|  | <!DOCTYPE chapter PUBLIC "-//OASIS//DTD DocBook XML V4.2//EN" | 
|  | "http://www.oasis-open.org/docbook/xml/4.2/docbookx.dtd" | 
|  | [<!ENTITY % poky SYSTEM "../poky.ent"> %poky; ] > | 
|  |  | 
|  | <appendix id='kernel-dev-maint-appx'> | 
|  | <title>Kernel Maintenance</title> | 
|  |  | 
|  | <section id='tree-construction'> | 
|  | <title>Tree Construction</title> | 
|  |  | 
|  | <para> | 
|  | This section describes construction of the Yocto Project kernel | 
|  | source repositories as accomplished by the Yocto Project team to | 
|  | create Yocto Linux kernel repositories. | 
|  | These kernel repositories are found under the heading "Yocto Linux | 
|  | Kernel" at | 
|  | <ulink url='&YOCTO_GIT_URL;/cgit.cgi'>&YOCTO_GIT_URL;/cgit.cgi</ulink> | 
|  | and are shipped as part of a Yocto Project release. | 
|  | The team creates these repositories by compiling and executing the | 
|  | set of feature descriptions for every BSP and feature in the | 
|  | product. | 
|  | Those feature descriptions list all necessary patches, | 
|  | configurations, branches, tags, and feature divisions found in a | 
|  | Yocto Linux kernel. | 
|  | Thus, the Yocto Project Linux kernel repository (or tree) and | 
|  | accompanying Metadata in the | 
|  | <filename>yocto-kernel-cache</filename> are built. | 
|  | </para> | 
|  |  | 
|  | <para> | 
|  | The existence of these repositories allow you to access and clone a | 
|  | particular Yocto Project Linux kernel repository and use it to | 
|  | build images based on their configurations and features. | 
|  | </para> | 
|  |  | 
|  | <para> | 
|  | You can find the files used to describe all the valid features and | 
|  | BSPs in the Yocto Project Linux kernel in any clone of the Yocto | 
|  | Project Linux kernel source repository and | 
|  | <filename>yocto-kernel-cache</filename> Git trees. | 
|  | For example, the following commands clone the Yocto Project | 
|  | baseline Linux kernel that branches off | 
|  | <filename>linux.org</filename> version 4.12 and the | 
|  | <filename>yocto-kernel-cache</filename>, which contains stores of | 
|  | kernel Metadata: | 
|  | <literallayout class='monospaced'> | 
|  | $ git clone git://git.yoctoproject.org/linux-yocto-4.12 | 
|  | $ git clone git://git.yoctoproject.org/linux-kernel-cache | 
|  | </literallayout> | 
|  | For more information on how to set up a local Git repository of | 
|  | the Yocto Project Linux kernel files, see the | 
|  | "<link linkend='preparing-the-build-host-to-work-on-the-kernel'>Preparing the Build Host to Work on the Kernel</link>" | 
|  | section. | 
|  | </para> | 
|  |  | 
|  | <para> | 
|  | Once you have cloned the kernel Git repository and the | 
|  | cache of Metadata on your local machine, you can discover the | 
|  | branches that are available in the repository using the following | 
|  | Git command: | 
|  | <literallayout class='monospaced'> | 
|  | $ git branch -a | 
|  | </literallayout> | 
|  | Checking out a branch allows you to work with a particular | 
|  | Yocto Linux kernel. | 
|  | For example, the following commands check out the | 
|  | "standard/beagleboard" branch of the Yocto Linux kernel repository | 
|  | and the "yocto-4.12" branch of the | 
|  | <filename>yocto-kernel-cache</filename> repository: | 
|  | <literallayout class='monospaced'> | 
|  | $ cd ~/linux-yocto-4.12 | 
|  | $ git checkout -b my-kernel-4.12 remotes/origin/standard/beagleboard | 
|  | $ cd ~/linux-kernel-cache | 
|  | $ git checkout -b my-4.12-metadata remotes/origin/yocto-4.12 | 
|  | </literallayout> | 
|  | <note> | 
|  | Branches in the <filename>yocto-kernel-cache</filename> | 
|  | repository correspond to Yocto Linux kernel versions | 
|  | (e.g. "yocto-4.12", "yocto-4.10", "yocto-4.9", and so forth). | 
|  | </note> | 
|  | Once you have checked out and switched to appropriate branches, | 
