xref: /linux/Documentation/process/kernel-docs.rst (revision 7f71507851fc7764b36a3221839607d3a45c2025)
1.. _kernel_docs:
2
3Index of Further Kernel Documentation
4=====================================
5
6The need for a document like this one became apparent in the linux-kernel
7mailing list as the same questions, asking for pointers to information,
8appeared again and again.
9
10Fortunately, as more and more people get to GNU/Linux, more and more get
11interested in the Kernel. But reading the sources is not always enough. It
12is easy to understand the code, but miss the concepts, the philosophy and
13design decisions behind this code.
14
15Unfortunately, not many documents are available for beginners to start.
16And, even if they exist, there was no "well-known" place which kept track
17of them. These lines try to cover this lack.
18
19PLEASE, if you know any paper not listed here or write a new document,
20include a reference to it here, following the kernel's patch submission
21process. Any corrections, ideas or comments are also welcome.
22
23All documents are cataloged with the following fields: the document's
24"Title", the "Author"/s, the "URL" where they can be found, some "Keywords"
25helpful when searching for specific topics, and a brief "Description" of
26the Document.
27
28.. note::
29
30   The documents on each section of this document are ordered by its
31   published date, from the newest to the oldest. The maintainer(s) should
32   periodically retire resources as they become obsolete or outdated; with
33   the exception of foundational books.
34
35Docs at the Linux Kernel tree
36-----------------------------
37
38The Sphinx books should be built with ``make {htmldocs | pdfdocs | epubdocs}``.
39
40    * Name: **linux/Documentation**
41
42      :Author: Many.
43      :Location: Documentation/
44      :Keywords: text files, Sphinx.
45      :Description: Documentation that comes with the kernel sources,
46        inside the Documentation directory. Some pages from this document
47        (including this document itself) have been moved there, and might
48        be more up to date than the web version.
49
50On-line docs
51------------
52
53    * Title: **Linux Kernel Mailing List Glossary**
54
55      :Author: various
56      :URL: https://kernelnewbies.org/KernelGlossary
57      :Date: rolling version
58      :Keywords: glossary, terms, linux-kernel.
59      :Description: From the introduction: "This glossary is intended as
60        a brief description of some of the acronyms and terms you may hear
61        during discussion of the Linux kernel".
62
63    * Title: **The Linux Kernel Module Programming Guide**
64
65      :Author: Peter Jay Salzman, Michael Burian, Ori Pomerantz, Bob Mottram,
66        Jim Huang.
67      :URL: https://sysprog21.github.io/lkmpg/
68      :Date: 2021
69      :Keywords: modules, GPL book, /proc, ioctls, system calls,
70        interrupt handlers .
71      :Description: A very nice GPL book on the topic of modules
72        programming. Lots of examples. Currently the new version is being
73        actively maintained at https://github.com/sysprog21/lkmpg.
74
75Published books
76---------------
77
78    * Title: **Practical Linux System Administration: A Guide to Installation, Configuration, and Management, 1st Edition**
79
80      :Author: Kenneth Hess
81      :Publisher: O'Reilly Media
82      :Date: May, 2023
83      :Pages: 246
84      :ISBN: 978-1098109035
85      :Notes: System administration
86
87    * Title: **Linux Kernel Debugging: Leverage proven tools and advanced techniques to effectively debug Linux kernels and kernel modules**
88
89      :Author: Kaiwan N Billimoria
90      :Publisher: Packt Publishing Ltd
91      :Date: August, 2022
92      :Pages: 638
93      :ISBN: 978-1801075039
94      :Notes: Debugging book
95
96    * Title: **Linux Kernel Programming: A Comprehensive Guide to Kernel Internals, Writing Kernel Modules, and Kernel Synchronization**
97
98      :Author: Kaiwan N Billimoria
99      :Publisher: Packt Publishing Ltd
100      :Date: March, 2021 (Second Edition published in 2024)
101      :Pages: 754
102      :ISBN: 978-1789953435 (Second Edition ISBN is 978-1803232225)
103
104    * Title: **Linux Kernel Programming Part 2 - Char Device Drivers and Kernel Synchronization: Create user-kernel interfaces, work with peripheral I/O, and handle hardware interrupts**
105
106      :Author: Kaiwan N Billimoria
107      :Publisher: Packt Publishing Ltd
108      :Date: March, 2021
109      :Pages: 452
110      :ISBN: 978-1801079518
111
112    * Title: **Linux System Programming: Talking Directly to the Kernel and C Library**
113
114      :Author: Robert Love
115      :Publisher: O'Reilly Media
116      :Date: June, 2013
117      :Pages: 456
118      :ISBN: 978-1449339531
119      :Notes: Foundational book
120
121    * Title: **Linux Kernel Development, 3rd Edition**
122
123      :Author: Robert Love
124      :Publisher: Addison-Wesley
125      :Date: July, 2010
126      :Pages: 440
127      :ISBN: 978-0672329463
128      :Notes: Foundational book
129
130.. _ldd3_published:
131
132    * Title: **Linux Device Drivers, 3rd Edition**
133
134      :Authors: Jonathan Corbet, Alessandro Rubini, and Greg Kroah-Hartman
135      :Publisher: O'Reilly & Associates
136      :Date: 2005
137      :Pages: 636
138      :ISBN: 0-596-00590-3
139      :Notes: Foundational book. Further information in
140        http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/linuxdrive3/
141        PDF format, URL: https://lwn.net/Kernel/LDD3/
142
143    * Title: **The Design of the UNIX Operating System**
144
145      :Author: Maurice J. Bach
146      :Publisher: Prentice Hall
147      :Date: 1986
148      :Pages: 471
149      :ISBN: 0-13-201757-1
150      :Notes: Foundational book
151
152Miscellaneous
153-------------
154
155    * Name: **Cross-Referencing Linux**
156
157      :URL: https://elixir.bootlin.com/
158      :Keywords: Browsing source code.
