Mastering Embedded Linux

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Course Description

This intensive Mastering Embedded Linux training course will teach you the techniques required to build Linux into embedded systems. During the hands-on sessions you will learn about the fundamental elements that underpin all embedded Linux projects: the toolchain, the bootloader, the Linux kernel and the root filesystem. You will create each of these elements from scratch, and discover out how to automate the process using tools such as Buildroot and the Yocto Project. In later sessions you will delve into architectural issues such as file system layout, how to split functions between user and kernel space and real-time programming. You will also find out how to debug and profile code at both the application level and within the kernel so that you will be able to identify bugs and resolve performance bottlenecks.

Course Outline

1. Embedded Linux

•     Linux as an embedded operating system
•     Working with open source licenses

2. Toolchain, bootloader and kernel

•     The toolchain: choosing, installing and testing
•     The bootloader: how to load Linux into memory using U-Boot
•     The Linux kernel: customising and cross-compiling
•     Device trees: how they work and how to modify them to fit your hardware

3. Root filesystem and networking

•     Directory layout
•     Important programs: init and the shell
•     Creating a basic network configuration
•     Creating user accounts

4. Linux build systems

•     Buildroot
•     The Yocto Project

5. Init, device manager and log daemon

•     Choices for init: Busybox, SysV, systemd
•     Examples using Busybox init and systemd
•     Device managers: populating /dev
•     Options for the system log daemon

6. File systems and flash memory

•     Types of flash memory: NOR, NAND and eMMC
•     Choosing the right file system: JFFS2, UBIFS, EXT4 and tmpfs
•     Designing a robust in-field update mechanism

7. Linux kernel programming and device drivers

•     Writing kernel code: kernel modules
•     Anatomy of a simple device driver
•     Kernel debugging: interpreting an oops message; interactive debugging using kgdb

8. Developing and debugging

•     Application program interfaces: the POSIX standard
•     Calling device drivers from user space
•     Debugging applications remotely using gdbserver

9. Real-time

•     Real-time: hard or soft? Impact on kernel and applications
•     Approaching hard real-time with the PREEMPT_RT patch

Learning Path

• Please contact us for suggestions.

• Embedded Linux Development
• Embedded Android

Ways to Attend

• Attend a public course, if there is one available. Please check our schedule, or register your interest in joining a course in your area.
• Private onsite Team training also available, please contact us to discuss. We can customise this course to suit your business requirements.