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Are kernel modules specific to kernel versions?
Kernel Versions Kernel modules must be specifically built to work with the Linux Kernel. To successfully run a Kernel Module on your target it must be built with the exact toolchain with the same header files that were used to build the Linux Distribution on your target. In this example both kernels are version 3.14.
How does a kernel module work?
Kernel modules are pieces of code that can be loaded and unloaded into the kernel upon demand. They extend the functionality of the kernel without the need to reboot the system. A module can be configured as built-in or loadable.
How do modules get into the kernel?
You can see what modules are already loaded into the kernel by running lsmod, which gets its information by reading the file /proc/modules.
Do you need license for loadable kernel modules?
Loadable kernel modules also require a MODULE_LICENSE () tag. This tag is neither a replacement for proper source code license information (SPDX-License-Identifier) nor in any way relevant for expressing or determining the exact license under which the source code of the module is provided.
What kind of license does the Linux kernel have?
Module is licensed under GPL version 2. This does not express any distinction between GPL-2.0-only or GPL-2.0-or-later. The exact license information can only be determined via the license information in the corresponding source files. Same as “GPL”. It exists for historic reasons.
Which is the correct way to express that a module is dual licensed?
The correct way of expressing that the module is dual licensed under a GPL v2 variant or MIT license choice. The module is dual licensed under a GPL v2 variant or BSD license choice. The exact variant of the BSD license can only be determined via the license information in the corresponding source files.
Is the Linux kernel compatible with the GPL?
It doesn’t replace the Kernel’s license. The license described in the COPYING file applies to the kernel source as a whole, though individual source files can have a different license which is required to be compatible with the GPL-2.0: