Ask HN: Recommended resources to learn the Linux kernel and OS theory?

#1

Post by non-entity » Tue, Aug 27, 2019, 2:04 PM UTC

So recently I did a couple of minor patches on the FreeBSD and NetBSD kernels and played with some linux kernel. It was the first time in a a few years, I've been excited about programming.

Unfortunately I'm still completely lost. It seems that there's so much to learn and every kernel update breaks whatever you just finished writing. I see terms in unfamiliar with and often find myself googling basic OS concepts.

Are there any recommendations reading materials to get a better grasp on OS theory and / or the Linux / UNIX kernels and programming for them?

Re: Ask HN: Recommended resources to learn the Linux kernel and OS theory?

#2

Post by lignux » Tue, Aug 27, 2019, 2:27 PM UTC

This looks like a good start: https://0xax.gitbooks.io/linux-insides/content/index.html

Re: Ask HN: Recommended resources to learn the Linux kernel and OS theory?

#3

Post by rapphil » Tue, Aug 27, 2019, 2:30 PM UTC

In the past I did this: http://eudyptula-challenge.org/

Not sure if they are accepting new applicants, but you can try. Also, you can try to find the assignments online.

Re: Ask HN: Recommended resources to learn the Linux kernel and OS theory?

#4

Post by yourbandsucks » Tue, Aug 27, 2019, 2:39 PM UTC

The O'Reilly book Understanding The Linux Kernel is fantastic. Starts you off in the deep end with memory management/addressing and fans out from there. Notably excludes networking, as the book is long enough without it.

Re: Ask HN: Recommended resources to learn the Linux kernel and OS theory?

#5

Post by weinzierl » Tue, Aug 27, 2019, 2:45 PM UTC

Not very Linux specific but Tanenbaum's "Modern Operating Systems" is an excellent source for OS theory and very readable as well. It's an expensive book, but I found it worth its money.

Re: Ask HN: Recommended resources to learn the Linux kernel and OS theory?

#6

Post by neuland » Tue, Aug 27, 2019, 2:47 PM UTC

rapphil wrote: post #3

In the past I did this: http://eudyptula-challenge.org/ Not sure if they are accepting new applicants, but you can try. Also, you can try to find the assignments online.

The assignments are online in various places. Here is a copy I made from someone's Github (not linking GitHub b/c it had answers too): https://pastebin.com/cUXuHcDc

Re: Ask HN: Recommended resources to learn the Linux kernel and OS theory?

#7

Post by lorenzfx » Tue, Aug 27, 2019, 2:50 PM UTC

If you are still interested in FreeBSD, "The Design and Implementation of the Freebsd Operating System" is a fantastic book. It's a great guide in how a UNIX system and especially FreeBSD works and written by some of FreeBSD's most respected developers.

Re: Ask HN: Recommended resources to learn the Linux kernel and OS theory?

#8

Post by non-entity » Tue, Aug 27, 2019, 2:52 PM UTC

lorenzfx wrote: post #7

If you are still interested in FreeBSD, "The Design and Implementation of the Freebsd Operating System" is a fantastic book. It's a great guide in how a UNIX system and especially FreeBSD works and written by some of FreeBSD's most respected developers.

I actually did get a copy of that! Unfortunately, I only have the ebook at the moment, which I find difficult to read

Re: Ask HN: Recommended resources to learn the Linux kernel and OS theory?

#9

Post by bytematic » Tue, Aug 27, 2019, 2:54 PM UTC

OSTEP is the best book on Operating systems easily. http://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~remzi/OSTEP/

Re: Ask HN: Recommended resources to learn the Linux kernel and OS theory?

#10

Post by yodsanklai » Tue, Aug 27, 2019, 2:55 PM UTC

Not Linux, but I'd recommend this lab from MIT.

https://pdos.csail.mit.edu/6.828/2014/overview.html

I completed this one, but they may have more recent versions. They give you some initial code that you need to complete, as well as tests to check your work before going to the next step. It covers a lot of material. It takes some patience and it's not for complete beginners but it's a great fun project. Not sure, but I'd say it took me 1 or 2 weeks full time.