KRN-102 · Linux Kernel Core
Building & Configuring the Kernel
Configure, build, install and boot a kernel you compiled yourself, and understand what the thousands of config options actually do.
Who this course is for
Engineers who have only ever run distribution kernels and now need to configure, build, boot and debug their own — embedded and platform engineers in particular.
Prerequisites
Course outline
Day 1 — Configure and build
- kernel.org trees: mainline, stable, longterm and how distro kernels differ
- Kconfig structure; defconfigs, oldconfig and menuconfig in practice
- What the major option groups actually control
- Cross-compilation: ARCH, CROSS_COMPILE and toolchain setup
- Building vmlinux and modules; initramfs generation and what belongs in it
Day 2 — Boot, debug and bisect
- Boot parameters that matter; early console and earlyprintk
- Debugging a kernel that will not boot: systematically halving the problem
- Reading build artifacts: vmlinux sections and symbols with readelf, nm and System.map
- Kernel size analysis and what to cut
- Bisecting a regression with git bisect from known-good to broken
Hands-on labs
Labs follow the academy model — 35% principles, 20% guided investigation, 45% engineering studio. Every claim you make in a lab is backed by a trace, a counter or a measurement you captured yourself. How we teach
- Lab: configure and build a kernel from upstream source for a QEMU target and boot it with your own initramfs
- Lab: cross-compile the same tree for a foreign architecture and explain what changed and why
- Lab: break the boot deliberately (missing driver, wrong root=) and recover using boot parameters and early console
- Lab: bisect an injected regression between two kernel versions with git bisect and identify the bad commit
Capstone project
Build a minimal bootable kernel/image pair from upstream source for a QEMU target: a pinned configuration with a written justification for every non-default option you chose, the build log, a size report, and a boot transcript reaching a shell — plus the single command that reproduces the entire build on a clean machine.
What you leave with
- A reproducible build recipe: pinned config, toolchain and command
- Confidence with Kconfig, defconfigs and cross-compilation
- A boot-failure debugging procedure that converges
- git bisect as a working tool, not a party trick
How it runs
Every course follows the same model: 35% principles, 20% guided investigation, 45% engineering studio. You leave with working code, raw measurements and an evidence-based report — not a certificate of attendance. Read the methodology or see a full sample lesson.
Material is adapted to your kernel version, hardware and workload before a private delivery. For public cohorts, the environment is provided and configured.
Questions
Who is this course for?
Engineers who have only ever run distribution kernels and now need to configure, build, boot and debug their own — embedded and platform engineers in particular. It sits at foundation level within the Linux Kernel Core track.
What do I need to know already?
Specific prerequisites for this course: Command-line Linux; Basic C helpful but not required; A machine or VM with build tools. We confirm levels before the cohort starts and adapt if a group is stronger or weaker than expected.
Can this run privately for my team?
Yes. Any course runs on-site at your offices anywhere, or live online for a distributed team, with labs adapted to your hardware and codebase.
What is the difference between in-person and online?
In person is 2 full days with hardware on your desk, capped at 14. Online is 4 half-day sessions across about two weeks so you can keep working, capped at 20, with remote lab access.
Do you invoice companies?
Yes. Purchase orders are accepted and invoicing is available in USD, EUR, GBP, SAR and CAD.
Upcoming dates
| Dates | Where | Seats | Early bird | Regular | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 Oct – 19 Oct 20262 full days | RiyadhIn person · KAFD Conference Centre | 4 of 14 | — | SAR 4,500 | |
| 25 Oct – 26 Oct 20262 full days | Kuwait CityIn person · Al Hamra Tower | 9 of 14 | — | KWD 370 | |
| 25 Oct – 26 Oct 20262 full days | MuscatIn person · Knowledge Oasis Muscat | 4 of 14 | — | OMR 460 | |
| 1 Nov – 4 Nov 20264 half-days | Gulf bandLive online · 09:00–13:00 GMT+3 | 16 of 20 | — | US$850 | |
| 2 Nov – 3 Nov 20262 full days | OttawaIn person · Kanata North Tech Park | 9 of 14 | — | CAD 1,630 | |
| 9 Nov – 10 Nov 20262 full days | TorontoIn person · MaRS Discovery District | 4 of 14 | CAD 1,470until 10 Oct | ||
| 9 Nov – 10 Nov 20262 full days | LondonIn person · Shoreditch Works | 9 of 14 | GBP 850until 10 Oct | ||
| 9 Nov – 12 Nov 20264 half-days | Europe bandLive online · 09:00–13:00 CET | 5 of 20 | US$760until 10 Oct | ||
| 9 Nov – 12 Nov 20264 half-days | Americas bandLive online · 13:00–17:00 ET | 10 of 20 | US$760until 10 Oct | ||
| 16 Nov – 17 Nov 20262 full days | BerlinIn person · Factory Görlitzer Park | 4 of 14 | EUR 990until 17 Oct |
Dates shown for the next few months. If nothing fits, tell us where and when — cohorts are added on demand, and private delivery can be scheduled any week.
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