159      :Description: Another web-based Linux kernel source code browser.
160        Lots of cross references to variables and functions. You can see
161        where they are defined and where they are used.
162
163    * Name: **Linux Weekly News**
164
165      :URL: https://lwn.net
166      :Keywords: latest kernel news.
167      :Description: The title says it all. There's a fixed kernel section
168        summarizing developers' work, bug fixes, new features and versions
169        produced during the week.
170
171    * Name: **The home page of Linux-MM**
172
173      :Author: The Linux-MM team.
174      :URL: https://linux-mm.org/
175      :Keywords: memory management, Linux-MM, mm patches, TODO, docs,
176        mailing list.
177      :Description: Site devoted to Linux Memory Management development.
178        Memory related patches, HOWTOs, links, mm developers... Don't miss
179        it if you are interested in memory management development!
180
181    * Name: **Kernel Newbies IRC Channel and Website**
182
183      :URL: https://www.kernelnewbies.org
184      :Keywords: IRC, newbies, channel, asking doubts.
185      :Description: #kernelnewbies on irc.oftc.net.
186        #kernelnewbies is an IRC network dedicated to the 'newbie'
187        kernel hacker. The audience mostly consists of people who are
188        learning about the kernel, working on kernel projects or
189        professional kernel hackers that want to help less seasoned kernel
190        people.
191        #kernelnewbies is on the OFTC IRC Network.
192        Try irc.oftc.net as your server and then /join #kernelnewbies.
193        The kernelnewbies website also hosts articles, documents, FAQs...
194
195    * Name: **linux-kernel mailing list archives and search engines**
196
197      :URL: https://subspace.kernel.org
198      :URL: https://lore.kernel.org
199      :Keywords: linux-kernel, archives, search.
200      :Description: Some of the linux-kernel mailing list archivers. If
201        you have a better/another one, please let me know.
202
203    * Name: **The Linux Foundation YouTube channel**
204
205      :URL: https://www.youtube.com/user/thelinuxfoundation
206      :Keywords: linux, videos, linux-foundation, youtube.
207      :Description: The Linux Foundation uploads video recordings of their
208        collaborative events, Linux conferences including LinuxCon, and
209        other original research and content related to Linux and software
210        development.
211
212Rust
213----
214
215    * Title: **Rust for Linux**
216
217      :Author: various
218      :URL: https://rust-for-linux.com/
219      :Date: rolling version
220      :Keywords: glossary, terms, linux-kernel, rust.
221      :Description: From the website: "Rust for Linux is the project adding
222        support for the Rust language to the Linux kernel. This website is
223        intended as a hub of links, documentation and resources related to
224        the project".
225
226    * Title: **Learn Rust the Dangerous Way**
227
228      :Author: Cliff L. Biffle
229      :URL: https://cliffle.com/p/dangerust/
230      :Date: Accessed Sep 11 2024
231      :Keywords: rust, blog.
232      :Description: From the website: "LRtDW is a series of articles
233        putting Rust features in context for low-level C programmers who
234        maybe don’t have a formal CS background — the sort of people who
235        work on firmware, game engines, OS kernels, and the like.
236        Basically, people like me.". It illustrates line-by-line
237        conversions from C to Rust.
238
239    * Title: **The Rust Book**
240
241      :Author: Steve Klabnik and Carol Nichols, with contributions from the
242        Rust community
243      :URL: https://doc.rust-lang.org/book/
244      :Date: Accessed Sep 11 2024
245      :Keywords: rust, book.
246      :Description: From the website: "This book fully embraces the
247        potential of Rust to empower its users. It’s a friendly and
248        approachable text intended to help you level up not just your
249        knowledge of Rust, but also your reach and confidence as a
250        programmer in general. So dive in, get ready to learn—and welcome
251        to the Rust community!".
