summaryrefslogtreecommitdiffstats
path: root/Documentation/process/debugging/index.rst
diff options
context:
space:
mode:
authorLinus Torvalds <torvalds@linux-foundation.org>2026-09-05 11:59:05 -0700
committerLinus Torvalds <torvalds@linux-foundation.org>2026-09-05 11:59:05 -0700
commit9f0346dcbea363787186c94ef94dd01aaa215afa (patch)
treeb81c168f4d0dbe4c7f4750f4598d48a6deb72094 /Documentation/process/debugging/index.rst
downloadlinux-stable-9f0346dcbea363787186c94ef94dd01aaa215afa.tar.gz
linux-stable-9f0346dcbea363787186c94ef94dd01aaa215afa.zip
Merge tag 'driver-core-7.3-rc2' of git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/driver-core/driver-coregrafted
Pull driver core fixes from Danilo Krummrich: - Fix kernfs listxattr() not returning security xattr names (e.g. SELinux labels) when the kernfs node has no allocated kernfs_iattrs - Fix silent truncation of IRQ vector indices in the Rust PCI abstractions - Don't select OF from DRIVER_PE_KUNIT_TEST; skip the test when OF is disabled instead of silently enabling extra kernel functionality - Russ Weight is retiring from kernel development; update the Firmware Loader sysfs contact to the driver-core mailing list, add a CREDITS entry for Firmware Upload, and update MAINTAINERS accordingly * tag 'driver-core-7.3-rc2' of git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/driver-core/driver-core: MAINTAINERS: Remove Russ Weight from Firmware Loader CREDITS: Add CREDITS entry for Firmware Upload firmware_loader: Change contact for sysfs nodes rust: pci: reject IRQ vector indices that do not fit in u32 kernfs: preserve security xattrs without allocating iattrs drivers: base: test: DRIVER_PE_KUNIT_TEST should not select OF
Diffstat (limited to 'Documentation/process/debugging/index.rst')
-rw-r--r--Documentation/process/debugging/index.rst71
1 files changed, 71 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/Documentation/process/debugging/index.rst b/Documentation/process/debugging/index.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..357243e18
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Documentation/process/debugging/index.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+.. SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
+
+============================================
+Debugging advice for Linux Kernel developers
+============================================
+
+general guides
+--------------
+
+.. toctree::
+ :maxdepth: 1
+
+ driver_development_debugging_guide
+ gdb-kernel-debugging
+ kgdb
+ userspace_debugging_guide
+
+subsystem specific guides
+-------------------------
+
+.. toctree::
+ :maxdepth: 1
+
+ media_specific_debugging_guide
+
+General debugging advice
+========================
+
+Depending on the issue, a different set of tools is available to track down the
+problem or even to realize whether there is one in the first place.
+
+As a first step you have to figure out what kind of issue you want to debug.
+Depending on the answer, your methodology and choice of tools may vary.
+
+Do I need to debug with limited access?
+---------------------------------------
+
+Do you have limited access to the machine or are you unable to stop the running
+execution?
+
+In this case your debugging capability depends on built-in debugging support of
+provided distribution kernel.
+The :doc:`/process/debugging/userspace_debugging_guide` provides a brief
+overview over a range of possible debugging tools in that situation. You can
+check the capability of your kernel, in most cases, by looking into config file
+within the /boot directory.
+
+Do I have root access to the system?
+------------------------------------
+
+Are you easily able to replace the module in question or to install a new
+kernel?
+
+In that case your range of available tools is a lot bigger, you can find the
+tools in the :doc:`/process/debugging/driver_development_debugging_guide`.
+
+Is timing a factor?
+-------------------
+
+It is important to understand if the problem you want to debug manifests itself
+consistently (i.e. given a set of inputs you always get the same, incorrect
+output), or inconsistently. If it manifests itself inconsistently, some timing
+factor might be at play. If inserting delays into the code does change the
+behavior, then quite likely timing is a factor.
+
+When timing does alter the outcome of the code execution using a simple
+printk() for debugging purposes may not work, a similar alternative is to use
+trace_printk() , which logs the debug messages to the trace file instead of the
+kernel log.
+
+**Copyright** ©2024 : Collabora