348 lines
20 KiB
XML
348 lines
20 KiB
XML
<!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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<chapter id='kernel-concepts'>
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<title>Yocto Project Kernel Concepts</title>
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<section id='concepts-org'>
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<title>Introduction</title>
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<para>
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This chapter provides conceptual information about the Yocto Project kernel:
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<itemizedlist>
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<listitem><para>Kernel Goals</para></listitem>
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<listitem><para>Yocto Project Kernel Development and Maintenance Overview</para></listitem>
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<listitem><para>Kernel Architecture</para></listitem>
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<listitem><para>Kernel Tools</para></listitem>
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</itemizedlist>
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</para>
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</section>
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<section id='kernel-goals'>
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<title>Kernel Goals</title>
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<para>
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The complexity of embedded kernel design has increased dramatically.
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Whether it is managing multiple implementations of a particular feature or tuning and
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optimizing board specific features, flexibility and maintainability are key concerns.
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The Yocto Project Linux kernel is presented with the embedded
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developer's needs in mind and has evolved to assist in these key concerns.
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For example, prior methods such as applying hundreds of patches to an extracted
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tarball have been replaced with proven techniques that allow easy inspection,
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bisection and analysis of changes.
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Application of these techniques also creates a platform for performing integration and
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collaboration with the thousands of upstream development projects.
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</para>
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<para>
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With all these considerations in mind, the Yocto Project kernel and development team
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strives to attain these goals:
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<itemizedlist>
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<listitem><para>Allow the end user to leverage community best practices to seamlessly
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manage the development, build and debug cycles.</para></listitem>
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<listitem><para>Create a platform for performing integration and collaboration with the
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thousands of upstream development projects that exist.</para></listitem>
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<listitem><para>Provide mechanisms that support many different work flows, front-ends and
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management techniques.</para></listitem>
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<listitem><para>Deliver the most up-to-date kernel possible while still ensuring that
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the baseline kernel is the most stable official release.</para></listitem>
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<listitem><para>Include major technological features as part of Yocto Project's up-rev
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strategy.</para></listitem>
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<listitem><para>Present a kernel Git repository that, similar to the upstream
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<filename>kernel.org</filename> tree,
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has a clear and continuous history.</para></listitem>
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<listitem><para>Deliver a key set of supported kernel types, where each type is tailored
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to a specific use case (e.g. networking, consumer, devices, and so forth).</para></listitem>
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<listitem><para>Employ a Git branching strategy that, from a developer's point of view,
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results in a linear path from the baseline <filename>kernel.org</filename>,
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through a select group of features and
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ends with their BSP-specific commits.</para></listitem>
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</itemizedlist>
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</para>
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</section>
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<section id='kernel-big-picture'>
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<title>Yocto Project Kernel Development and Maintenance Overview</title>
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<para>
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The Yocto Project kernel, like other kernels, is based off the Linux kernel release
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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 Yocto Project kernel
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based on factors like release timing, the anticipated release timing of final
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upstream <filename>kernel.org</filename> versions, and Yocto Project 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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as possible, while still ensuring that the team has a stable official release as
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the baseline kernel version.
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</para>
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<para>
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The ultimate source for the Yocto Project kernel is a released kernel
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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 released
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Yocto Project kernel contains 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 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 Yocto Project kernel is officially released, the Yocto Project team goes into
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their next development cycle, or "uprev" cycle, while still continuing maintenance on the
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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 Yocto Project kernel can be thought of as a
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"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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<section id='kernel-architecture'>
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<title>Kernel Architecture</title>
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<para>
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This section describes the architecture of the Yocto Project kernel and provides information
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on the mechanisms used to achieve that architecture.
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</para>
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<section id='architecture-overview'>
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<title>Overview</title>
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<para>
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As mentioned earlier, a key goal of Yocto Project is to present the developer with
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a kernel that has a clear and continuous history that is visible to the user.
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The architecture and mechanisms used achieve that goal in a manner similar to the
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upstream <filename>kernel.org</filename>.
