documentation/userspace-api/seccomp_filter.rst |
| |
| Backport/Maintenance Engineer |
| ----------------------------- |
| |
| Maintain and stabilize kernel versions: |
| |
| * Stable Kernel Rules: Documentation/process/stable-kernel-rules.rst |
| * Backporting Guide: Documentation/process/backporting.rst |
| * Applying Patches: Documentation/process/applying-patches.rst |
| * Subsystem Profile: Documentation/maintainer/maintainer-entry-profile.rst |
| * Git for Maintainers: Documentation/maintainer/configure-git.rst |
| |
| System Administrator |
| -------------------- |
| |
| Configure, tune, and troubleshoot Linux systems: |
| |
| * Admin Guide: Documentation/admin-guide/index.rst |
| * Kernel Parameters: Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.rst |
| * Sysctl Tuning: Documentation/admin-guide/sysctl/index.rst |
| * Tracing/Debugging: Documentation/trace/index.rst |
| * Performance Security: Documentation/admin-guide/perf-security.rst |
| * Hardware Monitoring: Documentation/hwmon/index.rst |
| |
| Maintainer |
| ---------- |
| |
| Lead kernel subsystems and manage contributions: |
| |
| * Maintainer Handbook: Documentation/maintainer/index.rst |
| * Pull Requests: Documentation/maintainer/pull-requests.rst |
| * Managing Patches: Documentation/maintainer/modifying-patches.rst |
| * Rebasing and Merging: Documentation/maintainer/rebasing-and-merging.rst |
| * Development Process: Documentation/process/maintainer-handbooks.rst |
| * Maintainer Entry Profile: Documentation/maintainer/maintainer-entry-profile.rst |
| * Git Configuration: Documentation/maintainer/configure-git.rst |
| |
| Hardware Vendor |
| --------------- |
| |
| Write drivers and support new hardware: |
| |
| * Driver API Guide: Documentation/driver-api/index.rst |
| * Driver Model: Documentation/driver-api/driver-model/driver.rst |
| * Device Drivers: Documentation/driver-api/infrastructure.rst |
| * Bus Types: Documentation/driver-api/driver-model/bus.rst |
| * Device Tree Bindings: Documentation/devicetree/bindings/ |
| * Power Management: Documentation/driver-api/pm/index.rst |
| * DMA API: Documentation/core-api/dma-api.rst |
| |
| Distribution Maintainer |
| ----------------------- |
| |
| Package and distribute the kernel: |
| |
| * Stable Kernel Rules: Documentation/process/stable-kernel-rules.rst |
| * ABI Documentation: Documentation/ABI/README |
| * Kernel Configuration: Documentation/kbuild/kconfig.rst |
| * Module Signing: Documentation/admin-guide/module-signing.rst |
| * Kernel Parameters: Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.rst |
| * Tainted Kernels: Documentation/admin-guide/tainted-kernels.rst |
| |
| |
| |
| Communication and Support |
| ========================= |
| |
| * Mailing Lists: https://lore.kernel.org/ |
| * IRC: #kernelnewbies on irc.oftc.net |
| * Bugzilla: https://bugzilla.kernel.org/ |
| * MAINTAINERS file: Lists subsystem maintainers and mailing lists |
| * Email Clients: Documentation/process/email-clients.rst |
