linux

This repository holds the Linux kernel source code as modified and maintained by the Raspberry Pi Foundation. The Linux kernel is the core piece of software that sits between a computer's hardware and everything else running on the machine. It manages memory, processes, file storage, and communication between hardware components. The Raspberry Pi team takes the standard Linux kernel and applies their own patches to make it work correctly on Raspberry Pi hardware.

This is a highly technical repository aimed at developers who want to compile a custom kernel for their Raspberry Pi, contribute patches, or understand how the Pi's hardware support is implemented at the lowest software level. Most Raspberry Pi users never need to interact with this repository directly, as the Foundation provides pre-built kernel images through their standard software distribution.

The codebase is written almost entirely in C, which is typical for operating system kernels. To build and install a new kernel from this source, you need a working build environment, a cross-compiler if you are building on a non-ARM machine, and familiarity with the Linux kernel build system. The README included in the repository is the standard upstream Linux kernel documentation covering installation, configuration, and software requirements, with no Raspberry Pi-specific additions beyond the project description.

Bug reports and questions about the kernel should go to the Raspberry Pi community forums rather than this GitHub repository, per the project's own guidance. Issues unrelated to the Linux kernel itself are redirected there. The code is distributed under the GNU General Public License, the same license as the upstream Linux kernel.