About once a year, the Linux Foundation analyzes the online repository that holds the source code of the kernel, or core, of the Linux operating system. As well as tracking the increasing complexity of the ever-evolving kernel over a series of releases from versions 3.0 to 3.10, the report also reveals who is contributing code, and the dominant role corporations now play in what began as an all-volunteer project in 1991.
Who’s Paying the Bills?
While volunteer contributors still represent a plurality among developers, over 80 percent of code is contributed by people who are paid for their work. The Linux Foundation notes that contributions have been increasing from companies that make mobile and embedded systems, such as Linaro, Samsung, and Texas Instruments.
The Gatekeepers
Contributions from individual developers must have sign-offs before being incorporated into the official kernel code. Here corporate employees truly dominate, with just over 5 percent of approvals by volunteers.
The Authors
These are the programmers who have contributed the most code updates to versions 3.2 through 3.10.
The Growing Kernel
The increasing size of the Linux kernel is due to the incorporation of significant new features, including a file system optimized for solid-state drives and support for the 64-bit ARM microprocessors used in embedded and mobile devices.
Source: “Linux Kernel Development: How Fast It Is Going, Who Is Doing It, What They Are Doing, and Who Is Sponsoring It,” Linux Foundation, 2013.
Stephen Cass is the special projects editor at IEEE Spectrum. He currently helms Spectrum's Hands On column, and is also responsible for interactive projects such as the Top Programming Languages app. He has a bachelor's degree in experimental physics from Trinity College Dublin.
IEEE Spectrum is the flagship publication of the IEEE — the world’s largest professional organization devoted to engineering and applied sciences. Our articles, podcasts, and infographics inform our readers about developments in technology, engineering, and science.
IEEE Spectrum is the flagship publication of the IEEE — the world’s largest professional organization devoted to engineering and applied sciences. Our articles, podcasts, and infographics inform our readers about developments in technology, engineering, and science.
