| 1 | Linux kernel |
| 2 | ============ |
| 3 | |
| 4 | The Linux kernel is the core of any Linux operating system. It manages hardware, |
| 5 | system resources, and provides the fundamental services for all other software. |
| 6 | |
| 7 | Quick Start |
| 8 | ----------- |
| 9 | |
| 10 | * Report a bug: See Documentation/admin-guide/reporting-issues.rst |
| 11 | * Get the latest kernel: https://kernel.org |
| 12 | * Build the kernel: See Documentation/admin-guide/quickly-build-trimmed-linux.rst |
| 13 | * Join the community: https://lore.kernel.org/ |
| 14 | |
| 15 | Essential Documentation |
| 16 | ----------------------- |
| 17 | |
| 18 | All users should be familiar with: |
| 19 | |
| 20 | * Building requirements: Documentation/process/changes.rst |
| 21 | * Code of Conduct: Documentation/process/code-of-conduct.rst |
| 22 | * License: See COPYING |
| 23 | |
| 24 | Documentation can be built with make htmldocs or viewed online at: |
| 25 | https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/latest/ |
| 26 | |
| 27 | |
| 28 | Who Are You? |
| 29 | ============ |
| 30 | |
| 31 | Find your role below: |
| 32 | |
| 33 | * New Kernel Developer - Getting started with kernel development |
| 34 | * Academic Researcher - Studying kernel internals and architecture |
| 35 | * Security Expert - Hardening and vulnerability analysis |
| 36 | * Backport/Maintenance Engineer - Maintaining stable kernels |
| 37 | * System Administrator - Configuring and troubleshooting |
| 38 | * Maintainer - Leading subsystems and reviewing patches |
| 39 | * Hardware Vendor - Writing drivers for new hardware |
| 40 | * Distribution Maintainer - Packaging kernels for distros |
| 41 | |
| 42 | |
| 43 | For Specific Users |
| 44 | ================== |
| 45 | |
| 46 | New Kernel Developer |
| 47 | -------------------- |
| 48 | |
| 49 | Welcome! Start your kernel development journey here: |
| 50 | |
| 51 | * Getting Started: Documentation/process/development-process.rst |
| 52 | * Your First Patch: Documentation/process/submitting-patches.rst |
| 53 | * Coding Style: Documentation/process/coding-style.rst |
| 54 | * Build System: Documentation/kbuild/index.rst |
| 55 | * Development Tools: Documentation/dev-tools/index.rst |
| 56 | * Kernel Hacking Guide: Documentation/kernel-hacking/hacking.rst |
| 57 | * Core APIs: Documentation/core-api/index.rst |
| 58 | |
| 59 | Academic Researcher |
| 60 | ------------------- |
| 61 | |
| 62 | Explore the kernel's architecture and internals: |
| 63 | |
| 64 | * Researcher Guidelines: Documentation/process/researcher-guidelines.rst |
| 65 | * Memory Management: Documentation/mm/index.rst |
| 66 | * Scheduler: Documentation/scheduler/index.rst |
| 67 | * Networking Stack: Documentation/networking/index.rst |
| 68 | * Filesystems: Documentation/filesystems/index.rst |
| 69 | * RCU (Read-Copy Update): Documentation/RCU/index.rst |
| 70 | * Locking Primitives: Documentation/locking/index.rst |
| 71 | * Power Management: Documentation/power/index.rst |
| 72 | |
| 73 | Security Expert |
| 74 | --------------- |
| 75 | |
| 76 | Security documentation and hardening guides: |
| 77 | |
| 78 | * Security Documentation: Documentation/security/index.rst |
| 79 | * LSM Development: Documentation/security/lsm-development.rst |
| 80 | * Self Protection: Documentation/security/self-protection.rst |
| 81 | * Reporting Vulnerabilities: Documentation/process/security-bugs.rst |
| 82 | * CVE Procedures: Documentation/process/cve.rst |