252
253    * Title: **Rust for the Polyglot Programmer**
254
255      :Author: Ian Jackson
256      :URL: https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~ianmdlvl/rust-polyglot/index.html
257      :Date: December 2022
258      :Keywords: rust, blog, tooling.
259      :Description: From the website: "There are many guides and
260        introductions to Rust. This one is something different: it is
261        intended for the experienced programmer who already knows many
262        other programming languages. I try to be comprehensive enough to be
263        a starting point for any area of Rust, but to avoid going into too
264        much detail except where things are not as you might expect. Also
265        this guide is not entirely free of opinion, including
266        recommendations of libraries (crates), tooling, etc.".
267
268    * Title: **Fasterthanli.me**
269
270      :Author: Amos Wenger
271      :URL: https://fasterthanli.me/
272      :Date: Accessed Sep 11 2024
273      :Keywords: rust, blog, news.
274      :Description: From the website: "I make articles and videos about how
275        computers work. My content is long-form, didactic and exploratory
276        — and often an excuse to teach Rust!".
277
278    * Title: **Comprehensive Rust**
279
280      :Author: Android team at Google
281      :URL: https://google.github.io/comprehensive-rust/
282      :Date: Accessed Sep 13 2024
283      :Keywords: rust, blog.
284      :Description: From the website: "The course covers the full spectrum
285        of Rust, from basic syntax to advanced topics like generics and
286        error handling".
287
288    * Title: **The Embedded Rust Book**
289
290      :Author: Multiple contributors, mostly Jorge Aparicio
291      :URL: https://docs.rust-embedded.org/book/
292      :Date: Accessed Sep 13 2024
293      :Keywords: rust, blog.
294      :Description: From the website: "An introductory book about using
295        the Rust Programming Language on "Bare Metal" embedded systems,
296        such as Microcontrollers".
297
298   * Title: **Experiment: Improving the Rust Book**
299
300      :Author: Cognitive Engineering Lab at Brown University
301      :URL: https://rust-book.cs.brown.edu/
302      :Date: Accessed Sep 22 2024
303      :Keywords: rust, blog.
304      :Description: From the website: "The goal of this experiment is to
305        evaluate and improve the content of the Rust Book to help people
306        learn Rust more effectively.".
307
308   * Title: **New Rustacean** (podcast)
309
310      :Author: Chris Krycho
311      :URL: https://newrustacean.com/
312      :Date: Accessed Sep 22 2024
313      :Keywords: rust, podcast.
314      :Description: From the website: "This is a podcast about learning
315        the programming language Rust—from scratch! Apart from this spiffy
316        landing page, all the site content is built with Rust's own
317        documentation tools.".
318
319   * Title: **Opsem-team** (repository)
320
321      :Author: Operational semantics team
322      :URL: https://github.com/rust-lang/opsem-team/tree/main
323      :Date: Accessed Sep 22 2024
324      :Keywords: rust, repository.
325      :Description: From the README: "The opsem team is the successor of
326        the unsafe-code-guidelines working group and responsible for
327        answering many of the difficult questions about the semantics of
328        unsafe Rust".
329
330    * Title: **You Can't Spell Trust Without Rust**
331
332      :Author: Alexis Beingessner
333      :URL: https://repository.library.carleton.ca/downloads/1j92g820w?locale=en
334      :Date: 2015
335      :Keywords: rust, master, thesis.
336      :Description: This thesis focuses on Rust's ownership system, which
337        ensures memory safety by controlling data manipulation and
338        lifetime, while also highlighting its limitations and comparing it
339        to similar systems in Cyclone and C++.
340
341    * Name: **Linux Plumbers (LPC) 2024 Rust presentations**
342
343      :Title: Rust microconference
344      :URL: https://lpc.events/event/18/sessions/186/#20240918
345      :Title: Rust for Linux
346      :URL: https://lpc.events/event/18/contributions/1912/
347      :Title: Journey of a C kernel engineer starting a Rust driver project
348      :URL: https://lpc.events/event/18/contributions/1911/
349      :Title: Crafting a Linux kernel scheduler that runs in user-space
350        using Rust
351      :URL: https://lpc.events/event/18/contributions/1723/
352      :Title: openHCL: A Linux and Rust based paravisor
353      :URL: https://lpc.events/event/18/contributions/1956/
354      :Keywords: rust, lpc, presentations.
355      :Description: A number of LPC talks related to Rust.
356
357    * Name: **The Rustacean Station Podcast**
358
359      :URL: https://rustacean-station.org/
360      :Keywords: rust, podcasts.
361      :Description: A community project for creating podcast content for
362        the Rust programming language.
363
364-------
365
366This document was originally based on:
367
368 https://www.dit.upm.es/~jmseyas/linux/kernel/hackers-docs.html
369
370and written by Juan-Mariano de Goyeneche
371