Tutorial 3: Exploring Linux Kernel Modules and Build Configuration

In this tutorial, I created a simple Linux kernel module, integrated it into the build system (kbuild), and tested it in a virtual machine.

Kernel modules and build configuration

Kernel modules extend the kernel at runtime without rebooting. I wrote a basic module that logs messages when loaded and unloaded, then added it to the Kconfig and Makefile to enable it through menuconfig.

Building and testing

After enabling the module, I rebuilt the kernel, installed the modules into the VM, and used insmod, rmmod, and modprobe to load and unload it. Checking dmesg confirmed the module worked as expected.

Challenges

The tutorial introduced more advanced terminal tasks like mounting the VM filesystem and managing modules. I think some steps were not very clear for beginners (like configuration with menuconfig), so I had to read the tutorial more carefully, but I completed everything.

Key takeaways

• Writing and testing kernel modules.
• Configuring builds with kbuild and menuconfig.
• Loading modules dynamically in a VM.

I also learned how modules can interact by exporting and importing functions.

📚 You can follow the full tutorial here