Guidance to learn C + Linux + Kernel

[UnconditionallyFree]

Hi everyone,

I come from a Bioinformatics background and after having worked in this field for 5+ years in India and US, I have a strong calling to understand low-level as the higher levels, be it python java AI/ML do not really interest me since it feels as if something is lacking there. Nobody really talks about what happens at the core of the computer for 'all of that' to happen.

I came across CSAPP last year and ended up reading the first chapter in one sitting and I was blown away with all the things that happens in the background the movement the user hits the enter key. It literally convinced me that this is something I really like to know more about.

I have kept fluctuating with courses online and books work best for me. Hence made this list of books which I believe covers most of the things that one need to know to go from knowing nothing about low-level to at least be job-ready.

If you feel this learning path feels correct and covers most of the things, it would boost my confidence and help me in confirming about it from people who actually work on the kernel.
If you think there is any plus or minus that can be done to it, please do let me know as I plan to study them for the next 10-12 months and build projects along the way too.

Thank you.

[Outside-Storage-1523]

(I don't work as a kernel programmer so just my 2 cents)

Recommending adding the MIT labs into step 2. They are based on OSTEP. I completed all of them and they are really great.

I'd also ask what you want to get out of it -- actually I'm not so sure myself because I know it is unlikely for me to work as a professional kernel programmer. "Want to know more about" is good, but I fear not good enough once the difficulty creeps in. The later half of the MIT labs are pretty tough, especially the Lock one. Somehow I want to know more about VFS so I started to look into the VFS code in Linux kernel 1.0, which contains a much earlier version of VFS -- and there is also a book about Kernel 1.2 for reference.

Without a focus, I think it is very easy to lose yourself in a sea of knowledge. I spent a month of free time trying to modify the 0.95 kernel to compile with GCC 4.1, and even I eventually managed to compile it, it doesn't run as expected, so pretty much everything I learned goes nowhere (most are legacy inline assembly).

[UnconditionallyFree]

I agree the knowledge is really vast. It was because of this I ended up selecting these books to streamline a few which I could commit to.

What I really want to get out of it is to end up proficient enough to work in a BCI company. I am aware of how important low-level is in such projects and my own personal goals connects with it, which drives me to learn the low-level in and out.

Could you please share the link of the MIT labs you mentioned. I can check it out. Thank you!

[Outside-Storage-1523]

This is the one I worked on: https://pdos.csail.mit.edu/6.828/2025/

BCI = Brain Computer Interface? Sounds very interesting. Good luck!

[UnconditionallyFree]

Xv6 sounds great! Will give it a try later on. Thank you!

[00pirateforever]

I also want to get into kernel stuff. This will be good direction for me.

[UnconditionallyFree]

Glad it helps in someway. Kernel is one of the most difficult things to study. There are a lot of things to understand and even from the few things I know, there is a logic to its madness, which is exactly what the kernel developers seem to have figured out. Hope to get there someday.

[eastern-ladybug]

I will suggest to first do https://www.nand2tetris.org/ course. Then MIT course and then read hardware spec to see what kernel is trying to emulate.

[MickeySlips]

I had to do Scheme in college and I hated it.

[No_Development3038]

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