Mainline:Broadcom Kona/Adding a new device - Revision history

Uart: /* Getting the downstream kernel source */

2026-08-23T19:56:09Z

Getting the downstream kernel source

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:56, 23 August 2026
Line 75:		Line 75:

	* The defconfig is in <code>arch/arm/configs</code>; if you got a CyanogenMod/LineageOS kernel, look for a <code>cyanogenmod_XXX_defconfig</code>; otherwise, there should be a config with a name like <code>bcmXXXXX_codename_revXX_defconfig</code> (pick the highest revision number).		* The defconfig is in <code>arch/arm/configs</code>; if you got a CyanogenMod/LineageOS kernel, look for a <code>cyanogenmod_XXX_defconfig</code>; otherwise, there should be a config with a name like <code>bcmXXXXX_codename_revXX_defconfig</code> (pick the highest revision number).
	* The board ~~config~~ is in <code>arch/arm/mach-PLATFORM/board-ss_CODENAME.c</code> (or just <code>board-CODENAME.c</code>), where PLATFORM is <code>capri</code> for BCM218xx, <code>rhea</code> for BCM21654, <code>hawaii</code> for BCM21664 and <code>java</code> for BCM23550.		* The board file is in <code>arch/arm/mach-PLATFORM/board-ss_CODENAME.c</code> (or just <code>board-CODENAME.c</code>), where PLATFORM is <code>capri</code> for BCM218xx, <code>rhea</code> for BCM21654, <code>hawaii</code> for BCM21664 and <code>java</code> for BCM23550.

	== Adding a device package in postmarketOS ==		== Adding a device package in postmarketOS ==

Uart at 19:52, 23 August 2026

2026-08-23T19:52:19Z

@@ Line 76: / Line 76: @@
 * The defconfig is in <code>arch/arm/configs</code>; if you got a CyanogenMod/LineageOS kernel, look for a <code>cyanogenmod_XXX_defconfig</code>; otherwise, there should be a config with a name like <code>bcmXXXXX_codename_revXX_defconfig</code> (pick the highest revision number).
 * The board config is in <code>arch/arm/mach-PLATFORM/board-ss_CODENAME.c</code> (or just <code>board-CODENAME.c</code>), where PLATFORM is <code>capri</code> for BCM218xx, <code>rhea</code> for BCM21654, <code>hawaii</code> for BCM21664 and <code>java</code> for BCM23550.
 == Adding a DTS for your device ==
@@ Line 609: / Line 616: @@
 </syntaxhighlight>
-== WiFi and Bluetooth ==
+=== WiFi and Bluetooth ===
 Most Broadcom devices use Broadcom WiFi/Bluetooth chips from the BCM43xx series. (Look up BCM43 in your defconfig, or reference downstream kernel dmesg for the exact model.)
@@ Line 696: / Line 703: @@
 (Get the interrupt from <code>board_wifi_info</code>, member <code>.host_wake_gpio</code>).

Uart at 14:10, 23 August 2026

2026-08-23T14:10:52Z

Show changes

Uart: start writing draft

2026-08-20T21:54:58Z

start writing draft

New page

This page goes over the process of adding support for a Broadcom Kona device to the mainline Linux kernel.

General outline of the process:

* Get the downstream/vendor kernel source code
** Identify your device's board files
* Get the mainline kernel source code
* Add a DTS for your device based on values from downstream
* Build the kernel and flash it to the device
* Test it!

== Introduction ==

In the mainline kernel, a device's components are described in a structure known as the [https://wiki.mainlining.org/wiki/Devicetree device tree] (or devicetree, as is the official spelling). Device trees are compiled into DTBs (device tree blobs) from DTS (device tree source) files.

Adding support for a new device involves '''creating a DTS for that device''' - this is the process covered in this guide.

Device trees appeared in the kernel around version 3.4, and didn't see widespread use in vendor kernels until a few LTS versions later. Before device trees, each device usually had a ''board file'' - a C file that contained structs with driver data and initialization functions.

'''The downstream Kona kernels used board files.''' (They did have some partial DT support, but it was never used for any production devices.)

== Getting the kernel source ==

(WIP)