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Evolution of the Linux kernel

https://doi.org/10.15514/ISPRAS-2017-29(2)-3

Abstract

Existing research analyzing evolution of the Linux kernel considers the kernel together with loadable modules delivered with it or some specific subsystems of the kernel. The aim of this paper is to evaluate evolution of the kernel without loadable modules. It proposes a method for determining boundaries between them and evaluates evolution for all versions of the Linux kernel, released over the past 7.5 years. Also the paper presents a classification and a distribution of typical bugs that were fixed in the kernel, based on analysis of changes that have been made to stable branches of the kernel during the last 2 months of 2015. One can use the obtained results for evaluation of applicability of various methods and tools for software quality assurance.

About the Author

E. M. Novikov
Institute for System Programming of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Russian Federation


References

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Review

For citations:


Novikov E.M. Evolution of the Linux kernel. Proceedings of the Institute for System Programming of the RAS (Proceedings of ISP RAS). 2017;29(2):77-96. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.15514/ISPRAS-2017-29(2)-3



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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.


ISSN 2079-8156 (Print)
ISSN 2220-6426 (Online)