Device driver in linux operating system

Linux Device Driver Tutorial – Part 1 | Introduction

This article is the Series on Linux Device Drivers and carries the discussion on character drivers and their implementation. The aim of this series is to provide easy and practical examples that anyone can understand.

In this article, we are explaining some basic concepts about Linux and its drivers. It aims to provide easy and practical examples for understanding device drivers in Linux.

Before we start with programming, it’s always better to know some basic things about Linux and its drivers. We will focus on the basics in this tutorial.

You can find a video explanation of this tutorial here. Also, you can find all the Linux device driver’s video playlists here.

Linux Device Drivers Tutorial – Introduction

What is Linux?

Linux is a free open-source operating system (OS) based on UNIX that was created in 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Users can modify and create variations of the source code, known as distributions, for computers and other devices.

Linux Architecture

Linux is primarily divided into User Space & Kernel Space. These two components interact through a System Call Interface – which is a predefined and matured interface to Linux Kernel for Userspace applications. The below image will give you a basic understanding.

Kernel Space

Kernel space is where the kernel (i.e. the core of the operating system) executes (i.e. runs) and provides its services.

User Space

User Space is where the user applications are executed.

Linux Kernel Modules

Kernel modules are pieces of code that can be loaded and unloaded into the kernel upon demand. They extend the functionality of the kernel without the need to reboot the system.

Custom codes can be added to Linux kernels via two methods.

• The basic way is to add the code to the kernel source tree and recompile the kernel.
• A more efficient way to do this is by adding code to the kernel while it is running. This process is called loading the module, where the module refers to the code that we want to add to the kernel.

Since we are loading these codes at runtime, and they are not part of the official Linux kernel, these are called loadable kernel modules (LKM), which is different from the “base kernel”. The base kernel is located in the /boot directory and is always loaded when we boot our machine, whereas LKMs are loaded after the base kernel is already loaded.

Nonetheless, this LKM is very much part of our kernel, and they communicate with the base kernel to complete their functions.

Loadable kernel modules serve various purposes, but the most common applications are-

1. Linux Device Drivers

A device driver is designed for a specific piece of hardware. The kernel uses it to communicate with that piece of hardware without having to know any details of how the hardware works.

2. Filesystem Drivers

A filesystem driver interprets the contents of a filesystem (which is typically the contents of a disk drive) as files and directories and such. There are lots of different ways of storing files and directories and such on disk drives, on network servers, and in other ways. For each way, you need a filesystem driver. For example, there’s a filesystem driver for the ext2 filesystem type used almost universally on Linux disk drives. There is one for the MS-DOS filesystem too, and one for NFS.

3. System Calls

Userspace programs use system calls to get services from the kernel. For example, there are system calls to read a file, create a new process, and shut down the system. Most system calls are integral to the system and very standard, so are always built into the base kernel (no LKM option).

But you can invent a system call of your own and install it as an LKM. Or you can decide you don’t like the way Linux does something and override an existing system call with an LKM of your own.

Advantages of Loadable Kernel Modules

• One major advantage they have is that we don’t need to keep rebuilding the kernel every time we add a new device or if we upgrade an old device. This saves time and also helps in keeping our base kernel error-free.
• LKMs are very flexible, in the sense that they can be loaded and unloaded with a single line of command. This helps in saving memory as we load the LKM only when we need them.

Differences Between Kernel Modules and User Programs

• Kernel modules have separate address spaces: A module runs in kernel space. An application runs in userspace. The system software is protected from user programs. Kernel space and user space have their own memory address spaces.

Difference Between Kernel Drivers and Kernel Modules

• A kernel module is a bit of compiled code that can be inserted into the kernel at run-time, such as with insmod or modprobe .
• A driver is a bit of code that runs in the kernel to talk to some hardware device. It “drives” the hardware. Almost every bit of hardware in your computer has an associated driver.

Linux Device Drivers

A device driver is a particular form of software application that is designed to enable interaction with hardware devices. Without the required device driver, the corresponding hardware device fails to work.

A device driver usually communicates with the hardware by means of the communications subsystem or computer bus to which the hardware is connected. Device drivers are operating system-specific and hardware-dependent. A device driver acts as a translator between the hardware device and the programs or operating systems that use it.

Linux Device Driver Types

In the traditional classification, there are three kinds of the device:

In Linux, everything is a file. I mean Linux treats everything as a file even hardware.

1. Character Device

A char file is a hardware file that reads/writes data in character by character fashion. Some classic examples are keyboard, mouse, and serial printer. If a user uses a char file for writing data, no other user can use the same char file to write data that blocks access to another user. Character files use synchronized Technic to write data. If you observe, char files are used for communication purposes, and they can not be mounted.

2. Block Device

A block file is a hardware file that reads/writes data in blocks instead of character by character. This type of file is very much useful when we want to write/read data in a bulk fashion. All our disks such are HDD, USB, and CD-ROM are block devices. This is the reason when we are formatting we consider block size. The writing of data is done in an asynchronous fashion, and it is CPU-intensive activity. These device files are used to store data on real hardware and can be mounted so that we can access the data we have written.

3. Network Device

A network device is, so far as Linux’s network subsystem is concerned, an entity that sends and receives packets of data. This is normally a physical device such as an Ethernet card. Some network devices though are software only such as the loopback device which is used for sending data to yourself.

This is all about the basics of Linux and Linux device drivers. For the Linux device driver development, you can start by setting up Ubuntu and Raspberry Pi.

Linux Device Drivers – Video Explanation

Please check our video explanation below-

People Also Ask!

Q: What is a Linux Device Driver?

A Linux device driver is a software component that enables interaction between the operating system and specific hardware devices. It allows the kernel to communicate with the hardware without needing to know the hardware’s intricate details.

Q: What is the Difference Between User Space and Kernel Space?

User space is where user applications run, while kernel space is where the operating system’s core functions and device drivers operate. User space has limited access to system resources and relies on the kernel for privileged operations and hardware interactions. Kernel space has direct access to hardware and performs critical system operations. The division ensures system stability and security.

Q: Are Device Drivers Operating System-specific?

Yes, device drivers are operating system-specific. Each operating system requires its own set of device drivers to interact with hardware effectively. Therefore, device drivers designed for Linux may not work on other operating systems like Windows or macOS.

Q: Where can I find more tutorials on Linux Device Drivers?

You can get all the Linux device driver tutorials for free from here. You can also find more tutorials on Linux device drivers by searching online platforms, developer forums, or dedicated Linux documentation websites. Video tutorials on platforms like YouTube can also be a valuable resource for visual explanations and demonstrations.

You can also read the below tutorials.

Embedded Software | Firmware | Linux Devic Deriver | RTOS

Hi, I’m SLR. I am a tech blogger and an Embedded Engineer. I am always eager to learn and explore tech-related concepts. And also, I wanted to share my knowledge with everyone in a more straightforward way with easy practical examples. I strongly believe that learning by doing is more powerful than just learning by reading. I love to do experiments. If you want to help or support me on my journey, consider sharing my articles, or Buy me a Coffee! Thank you for reading my blog! Happy learning!

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