Linus Torvalds f96163865a Merge tag 'docs-6.19' of git://git.lwn.net/linux
Pull documentation updates from Jonathan Corbet:
 "This has been another busy cycle for documentation, with a lot of
  build-system thrashing. That work should slow down from here on out.

   - The various scripts and tools for documentation were spread out in
     several directories; now they are (almost) all coalesced under
     tools/docs/. The holdout is the kernel-doc script, which cannot be
     easily moved without some further thought.

   - As the amount of Python code increases, we are accumulating modules
     that are imported by multiple programs. These modules have been
     pulled together under tools/lib/python/ -- at least, for
     documentation-related programs. There is other Python code in the
     tree that might eventually want to move toward this organization.

   - The Perl kernel-doc.pl script has been removed. It is no longer
     used by default, and nobody has missed it, least of all anybody who
     actually had to look at it.

   - The docs build was controlled by a complex mess of makefilese that
     few dared to touch. Mauro has moved that logic into a new program
     (tools/docs/sphinx-build-wrapper) that, with any luck at all, will
     be far easier to understand and maintain.

   - The get_feat.pl program, used to access information under
     Documentation/features/, has been rewritten in Python, bringing an
     end to the use of Perl in the docs subsystem.

   - The top-level README file has been reorganized into a more
     reader-friendly presentation.

   - A lot of Chinese translation additions

   - Typo fixes and documentation updates as usual"

* tag 'docs-6.19' of git://git.lwn.net/linux: (164 commits)
  docs: makefile: move rustdoc check to the build wrapper
  README: restructure with role-based documentation and guidelines
  docs: kdoc: various fixes for grammar, spelling, punctuation
  docs: kdoc_parser: use '@' for Excess enum value
  docs: submitting-patches: Clarify that removal of Acks needs explanation too
  docs: kdoc_parser: add data/function attributes to ignore
  docs: MAINTAINERS: update Mauro's files/paths
  docs/zh_CN: Add wd719x.rst translation
  docs/zh_CN: Add libsas.rst translation
  get_feat.pl: remove it, as it got replaced by get_feat.py
  Documentation/sphinx/kernel_feat.py: use class directly
  tools/docs/get_feat.py: convert get_feat.pl to Python
  Documentation/admin-guide: fix typo and comment in cscope example
  docs/zh_CN: Add data-integrity.rst translation
  docs/zh_CN: Add blk-mq.rst translation
  docs/zh_CN: Add block/index.rst translation
  docs/zh_CN: Update the Chinese translation of kbuild.rst
  docs: bring some order to our Python module hierarchy
  docs: Move the python libraries to tools/lib/python
  Documentation/kernel-parameters: Move the kernel build options
  ...
2025-12-03 11:34:28 -08:00
2022-09-28 09:02:20 +02:00
2025-02-19 14:53:27 -07:00

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


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



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
Description
Linux kernel source tree
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