19. Portability

Linux is a portable operating system that supports a wide range of computer architectures. Portability refers to how easily—if at all—code can move from one system architecture to another. We know that Linux is portable because it has already been ported to various systems. But this portability did not occur overnight—it requires diligence and a constant eye toward writing portable code. Consequently, it is now easy, relatively speaking, to bring Linux up on a new system. This chapter discusses how to write portable code—the issues you need to keep in mind when writing both core kernel code and device drivers.

Portable Operating Systems

Some operating systems are designed with portability as a primary feature. As little code ...

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