|  | you can see a snapshot of all the kernel source files used to | 
|  | used to build that particular Yocto Linux kernel for a | 
|  | particular board. | 
|  | </para> | 
|  |  | 
|  | <para> | 
|  | To see the features and configurations for a particular Yocto | 
|  | Linux kernel, you need to examine the | 
|  | <filename>yocto-kernel-cache</filename> Git repository. | 
|  | As mentioned, branches in the | 
|  | <filename>yocto-kernel-cache</filename> repository correspond to | 
|  | Yocto Linux kernel versions (e.g. <filename>yocto-4.12</filename>). | 
|  | Branches contain descriptions in the form of | 
|  | <filename>.scc</filename> and <filename>.cfg</filename> files. | 
|  | </para> | 
|  |  | 
|  | <para> | 
|  | You should realize, however, that browsing your local | 
|  | <filename>yocto-kernel-cache</filename> repository for feature | 
|  | descriptions and patches is not an effective way to determine what | 
|  | is in a particular kernel branch. | 
|  | Instead, you should use Git directly to discover the changes in | 
|  | a branch. | 
|  | Using Git is an efficient and flexible way to inspect changes to | 
|  | the kernel. | 
|  | <note> | 
|  | Ground up reconstruction of the complete kernel tree is an | 
|  | action only taken by the Yocto Project team during an active | 
|  | development cycle. | 
|  | When you create a clone of the kernel Git repository, you are | 
|  | simply making it efficiently available for building and | 
|  | development. | 
|  | </note> | 
|  | </para> | 
|  |  | 
|  | <para> | 
|  | The following steps describe what happens when the Yocto Project | 
|  | Team constructs the Yocto Project kernel source Git repository | 
|  | (or tree) found at | 
|  | <ulink url='&YOCTO_GIT_URL;/cgit.cgi'></ulink> given the | 
|  | introduction of a new top-level kernel feature or BSP. | 
|  | These are the actions that effectively provide the Metadata | 
|  | and create the tree that includes the new feature, patch or BSP: | 
|  | <orderedlist> | 
|  | <listitem><para> | 
|  | <emphasis>Pass Feature to Build Subsystem:</emphasis> | 
|  | A top-level kernel feature is passed to the kernel build | 
|  | subsystem. | 
|  | Normally, this feature is a BSP for a particular kernel | 
|  | type. | 
|  | </para></listitem> | 
|  | <listitem><para> | 
|  | <emphasis>Locate Feature:</emphasis> | 
|  | The file that describes the top-level feature is located | 
|  | by searching these system directories: | 
|  | <itemizedlist> | 
|  | <listitem><para> | 
|  | The in-tree kernel-cache directories, which are | 
|  | located in the | 
|  | <filename>yocto-kernel-cache</filename> | 
|  | repository | 
|  | </para></listitem> | 
|  | <listitem><para> | 
|  | Areas pointed to by <filename>SRC_URI</filename> | 
|  | statements found in kernel recipes | 
|  | </para></listitem> | 
|  | </itemizedlist> | 
|  | For a typical build, the target of the search is a | 
|  | feature description in an <filename>.scc</filename> file | 
|  | whose name follows this format: | 
|  | <literallayout class='monospaced'> | 
|  | <replaceable>bsp_name</replaceable>-<replaceable>kernel_type</replaceable>.scc | 
|  | </literallayout> | 
|  | </para></listitem> | 
|  | <listitem><para> | 
|  | <emphasis>Expand Feature:</emphasis> | 
|  | Once located, the feature description is either expanded | 
|  | into a simple script of actions, or into an existing | 
|  | equivalent script that is already part of the shipped | 
|  | kernel. | 
|  | </para></listitem> | 
|  | <listitem><para> | 
|  | <emphasis>Append Extra Features:</emphasis> | 
|  | Extra features are appended to the top-level feature | 
|  | description. | 
|  | These features can come from the | 
|  | <ulink url='&YOCTO_DOCS_REF_URL;#var-KERNEL_FEATURES'><filename>KERNEL_FEATURES</filename></ulink> | 
|  | variable in recipes. | 
|  | </para></listitem> | 
|  | <listitem><para> | 
|  | <emphasis>Locate, Expand, and Append Each Feature:</emphasis> | 
