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authorTudor Florea <tudor.florea@enea.com>2014-10-16 03:05:19 +0200
committerTudor Florea <tudor.florea@enea.com>2014-10-16 03:05:19 +0200
commitc527fd1f14c27855a37f2e8ac5346ce8d940ced2 (patch)
treebb002c1fdf011c41dbd2f0927bed23ecb5f83c97 /documentation/kernel-dev/kernel-dev-intro.xml
downloadpoky-daisy-140929.tar.gz
initial commit for Enea Linux 4.0-140929daisy-140929
Migrated from the internal git server on the daisy-enea-point-release branch Signed-off-by: Tudor Florea <tudor.florea@enea.com>
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1<!DOCTYPE chapter PUBLIC "-//OASIS//DTD DocBook XML V4.2//EN"
2"http://www.oasis-open.org/docbook/xml/4.2/docbookx.dtd"
3[<!ENTITY % poky SYSTEM "../poky.ent"> %poky; ] >
4
5<chapter id='kernel-dev-intro'>
6<title>Introduction</title>
7
8<!--
9<para>
10 <emphasis>AR - Darrren Hart:</emphasis> See if the concepts in these
11 three bullets are adequately covered in somewhere in this manual:
12 <itemizedlist>
13 <listitem><para>Do we convey that our kernel Git repositories
14 have a clear and continuous history, similar to the way the
15 kernel Git repositories for <filename>kernel.org</filename>
16 do.
17 </para></listitem>
18 <listitem><para>Does the manual note that Yocto Project delivers
19 a key set of supported kernel types, where
20 each type is tailored to meet a specific use (e.g. networking,
21 consumer, devices, and so forth).</para></listitem>
22 <listitem><para>Do we convey that the Yocto Project uses a
23 Git branching strategy that, from a
24 developer's point of view, results in a linear path from the
25 baseline kernel.org, through a select group of features and
26 ends with their BSP-specific commits.</para></listitem>
27 </itemizedlist>
28</para>
29-->
30
31 <section id='kernel-dev-overview'>
32 <title>Overview</title>
33
34 <para>
35 Regardless of how you intend to make use of the Yocto Project,
36 chances are you will work with the Linux kernel.
37 This manual provides background information on the Yocto Linux kernel
38 <ulink url='&YOCTO_DOCS_DEV_URL;#metadata'>Metadata</ulink>,
39 describes common tasks you can perform using the kernel tools,
40 and shows you how to use the kernel Metadata needed to work with
41 the kernel inside the Yocto Project.
42 </para>
43
44 <para>
45 Each Yocto Project release has a set of linux-yocto recipes, whose
46 Git repositories you can view in the Yocto
47 <ulink url='&YOCTO_GIT_URL;'>Source Repositories</ulink> under
48 the "Yocto Linux Kernel" heading.
49 New recipes for the release track the latest upstream developments
50 and introduce newly supported platforms.
51 Previous recipes in the release are refreshed and supported for at
52 least one additional release.
53 As they align, these previous releases are updated to include the
54 latest from the Long Term Support Initiative (LTSI) project.
55 Also included is a linux-yocto development recipe
56 (<filename>linux-yocto-dev.bb</filename>) should you want to work
57 with the very latest in upstream Linux kernel development and
58 kernel Metadata development.
59 </para>
60
61 <para>
62 The Yocto Project also provides a powerful set of kernel
63 tools for managing Linux kernel sources and configuration data.
64 You can use these tools to make a single configuration change,
65 apply multiple patches, or work with your own kernel sources.
66 </para>
67
68 <para>
69 In particular, the kernel tools allow you to generate configuration
70 fragments that specify only what you must, and nothing more.
71 Configuration fragments only need to contain the highest level
72 visible <filename>CONFIG</filename> options as presented by the Linux
73 kernel <filename>menuconfig</filename> system.
74 Contrast this against a complete Linux kernel
75 <filename>.config</filename>, which includes all the automatically
76 selected <filename>CONFIG</filename> options.
77 This efficiency reduces your maintenance effort and allows you
78 to further separate your configuration in ways that make sense for
79 your project.
80 A common split separates policy and hardware.
81 For example, all your kernels might support
82 the <filename>proc</filename> and <filename>sys</filename> filesystems,
83 but only specific boards require sound, USB, or specific drivers.
84 Specifying these configurations individually allows you to aggregate
85 them together as needed, but maintains them in only one place.
86 Similar logic applies to separating source changes.
87 </para>
88
89 <para>
90 If you do not maintain your own kernel sources and need to make
91 only minimal changes to the sources, the released recipes provide a
92 vetted base upon which to layer your changes.
93 Doing so allows you to benefit from the continual kernel
94 integration and testing performed during development of the
95 Yocto Project.
96 </para>
97
98 <para>
99 If, instead, you have a very specific Linux kernel source tree
100 and are unable to align with one of the official linux-yocto
101 recipes, an alternative exists by which you can use the Yocto
102 Project Linux kernel tools with your own kernel sources.
103 </para>
104 </section>
105
106 <section id='kernel-dev-other-resources'>
107 <title>Other Resources</title>
108
109 <para>
110 The sections that follow provide instructions for completing
111 specific Linux kernel development tasks.
112 These instructions assume you are comfortable working with
113 <ulink url='http://developer.berlios.de/projects/bitbake/'>BitBake</ulink>
114 recipes and basic open-source development tools.
115 Understanding these concepts will facilitate the process of working
116 with the kernel recipes.
117 If you find you need some additional background, please be sure to
118 review and understand the following documentation:
119 <itemizedlist>
120 <listitem><para><ulink url='&YOCTO_DOCS_QS_URL;'>Yocto Project Quick Start</ulink>
121 </para></listitem>
122 <listitem><para>The "<ulink url='&YOCTO_DOCS_DEV_URL;#modifying-temporary-source-code'>Modifying Temporary Source Code</ulink>"
123 section in the Yocto Project Development Manual
124 </para></listitem>
125 <listitem><para>The "<ulink url='&YOCTO_DOCS_DEV_URL;#understanding-and-creating-layers'>Understanding and Creating Layers</ulink>" section
126 in the Yocto Project Development Manual</para></listitem>
127 <listitem><para>The "<ulink url='&YOCTO_DOCS_DEV_URL;#modifying-the-kernel'>Modifying the Kernel</ulink>" section
128 in the Yocto Project Development Manual.</para></listitem>
129 </itemizedlist>
130 </para>
131
132 <para>
133 Finally, while this document focuses on the manual creation of
134 recipes, patches, and configuration files, the Yocto Project
135 Board Support Package (BSP) tools are available to automate
136 this process with existing content and work well to create the
137 initial framework and boilerplate code.
138 For details on these tools, see the
139 "<ulink url='&YOCTO_DOCS_BSP_URL;#using-the-yocto-projects-bsp-tools'>Using the Yocto Project's BSP Tools</ulink>"
140 section in the Yocto Project Board Support Package (BSP) Developer's
141 Guide.
142 </para>
143 </section>
144</chapter>
145<!--
146vim: expandtab tw=80 ts=4
147-->