The Linux Kernel Primer: A Top-Down Approach for x86 and PowerPC Architectures - Softcover

Rodriguez, Claudia Salzberg

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0131181637 ISBN 13: 9780131181632

Publisher: Prentice Hall, 2005

Synopsis

This work enables you to learn Linux kernel programming, hands-on, and features a uniquely effective top-down approach. The Linux(R) Kernel Primer is the definitive guide to Linux kernel programming. The authors' unique top-down approach makes kernel programming easier to understand by systematically tracing functionality from user space into the kernel and carefully associating kernel internals with user-level programming fundamentals. Their approach helps you build on what you already know about Linux, gaining a deep understanding of how the kernel works and how its elements fit together. One step at a time, the authors introduce all the tools and assembly language programming techniques required to understand kernel code and control its behavior. They compare x86 and PowerPC implementations side-by-side, illuminating cryptic functionality through carefully-annotated source code examples and realistic projects.

About this title

From the Back Cover

Learn Linux kernel programming, hands-on: a uniquely effective top-down approach

The Linux® Kernel Primer is the definitive guide to Linux kernel programming. The authors' unique top-down approach makes kernel programming easier to understand by systematically tracing functionality from user space into the kernel and carefully associating kernel internals with user-level programming fundamentals. Their approach helps you build on what you already know about Linux, gaining a deep understanding of how the kernel works and how its elements fit together.

One step at a time, the authors introduce all the tools and assembly language programming techniques required to understand kernel code and control its behavior. They compare x86 and PowerPC implementations side-by-side, illuminating cryptic functionality through carefully-annotated source code examples and realistic projects. The Linux® Kernel Primer is the first book to offer in-depth coverage of the rapidly growing PowerPC Linux development platform, and the only book to thoroughly discuss kernel configuration with the Linux build system. Coverage includes

• Data structures

• x86 and PPC assembly language

• Viewing kernel internals

• Linux process model

• User and kernel space

• Interrupts and exceptions

• Memory allocation and tracking

• Tracing subsystem behavior

• I/O interactions

• Filesystems and file operations

• Scheduling and synchronization

• Kernel boot process

• Kernel build system

• Configuration options

• Device drivers

• And more...

If you know C, this book teaches you all the skills and techniques you need to succeed with Linux kernel programming. Whether you're a systems programmer, software engineer, systems analyst, test professional, open source project contributor, or simply a Linux enthusiast, you'll find it indispensable.

© Copyright Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Claudia Salzberg Rodriguez has been a Linux systems programmer for over 5 years and has worked with Linux on a wide variety of platforms ranging from embedded to High Performance systems on both Intel and PPC. She received a Bachelor of Science from Brown University in 1997 and a Master of Science in Computer Science from the University of Pennsylvania in 1999. She currently works in IBM's Linux Technology Center developing the kernel and associated programming tools.

Gordon Fischer has been using Linux and other Unices since 1996. He has written device drivers for RF tuners, modulators and other low-level devices. He has used both the 2.2 and 2.4 Linux kernels in enterprise settings ranging from servers to embedded devices across both i386 and PPC chipsets. He believes all code should be written in either C or LISP.

Steve Smolski has been in the semiconductor business for 26 years and has always been interested in the line between hardware and software. He has worked in manufacturing, test, and development of memory, processors, and ASICS. He has written applications and device drivers for Windows, AIX, Linux, and several embedded operating systems. His favorite jobs have been in robotics and multimedia.

© Copyright Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

Edition details

• Publisher: Prentice Hall
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0131181637
• ISBN 13: 9780131181632
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 648