You're reading from Mastering Embedded Linux Programming Create fast and reliable embedded solutions with Linux 5.4 and the Yocto Project 3.1 (Dunfell)

Product type Paperback

Published in May 2021

Publisher Packt

ISBN-13 9781789530384

Length 758 pages

Edition 3rd Edition

Languages

C++

Tools

Linux

Concepts

Embedded Systems

Authors (2):

Frank Vasquez

Mr. Chris Simmonds

View More author details

Table of Contents (27) Chapters

Preface

1. Section 1: Elements of Embedded Linux

2. Chapter 1: Starting Out FREE CHAPTER

3. Chapter 2: Learning about Toolchains

4. Chapter 3: All about Bootloaders

5. Chapter 4: Configuring and Building the Kernel

6. Chapter 5: Building a Root Filesystem

7. Chapter 6: Selecting a Build System

8. Chapter 7: Developing with Yocto

9. Chapter 8: Yocto Under the Hood

10. Section 2: System Architecture and Design Decisions

11. Chapter 9: Creating a Storage Strategy

12. Chapter 10: Updating Software in the Field

13. Chapter 11: Interfacing with Device Drivers

14. Chapter 12: Prototyping with Breakout Boards

15. Chapter 13: Starting Up – The init Program

16. Chapter 14: Starting with BusyBox runit

17. Chapter 15: Managing Power

18. Section 3: Writing Embedded Applications

19. Chapter 16: Packaging Python

20. Chapter 17: Learning about Processes and Threads

21. Chapter 18: Managing Memory

22. Section 4: Debugging and Optimizing Performance

23. Chapter 19: Debugging with GDB

24. Chapter 20: Profiling and Tracing

25. Chapter 21: Real-Time Programming

26. Other Books You May Enjoy

Introducing Ftrace

The kernel function tracer Ftrace evolved from work done by Steven Rostedt and many others as they were tracking down the causes of high scheduling latency in real-time applications. Ftrace appeared in Linux 2.6.27 and has been actively developed since then. There are a number of documents describing kernel tracing in the kernel source in Documentation/trace.

Ftrace consists of a number of tracers that can log various types of activity in the kernel. Here, I am going to talk about the function and function_graph tracers and the event tracepoints. In Chapter 21, Real-Time Programming, I will revisit Ftrace and use it to show real-time latencies.

The function tracer instruments each kernel function so that calls can be recorded and timestamped. As a matter of interest, it compiles the kernel with the -pg switch to inject the instrumentation. The function_graph tracer goes further and records both the entry and exit of functions so that it can create a call graph...