Embedded Linux kernel and driver development training

Get familiar with device driver development for the Linux kernel

Objectives and target audience

This course targets engineers who wish to develop or improve device drivers in the Linux kernel, for projects on embedded platforms, or on the traditional PC platform. In five days, through theory and practical labs, the course makes you familiar with the essentials of kernel development: kernel architecture, the main APIs, integration of device drivers with other parts of the kernel and with user applications.

At the end of this course, you will be ready to work on Linux device driver development projects.

Outline

Here are the main topics that we cover:

  • training desktopIntroduction to the Linux kernel
  • Kernel source code
  • Configuring, compiling and booting the kernel
  • Linux kernel modules
  • Memory management and accessing hardware
  • Character device drivers
  • Processes, scheduling, waiting for resources and interrupt management
  • Locking
  • Kernel debugging techniques
  • mmap
  • Using DMA
  • Kernel architecture for device drivers. Illustration by many examples in the kernel code.
  • Kernel booting details
  • Porting the Linux kernel to a new hardware platform
  • Power management
  • Working with the community
  • Managing sources with git.

See the detailed agenda.

Training materials

All the training materials we use during this course are freely available. Before the session, you can then check that they correspond to your needs.

By the way, you can also see evaluations from previous sessions. In the same way we are transparent with our training materials, we share all the evaluations that we collect, not only the good ones.

Practical labs

CALAO USB9263 boardEach lecture in our course is followed by a practical implementation, representing 50% to 60% of the whole course time. Labs are performed an embedded ARM board (USB-A9263 from CALAO systems), on which you will progressively implement drivers in the Linux kernel.

Prerequisites

Participants should be familiar with the UNIX or Linux command line interface. Those who aren’t should do some self training using our training materials on this topic). Without being absolutely necessary, this will make them more productive in your practical labs.

Participants must also be familiar with programming in the C language.

If you develop on embedded hardware, we also recommend to take our Embedded Linux course first. This is not a prerequiste as you will be given all the instructions to operate your embedded Linux system, but you it will help you to understand the environment you are using. In addition, you will need embedded Linux knowledge anyway if your involved in the development of drivers for embedded products.

Training summary

Title
Embedded Linux kernel and driver development
Contents
See our detailed agenda
Location
On your own site (anywhere in the world), or in one of our public training sessions.
Duration
5 days.
Language
English or French
Audience
People developing device drivers for the Linux kernel. This session doesn’t only target embedded developers, but also any person who has to develop Linux device drivers, has to solve kernel bugs, or just needs a better knowledge about the kernel.
Cost, registration and other details
See our main training page for generic details about our training sessions.