Linux Kernel - The Final Reference
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[edit] Linux Kernel - The final reference
[edit] Motivation
When some even experienced programmer like my tries to understand the inner workings of the Linux kernel, one is faced with different problems at the same time:
- One doesn't know the functions and structures provided by any component of the kernel
- One doesn't understand the implications of using any of the functions or elements of a struct
This book is an attempt to create a reference to the linux kernel consisting of mainly two parts:
- A simple reference to each single function.
- Descriptions of concepts which try to illustrate the interaction between each component.
In the initial creation phase, this book will tend to be just a random list of kernel functions, parameters, return codes and a brief description of that it does, however it's planned to provide all information to a function to allow a programmer to fully understand it even without the need to read other pages. This will obviously causes a great deal of redundant information on one hand, but allow a programmer to get a simple foot in understanding of the Linux kernel on the other hand. Much more important however: If a programmer reads the description of a function, he doesn't have to worry, if he will find a very importand detail on any of the other pages of this book, which he would need to fully understand the implications.
[edit] Status
This book was just begun on 2009-10-29.
[edit] Naming conventions of sub-pages
For the reference part, each function and macro should be prefixed by Linux Kernel - The Final Reference. i.e., to describe the function kmap_atomic, you would create a the page Linux Kernel - The Final Reference/kmap_atomic. Please use the Template, when creating a new reference page. The other pages should just be sub pages of this page.
[edit] Reference index
The reference index will be maintained by the LKTFR-Category.
