kernel-dev: Added new appendix for kernel concepts.
(From yocto-docs rev: e25465c6d177a27d3dee742ebc958ae30f968ffa) Signed-off-by: Scott Rifenbark <scott.m.rifenbark@intel.com> Signed-off-by: Richard Purdie <richard.purdie@linuxfoundation.org>
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<!DOCTYPE chapter PUBLIC "-//OASIS//DTD DocBook XML V4.2//EN"
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"http://www.oasis-open.org/docbook/xml/4.2/docbookx.dtd"
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[<!ENTITY % poky SYSTEM "../poky.ent"> %poky; ] >
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<appendix id='kernel-dev-concepts-appx'>
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<title>Advanced Kernel Concepts</title>
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<section id='kernel-big-picture'>
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<title>Yocto Project Kernel Development and Maintenance</title>
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<para>
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Kernels available through the Yocto Project, like other kernels, are based off the Linux
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kernel releases from <ulink url='http://www.kernel.org'></ulink>.
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At the beginning of a major development cycle, the Yocto Project team
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chooses its kernel based on factors such as release timing, the anticipated release
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timing of final upstream <filename>kernel.org</filename> versions, and Yocto Project
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feature requirements.
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Typically, the kernel chosen is in the
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final stages of development by the community.
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In other words, the kernel is in the release
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candidate or "rc" phase and not yet a final release.
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But, by being in the final stages of external development, the team knows that the
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<filename>kernel.org</filename> final release will clearly be within the early stages of
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the Yocto Project development window.
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</para>
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<para>
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This balance allows the team to deliver the most up-to-date kernel
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possible, while still ensuring that the team has a stable official release for
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the baseline Linux kernel version.
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</para>
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<para>
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The ultimate source for kernels available through the Yocto Project are released kernels
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from <filename>kernel.org</filename>.
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In addition to a foundational kernel from <filename>kernel.org</filename>, the
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kernels available contain a mix of important new mainline
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developments, non-mainline developments (when there is no alternative),
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Board Support Package (BSP) developments,
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and custom features.
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These additions result in a commercially released Yocto Project Linux kernel that caters
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to specific embedded designer needs for targeted hardware.
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</para>
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<para>
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Once a kernel is officially released, the Yocto Project team goes into
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their next development cycle, or upward revision (uprev) cycle, while still
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continuing maintenance on the released kernel.
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It is important to note that the most sustainable and stable way
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to include feature development upstream is through a kernel uprev process.
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Back-porting hundreds of individual fixes and minor features from various
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kernel versions is not sustainable and can easily compromise quality.
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</para>
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<para>
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During the uprev cycle, the Yocto Project team uses an ongoing analysis of
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kernel development, BSP support, and release timing to select the best
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possible <filename>kernel.org</filename> version.
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The team continually monitors community kernel
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development to look for significant features of interest.
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The team does consider back-porting large features if they have a significant advantage.
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User or community demand can also trigger a back-port or creation of new
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functionality in the Yocto Project baseline kernel during the uprev cycle.
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</para>
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<para>
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Generally speaking, every new kernel both adds features and introduces new bugs.
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These consequences are the basic properties of upstream kernel development and are
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managed by the Yocto Project team's kernel strategy.
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It is the Yocto Project team's policy to not back-port minor features to the released kernel.
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They only consider back-porting significant technological jumps - and, that is done
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after a complete gap analysis.
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The reason for this policy is that back-porting any small to medium sized change
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from an evolving kernel can easily create mismatches, incompatibilities and very
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subtle errors.
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</para>
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<para>
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These policies result in both a stable and a cutting
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edge kernel that mixes forward ports of existing features and significant and critical
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new functionality.
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Forward porting functionality in the kernels available through the Yocto Project kernel
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can be thought of as a "micro uprev."
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The many “micro uprevs” produce a kernel version with a mix of
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important new mainline, non-mainline, BSP developments and feature integrations.
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This kernel gives insight into new features and allows focused
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amounts of testing to be done on the kernel, which prevents
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surprises when selecting the next major uprev.
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The quality of these cutting edge kernels is evolving and the kernels are used in leading edge
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feature and BSP development.
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</para>
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</section>
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</appendix>
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<!--
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vim: expandtab tw=80 ts=4
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-->
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