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</para>
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<para>
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You can think of the Yocto Project kernel as consisting of a baseline kernel with
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added features logically structured on top of the baseline.
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The features are tagged and organized by way of a branching strategy implemented by the
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source code manager (SCM) Git.
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For information on Git as applied to the Yocto Project, see the
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"<ulink url='http://www.yoctoproject.org/docs/1.1.1/dev-manual/dev-manual.html#git'>Git</ulink>"
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section in <ulink url='http://www.yoctoproject.org/docs/1.1.1/dev-manual/dev-manual.html'>The
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Yocto Project Development Manual</ulink>.
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</para>
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<para>
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The result is that the user has the ability to see the added features and
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the commits that make up those features.
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In addition to being able to see added features, the user can also view the history of what
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made up the baseline kernel.
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</para>
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<para>
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The following illustration shows the conceptual Yocto Project kernel.
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</para>
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<para>
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<imagedata fileref="figures/kernel-architecture-overview.png" width="6in" depth="7in" align="center" scale="100" />
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</para>
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<para>
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In the illustration, the "<filename>kernel.org</filename> Branch Point"
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marks the specific spot (or release) from
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which the Yocto Project kernel is created.
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From this point "up" in the tree, features and differences are organized and tagged.
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</para>
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<para>
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The "Yocto Project Baseline Kernel" contains functionality that is common to every kernel
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type and BSP that is organized further up the tree.
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Placing these common features in the
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tree this way means features don't have to be duplicated along individual branches of the
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structure.
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</para>
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<para>
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From the Yocto Project Baseline Kernel, branch points represent specific functionality
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for individual BSPs as well as real-time kernels.
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The illustration represents this through three BSP-specific branches and a real-time
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kernel branch.
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Each branch represents some unique functionality for the BSP or a real-time kernel.
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</para>
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<para>
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In this example structure, the real-time kernel branch has common features for all
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real-time kernels and contains
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more branches for individual BSP-specific real-time kernels.
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The illustration shows three branches as an example.
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Each branch points the way to specific, unique features for a respective real-time
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kernel as they apply to a given BSP.
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</para>
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<para>
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The resulting tree structure presents a clear path of markers (or branches) to the
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developer that, for all practical purposes, is the kernel needed for any given set
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of requirements.
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</para>
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</section>
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<section id='branching-and-workflow'>
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<title>Branching Strategy and Workflow</title>
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<para>
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The Yocto Project team creates kernel branches at points where functionality is
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no longer shared and thus, needs to be isolated.
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For example, board-specific incompatibilities would require different functionality
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and would require a branch to separate the features.
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Likewise, for specific kernel features, the same branching strategy is used.
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</para>
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<para>
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This branching strategy results in a tree that has features organized to be specific
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for particular functionality, single kernel types, or a subset of kernel types.
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This strategy also results in not having to store the same feature twice
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internally in the tree.
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Rather, the kernel team stores the unique differences required to apply the
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feature onto the kernel type in question.
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<note>
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The Yocto Project team strives to place features in the tree such that they can be
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shared by all boards and kernel types where possible.
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However, during development cycles or when large features are merged,
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the team cannot always follow this practice.
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In those cases, the team uses isolated branches to merge features.
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</note>
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</para>
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<para>
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BSP-specific code additions are handled in a similar manner to kernel-specific additions.
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Some BSPs only make sense given certain kernel types.
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So, for these types, the team creates branches off the end of that kernel type for all
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of the BSPs that are supported on that kernel type.
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From the perspective of the tools that create the BSP branch, the BSP is really no
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different than a feature.
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Consequently, the same branching strategy applies to BSPs as it does to features.
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So again, rather than store the BSP twice, the team only stores the unique
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differences for the BSP across the supported multiple kernels.
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</para>
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<para>
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While this strategy can result in a tree with a significant number of branches, it is
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important to realize that from the developer's point of view, there is a linear
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path that travels from the baseline <filename>kernel.org</filename>, through a select
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group of features and ends with their BSP-specific commits.
