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Prerequisites

Before diving into eBPF development, let's ensure you have everything you need to succeed with this guide.

🖥️ System Requirements

Linux Kernel Version

Minimum Requirements

  • Linux Kernel: 4.18+ (5.0+ strongly recommended)
  • Architecture: x86_64 or arm64
  • Root Access: Required for loading eBPF programs

Check Your Kernel Version

# Check kernel version
uname -r

# Check kernel config for eBPF support
grep -i ebpf /boot/config-$(uname -r)

# Check if BTF is available (recommended)
ls /sys/kernel/btf/vmlinux

BTF Support

BTF (BPF Type Format) provides type information that makes eBPF development much easier. Most modern distributions enable it by default.

Supported Distributions

# Ubuntu 20.04+ or Debian 11+ recommended
lsb_release -a

# RHEL 8+, CentOS 8+, or Fedora 30+ recommended
cat /etc/os-release

# Latest kernel is usually available
pacman -Q linux

🧠 Knowledge Prerequisites

Required Knowledge

  • Basic C Programming: You should be comfortable with:
  • Pointers and memory management
  • Structs and data types
  • Function calls and return values
  • Basic understanding of compilation

Helpful Knowledge (Not Required)

  • Go Programming: We use Go for userspace applications, but examples are clear
  • Linux Systems Programming: Understanding of processes, files, and networking
  • Kernel Concepts: Basic knowledge of system calls and kernel/userspace interaction

Don't Worry!

We'll teach you all the eBPF-specific concepts. If you can write basic C programs, you're ready to start!

🛠️ Development Tools

Required Tools

You'll need these tools installed:

  • clang/llvm: For compiling eBPF programs
  • golang: For userspace applications (1.19+ recommended)
  • make: For build automation
  • git: For version control

Development Environment Options

Best performance and compatibility 

# Will be covered in development-setup.md
make install

If you're on macOS or Windows 

# We provide Lima configuration for macOS
limactl start scripts/default.yaml

For isolated development 

# Docker setup (advanced)
docker run -it --privileged ubuntu:22.04

📚 Learning Prerequisites

What You Should Know Before Starting

Ready to Start

  • Can write basic C programs
  • Understand what pointers are
  • Know how to use a terminal
  • Have Linux system with kernel 4.18+
  • Have root/sudo access

Need to Learn First

If you're completely new to C programming, consider taking a basic C course first. Here are some resources:

Learning Style

This guide assumes you:

  • Learn by doing - We provide complete working examples
  • Want to understand - We explain not just "what" but "why"
  • Like to experiment - We encourage you to modify examples
  • Ask questions - Use GitHub discussions for help

🎯 Learning Objectives

After completing this guide, you'll be able to:

Beginner Level

  • Understand what eBPF is and how it works
  • Write basic eBPF programs in C
  • Compile and load eBPF programs
  • Create simple monitoring tools

Intermediate Level

  • Use different eBPF program types (tracepoints, kprobes, etc.)
  • Work with eBPF maps for data storage
  • Build complete userspace applications
  • Debug eBPF programs effectively

Advanced Level

  • Optimize eBPF programs for performance
  • Handle complex kernel data structures
  • Create production-ready monitoring tools
  • Contribute to eBPF projects

⏱️ Time Commitment

Realistic Expectations

Phase Time Estimate What You'll Accomplish
Setup 30-60 minutes Development environment ready
Fundamentals 2-4 hours Understand eBPF concepts
First Tool 3-6 hours Complete working eBPF tool
Tool Tutorials 1-2 weeks Multiple real-world tools
Advanced Topics Ongoing Production-ready skills

Learn at Your Own Pace

This guide is designed to be self-paced. Take breaks, experiment with the code, and don't hesitate to revisit concepts.

🆘 Getting Help

When You're Stuck

  • Read error messages carefully - They're usually helpful
  • Check the troubleshooting section - Common issues are documented
  • Search existing issues - Someone might have faced the same problem
  • Ask in discussions - Our community is helpful and welcoming

Resources for Extra Learning

✅ Ready Check

Before proceeding to the next section, make sure you have:

  • Linux system with kernel 4.18+ (check with uname -r)
  • Root/sudo access (test with sudo whoami)
  • Basic C programming knowledge
  • Enthusiasm to learn! 🚀

All Set?

Great! Let's set up your development environment and start building!

Not quite ready?

That's okay! Take time to set up what you need. This guide will be here when you're ready.