|  | Each extra feature is located, expanded and appended to | 
|  | the script as described in step three. | 
|  | </para></listitem> | 
|  | <listitem><para> | 
|  | <emphasis>Execute the Script:</emphasis> | 
|  | The script is executed to produce files | 
|  | <filename>.scc</filename> and <filename>.cfg</filename> | 
|  | files in appropriate directories of the | 
|  | <filename>yocto-kernel-cache</filename> repository. | 
|  | These files are descriptions of all the branches, tags, | 
|  | patches and configurations that need to be applied to the | 
|  | base Git repository to completely create the | 
|  | source (build) branch for the new BSP or feature. | 
|  | </para></listitem> | 
|  | <listitem><para> | 
|  | <emphasis>Clone Base Repository:</emphasis> | 
|  | The base repository is cloned, and the actions | 
|  | listed in the <filename>yocto-kernel-cache</filename> | 
|  | directories are applied to the tree. | 
|  | </para></listitem> | 
|  | <listitem><para> | 
|  | <emphasis>Perform Cleanup:</emphasis> | 
|  | The Git repositories are left with the desired branches | 
|  | checked out and any required branching, patching and | 
|  | tagging has been performed. | 
|  | </para></listitem> | 
|  | </orderedlist> | 
|  | </para> | 
|  |  | 
|  | <para> | 
|  | The kernel tree and cache are ready for developer consumption to | 
|  | be locally cloned, configured, and built into a Yocto Project | 
|  | kernel specific to some target hardware. | 
|  | <note><title>Notes</title> | 
|  | <itemizedlist> | 
|  | <listitem><para> | 
|  | The generated <filename>yocto-kernel-cache</filename> | 
|  | repository adds to the kernel as shipped with the Yocto | 
|  | Project release. | 
|  | Any add-ons and configuration data are applied to the | 
|  | end of an existing branch. | 
|  | The full repository generation that is found in the | 
|  | official Yocto Project kernel repositories at | 
|  | <ulink url='&YOCTO_GIT_URL;/cgit.cgi'>http://git.yoctoproject.org/cgit.cgi</ulink> | 
|  | is the combination of all supported boards and | 
|  | configurations. | 
|  | </para></listitem> | 
|  | <listitem><para> | 
|  | The technique the Yocto Project team uses is flexible | 
|  | and allows for seamless blending of an immutable | 
|  | history with additional patches specific to a | 
|  | deployment. | 
|  | Any additions to the kernel become an integrated part | 
|  | of the branches. | 
|  | </para></listitem> | 
|  | <listitem><para> | 
|  | The full kernel tree that you see on | 
|  | <ulink url='&YOCTO_GIT_URL;/cgit.cgi'></ulink> is | 
|  | generated through repeating the above steps for all | 
|  | valid BSPs. | 
|  | The end result is a branched, clean history tree that | 
|  | makes up the kernel for a given release. | 
|  | You can see the script (<filename>kgit-scc</filename>) | 
|  | responsible for this in the | 
|  | <ulink url='&YOCTO_GIT_URL;/cgit.cgi/yocto-kernel-tools/tree/tools'><filename>yocto-kernel-tools</filename></ulink> | 
|  | repository. | 
|  | </para></listitem> | 
|  | <listitem><para> | 
|  | The steps used to construct the full kernel tree are | 
|  | the same steps that BitBake uses when it builds a | 
|  | kernel image. | 
|  | </para></listitem> | 
|  | </itemizedlist> | 
|  | </note> | 
|  | </para> | 
|  | </section> | 
|  |  | 
|  | <section id='build-strategy'> | 
|  | <title>Build Strategy</title> | 
|  |  | 
|  | <para> | 
|  | Once you have cloned a Yocto Linux kernel repository and the | 
|  | cache repository (<filename>yocto-kernel-cache</filename>) onto | 
|  | your development system, you can consider the compilation phase | 
|  | of kernel development, which is building a kernel image. | 
|  | Some prerequisites exist that are validated by the build process | 
|  | before compilation starts: | 
|  | </para> | 
|  |  | 
|  | <itemizedlist> | 
|  | <listitem><para> | 
|  | The | 
