An Android kernel creates a bridge of communication between an application and the hardware components of a device. For example, when a device is put into game mode, then that mode sends instructions to both a processor and a GPU to run at their best speed, or maximum frequencies.
Similarly, in power saver mode, the mode sends a message to the processor and the GPU, to run at their minimum frequencies.
How to Compile an Android Kernel?
If someone wants to combine their own kernel, then this can prove to be helpful in two ways. The user experience becomes optimized as per the needs of the user, and secondly this can also help in open source development.
Prerequisites
- There are prerequisites to compiling one’s own Kernel.
- Firstly, the OS should be Linux or Ubunti; secondly, the user should be familiar with Linux Commands (not advanced, only basic).
- The user should be familiar with Github, and must know device source code.
- After downloading the required files, and input the codes necessary, the user has to download the GCC tool chain.
- It is best to download the CLANG tool chain, the most commonly used one is AOSP’s Clang.
- Move the files that you have downloaded to mykernel folder, and then input the codes for compiling the kernel.
- The next step is to boot the compiled kernels, and the deal with the errors that one encounters in this process.
- The users who spend a lot of time around Android and PCs, they come across terms like ‘the Linux Kernel’.
- While most people know what Linux is, kernel is not a commonly used word. Computers only know how to execute instructions, and these set of instructions have to be developed for them.
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Under the many things that are happening in a phone, there are different systems running like the Java Virtual Machine, and SurfaceFlinger. This is responsible for compositing multiple things, which needs to be drawn into a single buffer.
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Linux Kernel
A Linux Kernel is most likely to contain display driver, camera driver, Bluetooth driver, flash memory driver, Binder (IPC), USB Driver, Keypad driver, Wifi driver, audio drivers and power management. Each and every operating system has a kernel, and they are located deep down the permfrost.
- In simpler words, kernel can be described as a core program, which manages the resources of a CPU, the system memory and devices.
- There are so many things that are responsible for managing processes like file systems and networking.
- When you start an app, the kernel is what loads the memory of the app.
- For example, if you have been playing a game on your cell phone, then the memory of that game would be loaded by a kernel.
- When an app required networking, then the kernel is responsible for executing the low level processing.
However, even though the kernel might seem very straightforward, it is still a complex piece of software. Also, if someone wants to put a kernel in their Android device, then they need to gain access to the root first.
Some people are comfortable with gaining root access to their devices, but others are not. People also need technical expertise to put a kernel in Android, and putting one isn’t something everyone can do. You need to have a certain skill set, to implement this. Rea more: How to adb debug when “Revoke Usb Authorisation” not working?
There are kernel builders which people can use, and these kernel builders are very reliable, especially when they are fixing bugs.
Each and every multitasking OS has a kernel of some sort. The core functionality of a kernel is that it manages system resources, particularly the memory of apps, and their processes. Here
