Any good ways on how to get into kernel dev?
i know... i know... this isn't what someone should ask, but i would really appreciate some tips or any resources outside official docs and source code? Or those are enough?
Why should this not be asked?
Start here: https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/v4.16/process/howto.html
I also recall there is a list of obscure code (mostly drivers I recall, but could be wrong) that Linus himself recommended for new people to take a look, to promote to better standards, because no one. I forgot where he put the recommendation -- maybe it is just a comment at the top of the code block.
I wish I could find it again, but I probably need AI to help me with that. This is also very interesting to me as well, because I have always wanted to get into kernel development AND carve out a tiny teeny piece for myself.
Thanks! When the question formed in my head I kinda remembered a video I watched a few days ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krWLtVW4P_Y and the first ~20 seconds of it. But of course I don't actually mean it that seriously.
Learn tooling, especially QEMU (vms are a must for kernel dev).
And find specific little projects that inspire you, "kernel dev" is a huge topic. Like a funny /proc entry, a netfilter hook, or a tiny filesystem. A concrete project will give you a clear path forward to research and experiment.
Thanks for sharing, not OP but I found this course: https://linux-kernel-labs.github.io/refs/heads/master/
I think this kinda fits the bill, too -- labs on real Linux kernel, with grading support.
resources outside official docs and source code?
Official documents and source code are a big part of what defines the kernel development community. To the degree they are a barrier to entry, they are serving an important secondary purpose.
Good luck.
Thank you. I didnt meant excluding them but adding other resources on top of the official docs and source code.
I think anything else is a distraction.
Hard things are best started by spitting on your hands, picking up an ax, and chopping wood.