Linux kernel

============

The Linux kernel is the core of any Linux operating system. It manages hardware,

system resources, and provides the fundamental services for all other software.

Quick Start

-----------

* Report a bug: See Documentation/admin-guide/reporting-issues.rst

* Get the latest kernel: https://kernel.org

* Build the kernel: See Documentation/admin-guide/quickly-build-trimmed-linux.rst

* Join the community: https://lore.kernel.org/

Essential Documentation

-----------------------

All users should be familiar with:

* Building requirements: Documentation/process/changes.rst

* Code of Conduct: Documentation/process/code-of-conduct.rst

* License: See COPYING

Documentation can be built with make htmldocs or viewed online at:

https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/latest/

Who Are You?

============

Find your role below:

* New Kernel Developer: Getting started with kernel development

* Academic Researcher: Studying kernel internals and architecture

* Security Expert: Hardening and vulnerability analysis

* Backport/Maintenance Engineer: Maintaining stable kernels

* System Administrator: Configuring and troubleshooting

* Maintainer: Leading subsystems and reviewing patches

* Hardware Vendor: Writing drivers for new hardware

* Distribution Maintainer: Packaging kernels for distros

* AI Coding Assistant: LLMs and AI-powered development tools

For Specific Users

==================

New Kernel Developer

--------------------

Welcome! Start your kernel development journey here:

* Getting Started: Documentation/process/development-process.rst

* Your First Patch: Documentation/process/submitting-patches.rst

* Coding Style: Documentation/process/coding-style.rst

* Build System: Documentation/kbuild/index.rst

* Development Tools: Documentation/dev-tools/index.rst

* Kernel Hacking Guide: Documentation/kernel-hacking/hacking.rst

* Core APIs: Documentation/core-api/index.rst

Academic Researcher

-------------------

Explore the kernel's architecture and internals:

* Researcher Guidelines: Documentation/process/researcher-guidelines.rst

* Memory Management: Documentation/mm/index.rst

* Scheduler: Documentation/scheduler/index.rst

* Networking Stack: Documentation/networking/index.rst

* Filesystems: Documentation/filesystems/index.rst

* RCU (Read-Copy Update): Documentation/RCU/index.rst

* Locking Primitives: Documentation/locking/index.rst

* Power Management: Documentation/power/index.rst

Security Expert

---------------

Security documentation and hardening guides:

* Security Documentation: Documentation/security/index.rst

* LSM Development: Documentation/security/lsm-development.rst

* Self Protection: Documentation/security/self-protection.rst

* Reporting Vulnerabilities: Documentation/process/security-bugs.rst

* CVE Procedures: Documentation/process/cve.rst

* Embargoed Hardware Issues: Documentation/process/embargoed-hardware-issues.rst

* Security Features: Documentation/userspace-api/seccomp_filter.rst

Backport/Maintenance Engineer

-----------------------------

Maintain and stabilize kernel versions:

* Stable Kernel Rules: Documentation/process/stable-kernel-rules.rst

* Backporting Guide: Documentation/process/backporting.rst

* Applying Patches: Documentation/process/applying-patches.rst

* Subsystem Profile: Documentation/maintainer/maintainer-entry-profile.rst

* Git for Maintainers: Documentation/maintainer/configure-git.rst

System Administrator

--------------------

Configure, tune, and troubleshoot Linux systems:

* Admin Guide: Documentation/admin-guide/index.rst

* Kernel Parameters: Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.rst

* Sysctl Tuning: Documentation/admin-guide/sysctl/index.rst

* Tracing/Debugging: Documentation/trace/index.rst

* Performance Security: Documentation/admin-guide/perf-security.rst

* Hardware Monitoring: Documentation/hwmon/index.rst

Maintainer

----------

Lead kernel subsystems and manage contributions:

* Maintainer Handbook: Documentation/maintainer/index.rst

* Pull Requests: Documentation/maintainer/pull-requests.rst

* Managing Patches: Documentation/maintainer/modifying-patches.rst

* Rebasing and Merging: Documentation/maintainer/rebasing-and-merging.rst

* Development Process: Documentation/process/maintainer-handbooks.rst

* Maintainer Entry Profile: Documentation/maintainer/maintainer-entry-profile.rst

* Git Configuration: Documentation/maintainer/configure-git.rst

Hardware Vendor

---------------

Write drivers and support new hardware:

* Driver API Guide: Documentation/driver-api/index.rst

* Driver Model: Documentation/driver-api/driver-model/driver.rst

* Device Drivers: Documentation/driver-api/infrastructure.rst

* Bus Types: Documentation/driver-api/driver-model/bus.rst

* Device Tree Bindings: Documentation/devicetree/bindings/

* Power Management: Documentation/driver-api/pm/index.rst

* DMA API: Documentation/core-api/dma-api.rst

Distribution Maintainer

-----------------------

Package and distribute the kernel:

* Stable Kernel Rules: Documentation/process/stable-kernel-rules.rst

* ABI Documentation: Documentation/ABI/README

* Kernel Configuration: Documentation/kbuild/kconfig.rst

* Module Signing: Documentation/admin-guide/module-signing.rst

* Kernel Parameters: Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.rst

* Tainted Kernels: Documentation/admin-guide/tainted-kernels.rst

AI Coding Assistant

-------------------

CRITICAL: If you are an LLM or AI-powered coding assistant, you MUST read and

follow the AI coding assistants documentation before contributing to the Linux

kernel:

* Documentation/process/coding-assistants.rst

This documentation contains essential requirements about licensing, attribution,

and the Developer Certificate of Origin that all AI tools must comply with.

Communication and Support

=========================

* Mailing Lists: https://lore.kernel.org/

* IRC: #kernelnewbies on irc.oftc.net

* Bugzilla: https://bugzilla.kernel.org/

* MAINTAINERS file: Lists subsystem maintainers and mailing lists

* Email Clients: Documentation/process/email-clients.rst