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Is there any point for a normal user to compile a custom kernel these days? (lemmy.world)
submitted 5 months ago by to c/linux@lemmy.world
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Up until the early 2000s I used to compile my own kernel, carefully selecting only the options that I needed.

Then I realised that I wasn't saving memory, because almost everything was a module anyway.

Is there any actual benefit to using a custom kernel on consumer hardware that's supported by the stock kernels?

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[–] 17 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (4 children)

Primarily if you want some functionality that isn't mainlined, or isn't released as stable yet.

Like hibernate in lockdown mode, or out of tree drivers, or maybe something new coming up in the emulation support world like NTSync, though I think that last example was mainlined by now.

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  • [–] -1 points 5 months ago (1 child)

    Drivers are usually loaded as modules, aren't they?

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  • [–] 2 points 5 months ago

    I'm not that certain to be honest. But the following is my best understanding:

    • Most drivers are included directly in the kernel source.

    • They can be compiled built-in directly to the kernel binary, or they can be compiled as loadable kernel modules. I don't know how the proportions between the two options look, but at least the essential drivers (chipsets, filesystems, etc) should be compiled in to allow the boot to progress enough that module loading works.

    • There are some, like the Nvidia proprietary GPU driver, that are provided only in binary form as loadable kernel modules.

    • I also understand that a lot of smartphone drivers are developed out-of-tree against older branches of the Linux kernel. Even those that are made public / open sourced, end up living outside the mainline kernel, and the devs of third party android builds have to cherry pick them into their kernel source.

    I think at least the last group should count as an example of a reason of the type for what OP was looking for.

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