Linux® Kernel Primer, The: A Top-Down Approach for x86 and PowerPC Architectures

Chapter 2. Exploration Toolkit

In this chapter

• 2.1 Common Kernel Datatypes 30

• 2.2 Assembly 38

• 2.3 Assembly Language Example 46

• 2.4 Inline Assembly 55

• 2.5 Quirky C Language Usage 62

• 2.6 A Quick Tour of Kernel Exploration Tools 65

• 2.7 Kernel Speak: Listening to Kernel Messages 67

• 2.8 Miscellaneous Quirks 68

• Summary 71

• Project: Hellomod 72

• Exercises 76

This chapter overviews common Linux coding constructs and describes a number of methods to interface with the kernel. We start by looking at common Linux datatypes used for efficient storage and retrieval of information, coding methods, and basic assembly language. This provides a foundation for the more detailed kernel analysis in the later chapters. We then describe how Linux compiles and links the source code ...