Open Source Summit + ELC Europe 2018

With well over 10,000 unique configuration options it can be difficult to make your Linux kernel configuration a deliberate one. Each new version introduces new options, renames some, and removes others. A static config is convenient at first, but it doesn’t distinguish between deliberate choices and the defaults, making it difficult to evaluate changes and prepare for upgrades. Configuration fragments have been part of build systems like the Yocto Project for years, and later became more common with the addition of the merge_config.sh script to the upstream Linux kernel. Darren will explore the complex task of Linux kernel configuration management through some common scenarios and pitfalls, and show how granular configuration with fragments provides for a more deliberate and more manageable approach to Linux kernel configuration management.