Difference between linux kernel and the raspberry kernel

[chfakht]

Hi,
can somoene tell me the differences between official linux kernel https://github.com/torvalds/linux and linux in raspberry repo https://github.com/raspberrypi/linux

Thanks

[jdb]

The Raspberry Pi repo is used to build the kernel shipped with rpi-update and Raspbian.

The Raspberry Pi downstream kernel contains drivers and features not found in the upstream kernel. Things like the heavily modified USB driver, Videocore GPU (vchiq) driver and a few other bits and pieces are not upstreamable for a number of reasons.

Having a downstream kernel allows us to test experimental features or bug fixes on a much smaller turnaround time than would be the case if we'd have to submit upstream, wait for review and then wait for another point release of the kernel (~6 weeks or so).

Upstream Linux does work on a Pi, but several features available on the shipped kernel will be missing. This gap is growing steadily smaller now that the VC4 upstream driver has been merged in 4.5.

[hansotten]

The RPi kernel is Linux kernel + Raspberry additions, like devices

[bstrobl]

The Raspberry Pi repo is used to build the kernel shipped with rpi-update and Raspbian.

The Raspberry Pi downstream kernel contains drivers and features not found in the upstream kernel. Things like the heavily modified USB driver, Videocore GPU (vchiq) driver and a few other bits and pieces are not upstreamable for a number of reasons.

Having a downstream kernel allows us to test experimental features or bug fixes on a much smaller turnaround time than would be the case if we'd have to submit upstream, wait for review and then wait for another point release of the kernel (~6 weeks or so).

Upstream Linux does work on a Pi, but several features available on the shipped kernel will be missing. This gap is growing steadily smaller now that the VC4 upstream driver has been merged in 4.5.

Will all features be upstreamed eventually?

[jdb]

Will all features be upstreamed eventually?

This is an eventual goal, yes. Either by reimplementing features "the right way™" (as in drm/VC4) or improving upstream drivers to the point where there is no feature-set differential.