Linux Kernel Programming
A comprehensive and practical guide to kernel internals, writing modules, and kernel synchronization
2nd Edition
Published on 29. February 2024
Book
Paperback/Softback
826 pages
978-1-80323-222-5 (ISBN)
Description
Gain a solid practical understanding and sufficient theoretical insight into Linux kernel internals while learning to write high-quality kernel module code and understanding the complexities of kernel synchronization
Purchase of the print or Kindle book includes a free eBook in PDF format.
Key Features
Discover how to write Linux kernel and module code for real-world products on the 6.1 LTS kernel
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 DescriptionThe 2nd Edition of Linux Kernel Programming is an updated, comprehensive guide for those new to Linux kernel development. Built around the latest 6.1 Long-Term Support (LTS) Linux kernel, which is maintained until December 2026, this edition explores its key features and enhancements. Additionally, with the Civil Infrastructure Project extending support for the 6.1 Super LTS (SLTS) kernel until August 2033, this book will remain relevant for years to come.
You'll begin this exciting journey by learning how to build the kernel from source. Step by step, you will then learn how to write your first kernel module by leveraging the kernel's powerful Loadable Kernel Module (LKM) framework. With this foundation, you will delve into key kernel internals topics including Linux kernel architecture, memory management, and CPU (task) scheduling. You'll finish with understanding the deep issues of concurrency, and gain insight into how they can be addressed with various synchronization/locking technologies (for example, mutexes, spinlocks, atomic/refcount operators, rw-spinlocks and even lock-free technologies such as per-CPU and RCU).
By the end of this book, you'll build a strong understanding of the fundamentals to writing the Linux kernel and kernel module code that can straight away be used in real-world projects and products.What you will learn
Configure and build the 6.1 LTS kernel from source
Write high-quality modular kernel code (LKM framework) for 6.x kernels
Explore modern 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, including cgroups v2
Gain a deeper understanding of kernel concurrency issues
Learn how to work with key kernel synchronization primitives
Who this book is forThis book is for beginner Linux programmers and developers looking to get started with the 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.
Purchase of the print or Kindle book includes a free eBook in PDF format.
Key Features
Discover how to write Linux kernel and module code for real-world products on the 6.1 LTS kernel
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 DescriptionThe 2nd Edition of Linux Kernel Programming is an updated, comprehensive guide for those new to Linux kernel development. Built around the latest 6.1 Long-Term Support (LTS) Linux kernel, which is maintained until December 2026, this edition explores its key features and enhancements. Additionally, with the Civil Infrastructure Project extending support for the 6.1 Super LTS (SLTS) kernel until August 2033, this book will remain relevant for years to come.
You'll begin this exciting journey by learning how to build the kernel from source. Step by step, you will then learn how to write your first kernel module by leveraging the kernel's powerful Loadable Kernel Module (LKM) framework. With this foundation, you will delve into key kernel internals topics including Linux kernel architecture, memory management, and CPU (task) scheduling. You'll finish with understanding the deep issues of concurrency, and gain insight into how they can be addressed with various synchronization/locking technologies (for example, mutexes, spinlocks, atomic/refcount operators, rw-spinlocks and even lock-free technologies such as per-CPU and RCU).
By the end of this book, you'll build a strong understanding of the fundamentals to writing the Linux kernel and kernel module code that can straight away be used in real-world projects and products.What you will learn
Configure and build the 6.1 LTS kernel from source
Write high-quality modular kernel code (LKM framework) for 6.x kernels
Explore modern 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, including cgroups v2
Gain a deeper understanding of kernel concurrency issues
Learn how to work with key kernel synchronization primitives
Who this book is forThis book is for beginner Linux programmers and developers looking to get started with the 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.
More details
Edition
2nd Revised edition
Language
English
Place of publication
Birmingham
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
US School Grade: College Graduate Student
Edition type
Revised edition
Dimensions
Height: 235 mm
Width: 191 mm
Thickness: 44 mm
Weight
1510 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-80323-222-5 (9781803232225)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Kaiwan N. Billimoria Billimoria, Kaiwan N.
Linux Kernel Programming
A comprehensive and practical guide to kernel internals, writing modules, and kernel synchronization
E-Book
09/2024
2nd Edition
Packt Publishing
from
€29.99
Available for download
Person
Kaiwan N. Billimoria taught himself BASIC programming on his dad's IBM PC back in 1983. He was programming in C and Assembly on DOS until he discovered the joys of Unix, and by around 1997, Linux!
Kaiwan has worked on many aspects of the Linux system programming stack, including Bash scripting, system programming in C, kernel internals, device drivers, and embedded Linux work. He has actively worked on several commercial/FOSS projects. His contributions include drivers to the mainline Linux OS and many smaller projects hosted on GitHub. His Linux passion feeds well into his passion for teaching these topics to engineers, which he has done for well over two decades now. He's also the author of Hands-On System Programming with Linux, Linux Kernel Programming (and its Part 2 book) and Linux Kernel Debugging. It doesn't hurt that he is a recreational ultrarunner too.
Kaiwan has worked on many aspects of the Linux system programming stack, including Bash scripting, system programming in C, kernel internals, device drivers, and embedded Linux work. He has actively worked on several commercial/FOSS projects. His contributions include drivers to the mainline Linux OS and many smaller projects hosted on GitHub. His Linux passion feeds well into his passion for teaching these topics to engineers, which he has done for well over two decades now. He's also the author of Hands-On System Programming with Linux, Linux Kernel Programming (and its Part 2 book) and Linux Kernel Debugging. It doesn't hurt that he is a recreational ultrarunner too.
Content
Table of Contents
Linux Kernel Programming - A Quick Introduction
Building the 6.x Linux Kernel from Source - Part 1
Building the 6.x Linux Kernel from Source - Part 2
Writing Your First Kernel Module - Part 1
Writing Your First Kernel Module - Part 2
Kernel Internals Essentials - Processes and Threads
Memory Management Internals - Essentials
Kernel Memory Allocation for Module Authors - Part 1
Kernel Memory Allocation for Module Authors - Part 2
The CPU Scheduler - Part 1
The CPU Scheduler - Part 2
Kernel Synchronization - Part 1
Kernel Synchronization - Part 2
Linux Kernel Programming - A Quick Introduction
Building the 6.x Linux Kernel from Source - Part 1
Building the 6.x Linux Kernel from Source - Part 2
Writing Your First Kernel Module - Part 1
Writing Your First Kernel Module - Part 2
Kernel Internals Essentials - Processes and Threads
Memory Management Internals - Essentials
Kernel Memory Allocation for Module Authors - Part 1
Kernel Memory Allocation for Module Authors - Part 2
The CPU Scheduler - Part 1
The CPU Scheduler - Part 2
Kernel Synchronization - Part 1
Kernel Synchronization - Part 2