Embedded Linux Primer: a practical, real-world approach

This practical guide to developing systems based on embedded Linux is fully updated with extensive new content. It helps programmers quickly overcome the learning curve, enhance productivity, and tackle significant development challenges. New chapters cover the PCI Subsystem, Hotplug and UDEV, USB, and strategies for reducing boot time. The book also addresses Flash-resident filesystem images, the Memory Technology Devices subsystem, and the latest multicore processors. As manufacturers increasingly adopt embedded Linux, many software and firmware engineers must learn it for the first time, making this guide an essential resource. Christopher Hallinan provides practical solutions for real-world challenges faced by embedded developers, whether they are transitioning from legacy systems to Linux or vice versa. The book introduces Linux in embedded environments, discusses major systems and development issues, and offers numerous tips, tools, and problem-solving techniques. Extensive code examples are drawn from operational hardware running current embedded Linux versions. Coverage includes Linux kernel initialization, the role of bootloaders and U-Boot, embedded Linux file systems like JFFS2, building Flash resident file systems, and utilizing the Memory Technology Devices (MTD) subsystem. This updated edition reflects the latest kernel versions and trends in embedded computing, including a detailed introduction to multicore tech