About this ebook
This book is ideal for Linux developers and system programmers who are already familiar with embedded systems and who want to know how to create best-in-class devices. A basic understanding of C programming and experience with systems programming is needed.
What You Will LearnUnderstand the role of the Linux kernel and select an appropriate role for your applicationUse Buildroot and Yocto to create embedded Linux systems quickly and efficientlyCreate customized bootloaders using U-BootEmploy perf and ftrace to identify performance bottlenecksUnderstand device trees and make changes to accommodate new hardware on your deviceWrite applications that interact with Linux device driversDesign and write multi-threaded applications using POSIX threadsMeasure real-time latencies and tune the Linux kernel to minimize themIn DetailMastering Embedded Linux Programming takes you through the product cycle and gives you an in-depth description of the components and options that are available at each stage. You will begin by learning about toolchains, bootloaders, the Linux kernel, and how to configure a root filesystem to create a basic working device. You will then learn how to use the two most commonly used build systems, Buildroot and Yocto, to speed up and simplify the development process. Building on this solid base, the next section considers how to make best use of raw NAND/NOR flash memory and managed flash eMMC chips, including mechanisms for increasing the lifetime of the devices and to perform reliable in-field updates. Next, you need to consider what techniques are best suited to writing applications for your device. We will then see how functions are split between processes and the usage of POSIX threads, which have a big impact on the responsiveness and performance of the final device The closing sections look at the techniques available to developers for profiling and tracing applications and kernel code using perf and ftrace.
Style and approachThis book is an easy-to-follow and pragmatic guide consisting of an in-depth analysis of the implementation of embedded devices. Each topic has a logical approach to it; this coupled with hints and best practices helps you understand embedded Linux better.
About the author
Chris Simmonds is a software consultant and trainer who lives in southern England. He has been using Linux in embedded systems since the late 1990s, during which he has worked on many interesting projects, including a stereoscopic camera, intelligent weighing scales, various set-top boxes and home routers, and even a large walking robot. He is a frequent presenter at open source and embedded conferences, including the Embedded Linux Conference, Embedded World, and the Android Builders' Summit. He has been conducting training courses and workshops in embedded Linux since 2002 and in embedded Android since 2010. He has delivered hundreds of sessions to many well-known companies. You can see some of his work on the "Inner Penguin" blog at www.2net.co.uk.