|  | <ulink url='&YOCTO_DOCS_REF_URL;#var-SRC_URI'><filename>SRC_URI</filename></ulink> | 
|  | points to the kernel Git repository. | 
|  | </para></listitem> | 
|  | <listitem><para> | 
|  | A BSP build branch with Metadata exists in the | 
|  | <filename>yocto-kernel-cache</filename> repository. | 
|  | The branch is based on the Yocto Linux kernel version and | 
|  | has configurations and features grouped under the | 
|  | <filename>yocto-kernel-cache/bsp</filename> directory. | 
|  | For example, features and configurations for the | 
|  | BeagleBone Board assuming a | 
|  | <filename>linux-yocto_4.12</filename> kernel reside in the | 
|  | following area of the <filename>yocto-kernel-cache</filename> | 
|  | repository: | 
|  | <literallayout class='monospaced'> | 
|  | yocto-kernel-cache/bsp/beaglebone | 
|  | </literallayout> | 
|  | <note> | 
|  | In the previous example, the "yocto-4.12" branch is | 
|  | checked out in the <filename>yocto-kernel-cache</filename> | 
|  | repository. | 
|  | </note> | 
|  | </para></listitem> | 
|  | </itemizedlist> | 
|  |  | 
|  | <para> | 
|  | The OpenEmbedded build system makes sure these conditions exist | 
|  | before attempting compilation. | 
|  | Other means, however, do exist, such as as bootstrapping a BSP. | 
|  | </para> | 
|  |  | 
|  | <para> | 
|  | Before building a kernel, the build process verifies the tree | 
|  | and configures the kernel by processing all of the | 
|  | configuration "fragments" specified by feature descriptions | 
|  | in the <filename>.scc</filename> files. | 
|  | As the features are compiled, associated kernel configuration | 
|  | fragments are noted and recorded in the series of directories | 
|  | in their compilation order. | 
|  | The fragments are migrated, pre-processed and passed to the | 
|  | Linux Kernel Configuration subsystem (<filename>lkc</filename>) as | 
|  | raw input in the form of a <filename>.config</filename> file. | 
|  | The <filename>lkc</filename> uses its own internal dependency | 
|  | constraints to do the final processing of that information and | 
|  | generates the final <filename>.config</filename> file that is used | 
|  | during compilation. | 
|  | </para> | 
|  |  | 
|  | <para> | 
|  | Using the board's architecture and other relevant values from | 
|  | the board's template, kernel compilation is started and a kernel | 
|  | image is produced. | 
|  | </para> | 
|  |  | 
|  | <para> | 
|  | The other thing that you notice once you configure a kernel is that | 
|  | the build process generates a build tree that is separate from | 
|  | your kernel's local Git source repository tree. | 
|  | This build tree has a name that uses the following form, where | 
|  | <filename>${MACHINE}</filename> is the metadata name of the | 
|  | machine (BSP) and "kernel_type" is one of the Yocto Project | 
|  | supported kernel types (e.g. "standard"): | 
|  | <literallayout class='monospaced'> | 
|  | linux-${MACHINE}-<replaceable>kernel_type</replaceable>-build | 
|  | </literallayout> | 
|  | </para> | 
|  |  | 
|  | <para> | 
|  | The existing support in the <filename>kernel.org</filename> tree | 
|  | achieves this default functionality. | 
|  | </para> | 
|  |  | 
|  | <para> | 
|  | This behavior means that all the generated files for a particular | 
|  | machine or BSP are now in the build tree directory. | 
|  | The files include the final <filename>.config</filename> file, | 
|  | all the <filename>.o</filename> files, the <filename>.a</filename> | 
|  | files, and so forth. | 
|  | Since each machine or BSP has its own separate | 
|  | <ulink url='&YOCTO_DOCS_REF_URL;#build-directory'>Build Directory</ulink> | 
|  | in its own separate branch of the Git repository, you can easily | 
|  | switch between different builds. | 
|  | </para> | 
|  | </section> | 
|  | </appendix> | 
|  | <!-- | 
|  | vim: expandtab tw=80 ts=4 | 
|  | --> |