Linux Device Drivers, 3rd Edition

For a programming text--and one concerned with low-level instructions and data structures, at that--this book is remarkably rich in prose. You'll typically want to read this book straight through, more or less skipping the code samples, before sketching out your plan for the driver you need to write. Then, go back and pay closer attention to the sections on specific details you need to implement, like custom task queues. For coding-time details about specific system calls and programming techniques, count on the index to point you to the right passages. --David Wall

Topics covered: Techniques for writing hardware device drivers that run under Linux kernels 2.0.x through 2.2.x. Sections show how to manage memory, time, interrupts, ports, and other details of the hardware-software interface.

Product Description

Bravo


Excellent, a little bit old (in NO way obsolete!) book   March 16, 2000
Alex Bolenok (Moscow, Russia)
19 out of 20 found this review helpful

It's just a gift of heaven (and O'Reilly) for any Linux device driver writer. You can find everything you need to know about device driver basics there, in a 'user-friendly' form. Sample code is also included. You'll find there explanation of all file operations, structures and useful functions used by device drivers (character, block and network). In addition, there are hints concerning some tricky things (such as ISA autoprobing), and they are sharpened for Linux!

What this book really lacks, is

1) Explanation of Linux rules for writing one's own standard (such as Video for Linux), or at least advice for how to do it. There are way too few pure character devices for the question of standartization to be ignored, IMHO!

2) New 2.2.* kernel features. If you are seeking for detailed and exact explanation of the functions of _THESE_ kernels, this is not your book. So, Alessandro, we are all waiting for a second edition!


The best-written introduction to the Linux kernel   July 7, 2000
Thomas Horsten
18 out of 20 found this review helpful

This book is a must-have if you want to write your own device drivers for Linux, or if you just need a place to get started hacking the kernel.

All the basics are covered and you really don't need to know much about the kernel internals to read this book. If you're not a beginner it still contains valuable information and it's organized in a way to make it very easy to skip the areas you are already familiar with.

After a few chapters you'll be able to write your own driver from scratch. When you have read the whole book you'll also be familiar with some of the more complex concepts of kernel programming. You will not be an expert kernel hacker but you will have an excellent base for learning more yourself.

The only drawback is that it doesn't completely cover the newer kernels (2.2 and above), but although some details have changed, most of the concepts are still more or less the same, so the knowledge you gain can easily be adapted to the later versions.


Good overview of linux device driver programming concepts   December 6, 2006
mlpkr (CA)
7 out of 7 found this review helpful

This book takes a hypothetical device driver and explains the concepts nicely. It provides various fundamentals one needs to know before writing linux device drivers, and valuable information like concurrent and race conditions, and gives ideas for debugging problems in real drivers. It is worth read and I liked it. I had already some experience in kernel programming before reading this book, and it filled holes in my kernel knowledge. This book is also available online[...] and you may check yourself before buying this.

The objections made by other reviewers fall into the following two classes. Once you are a experienced hacker, all you need is kernel sources (books are for fundamentals only and become obsolete as new kernel constructs are added). If you are looking for cut and paste template code to add new driver for another device, again use kernel source of an existing driver.



Possibly still the best book on the subject   December 13, 2008
T. Mikov (Bay Area, California)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful

Even though the third edition is showing its age - it covers kernel version 2.6.10, which is terribly old - in my opinion this is still the best book on the subject.

Generally, it is not possible to create an up to date tutorial for programming the Linux kernel, since it changes constantly. SO, the key is to introduce the reader to the way of thinking necessary in order to understand and develop for the kernel. I think this book succeeds marvelously.