| 83 | * Embargoed Hardware Issues: Documentation/process/embargoed-hardware-issues.rst |
| 84 | * Security Features: Documentation/userspace-api/seccomp_filter.rst |
| 85 | |
| 86 | Backport/Maintenance Engineer |
| 87 | ----------------------------- |
| 88 | |
| 89 | Maintain and stabilize kernel versions: |
| 90 | |
| 91 | * Stable Kernel Rules: Documentation/process/stable-kernel-rules.rst |
| 92 | * Backporting Guide: Documentation/process/backporting.rst |
| 93 | * Applying Patches: Documentation/process/applying-patches.rst |
| 94 | * Subsystem Profile: Documentation/maintainer/maintainer-entry-profile.rst |
| 95 | * Git for Maintainers: Documentation/maintainer/configure-git.rst |
| 96 | |
| 97 | System Administrator |
| 98 | -------------------- |
| 99 | |
| 100 | Configure, tune, and troubleshoot Linux systems: |
| 101 | |
| 102 | * Admin Guide: Documentation/admin-guide/index.rst |
| 103 | * Kernel Parameters: Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.rst |
| 104 | * Sysctl Tuning: Documentation/admin-guide/sysctl/index.rst |
| 105 | * Tracing/Debugging: Documentation/trace/index.rst |
| 106 | * Performance Security: Documentation/admin-guide/perf-security.rst |
| 107 | * Hardware Monitoring: Documentation/hwmon/index.rst |
| 108 | |
| 109 | Maintainer |
| 110 | ---------- |
| 111 | |
| 112 | Lead kernel subsystems and manage contributions: |
| 113 | |
| 114 | * Maintainer Handbook: Documentation/maintainer/index.rst |
| 115 | * Pull Requests: Documentation/maintainer/pull-requests.rst |
| 116 | * Managing Patches: Documentation/maintainer/modifying-patches.rst |
| 117 | * Rebasing and Merging: Documentation/maintainer/rebasing-and-merging.rst |
| 118 | * Development Process: Documentation/process/maintainer-handbooks.rst |
| 119 | * Maintainer Entry Profile: Documentation/maintainer/maintainer-entry-profile.rst |
| 120 | * Git Configuration: Documentation/maintainer/configure-git.rst |
| 121 | |
| 122 | Hardware Vendor |
| 123 | --------------- |
| 124 | |
| 125 | Write drivers and support new hardware: |
| 126 | |
| 127 | * Driver API Guide: Documentation/driver-api/index.rst |
| 128 | * Driver Model: Documentation/driver-api/driver-model/driver.rst |
| 129 | * Device Drivers: Documentation/driver-api/infrastructure.rst |
| 130 | * Bus Types: Documentation/driver-api/driver-model/bus.rst |
| 131 | * Device Tree Bindings: Documentation/devicetree/bindings/ |
| 132 | * Power Management: Documentation/driver-api/pm/index.rst |
| 133 | * DMA API: Documentation/core-api/dma-api.rst |
| 134 | |
| 135 | Distribution Maintainer |
| 136 | ----------------------- |
| 137 | |
| 138 | Package and distribute the kernel: |
| 139 | |
| 140 | * Stable Kernel Rules: Documentation/process/stable-kernel-rules.rst |
| 141 | * ABI Documentation: Documentation/ABI/README |
| 142 | * Kernel Configuration: Documentation/kbuild/kconfig.rst |
| 143 | * Module Signing: Documentation/admin-guide/module-signing.rst |
| 144 | * Kernel Parameters: Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.rst |
| 145 | * Tainted Kernels: Documentation/admin-guide/tainted-kernels.rst |
| 146 | |
| 147 | |
| 148 | |
| 149 | Communication and Support |
| 150 | ========================= |
| 151 | |
| 152 | * Mailing Lists: https://lore.kernel.org/ |
| 153 | * IRC: #kernelnewbies on irc.oftc.net |
| 154 | * Bugzilla: https://bugzilla.kernel.org/ |
| 155 | * MAINTAINERS file: Lists subsystem maintainers and mailing lists |
| 156 | * Email Clients: Documentation/process/email-clients.rst |