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In other words, the divisions of the kernel are transparent and are not relevant
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to the developer on a day-to-day basis.
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From the developer's perspective, this path is the "master" branch.
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The developer does not need not be aware of the existence of any other branches at all.
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Of course, there is value in the existence of these branches
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in the tree, should a person decide to explore them.
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For example, a comparison between two BSPs at either the commit level or at the line-by-line
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code <filename>diff</filename> level is now a trivial operation.
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</para>
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<para>
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Working with the kernel as a structured tree follows recognized community best practices.
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In particular, the kernel as shipped with the product, should be
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considered an "upstream source" and viewed as a series of
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historical and documented modifications (commits).
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These modifications represent the development and stabilization done
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by the Yocto Project kernel development team.
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</para>
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<para>
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Because commits only change at significant release points in the product life cycle,
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developers can work on a branch created
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from the last relevant commit in the shipped Yocto Project kernel.
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As mentioned previously, the structure is transparent to the developer
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because the kernel tree is left in this state after cloning and building the kernel.
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</para>
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</section>
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<section id='source-code-manager-git'>
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<title>Source Code Manager - Git</title>
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<para>
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The Source Code Manager (SCM) is Git.
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This SCM is the obvious mechanism for meeting the previously mentioned goals.
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Not only is it the SCM for <filename>kernel.org</filename> but,
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Git continues to grow in popularity and supports many different work flows,
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front-ends and management techniques.
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</para>
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<para>
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You can find documentation on Git at <ulink url='http://git-scm.com/documentation'></ulink>.
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You can also get an introduction to Git as it applies to the Yocto Project in the
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"<ulink url='http://www.yoctoproject.org/docs/1.1.1/dev-manual/dev-manual.html#git'>Git</ulink>"
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section in <ulink url='http://www.yoctoproject.org/docs/1.1.1/dev-manual/dev-manual.html'>The
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Yocto Project Development Manual</ulink>.
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This section overviews Git and describes a minimal set of commands that allow you to be
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functional using Git.
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<note>
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You can use as much, or as little, of what Git has to offer to accomplish what
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you need for your project.
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You do not have to be a "Git Master" in order to use it with the Yocto Project.
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</note>
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</para>
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</section>
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</section>
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<section id='kernel-tools'>
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<title>Kernel Tools</title>
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<para>
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Since most standard workflows involve moving forward with an existing tree by
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continuing to add and alter the underlying baseline, the tools that manage
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the Yocto Project's kernel construction are largely hidden from the developer to
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present a simplified view of the kernel for ease of use.
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</para>
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<para>
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Fundamentally, the kernel tools that manage and construct the
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Yocto Project kernel accomplish the following:
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<itemizedlist>
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<listitem><para>Group patches into named, reusable features.</para></listitem>
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<listitem><para>Allow top-down control of included features.</para></listitem>
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<listitem><para>Bind kernel configurations to kernel patches and features.</para></listitem>
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<listitem><para>Present a seamless Git repository that blends Yocto Project value
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with the <filename>kernel.org</filename> history and development.</para></listitem>
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</itemizedlist>
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</para>
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<!--<para>
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WRITER NOTE: Put this in for post 1.1 if possible:
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The tools that construct a kernel tree will be discussed later in this
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document. The following tools form the foundation of the Yocto Project
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kernel toolkit:
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<itemizedlist>
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<listitem><para>git : distributed revision control system created by Linus Torvalds</para></listitem>
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<listitem><para>guilt: quilt on top of git</para></listitem>
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<listitem><para>*cfg : kernel configuration management and classification</para></listitem>
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<listitem><para>kgit*: Yocto Project kernel tree creation and management tools</para></listitem>
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<listitem><para>scc : series & configuration compiler</para></listitem>
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</itemizedlist>
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</para> -->
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</section>
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</chapter>
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<!--
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vim: expandtab tw=80 ts=4
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-->
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