Building Kernels Manually

This section applies to kernels that aren't enabled for building with Repo. In particular, this table lists the name and locations of kernel sources and binaries to build manually.

Device	Binary location in AOSP tree	Source location	Build configuration
easel	N/A	kernel/arm64	mnh_prod_defconfig
angler	device/huawei/angler-kernel	kernel/msm	angler_defconfig
bullhead	device/lge/bullhead-kernel	kernel/msm	bullhead_defconfig
shamu	device/moto/shamu-kernel	kernel/msm	shamu_defconfig
fugu	device/asus/fugu-kernel	kernel/x86_64	fugu_defconfig
volantis	device/htc/flounder-kernel	kernel/tegra	flounder_defconfig
hammerhead	device/lge/hammerhead-kernel	kernel/msm	hammerhead_defconfig
flo	device/asus/flo-kernel/kernel	kernel/msm	flo_defconfig
deb	device/asus/flo-kernel/kernel	kernel/msm	flo_defconfig
manta	device/samsung/manta/kernel	kernel/exynos	manta_defconfig
mako	device/lge/mako-kernel/kernel	kernel/msm	mako_defconfig
grouper	device/asus/grouper/kernel	kernel/tegra	tegra3_android_defconfig
tilapia	device/asus/grouper/kernel	kernel/tegra	tegra3_android_defconfig
maguro	device/samsung/tuna/kernel	kernel/omap	tuna_defconfig
toro	device/samsung/tuna/kernel	kernel/omap	tuna_defconfig
panda	device/ti/panda/kernel	kernel/omap	panda_defconfig
stingray	device/moto/wingray/kernel	kernel/tegra	stingray_defconfig
wingray	device/moto/wingray/kernel	kernel/tegra	stingray_defconfig
crespo	device/samsung/crespo/kernel	kernel/samsung	herring_defconfig
crespo4g	device/samsung/crespo/kernel	kernel/samsung	herring_defconfig

Downloading sources

Download the source for the kernel you want to build using the appropriate git clone command. For example, the following command clones the hikey kernel, used for the HiKey reference boards:

git clone https://android.googlesource.com/kernel/hikey-linaro

A full list of kernel projects can be found in the kernel directory. Below are some of the commonly used kernels and their respective git clone commands.

The exynos project has the kernel sources for Nexus 10, and can be used as a starting point for work on Samsung Exynos chipsets.

git clone https://android.googlesource.com/kernel/exynos

The goldfish project contains the kernel sources for the emulated platforms.

git clone https://android.googlesource.com/kernel/goldfish

The hikey-linaro project is used for HiKey reference boards, and can be used as a starting point for work on HiSilicon 620 chipsets.

git clone https://android.googlesource.com/kernel/hikey-linaro

The msm project has the sources for ADP1, ADP2, Nexus One, Nexus 4, Nexus 5, Nexus 6, Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Nexus 7 (2013), Pixel, and Pixel XL, and can be used as a starting point for work on Qualcomm MSM chipsets.

git clone https://android.googlesource.com/kernel/msm

The omap project is used for PandaBoard and Galaxy Nexus, and can be used as a starting point for work on TI OMAP chipsets.

git clone https://android.googlesource.com/kernel/omap

The samsung project is used for Nexus S, and can be used as a starting point for work on Samsung Hummingbird chipsets.

git clone https://android.googlesource.com/kernel/samsung

The tegra project is for Xoom, Nexus 7 (2012), and Nexus 9, and can be used as a starting point for work on NVIDIA Tegra chipsets.

git clone https://android.googlesource.com/kernel/tegra

The x86_64 project has the kernel sources for Nexus Player, and can be used as a starting point for work on Intel x86_64 chipsets.

git clone https://android.googlesource.com/kernel/x86_64

Building the kernel

If you don't intend to build the default branch (for example, master), you need to check out the desired commit before building. See Identifying kernel versions for how to identify the kernel version of a prebuilt kernel binary. Now you're ready to build the kernel. The following build commands use the hikey kernel:

cd hikey-linaro
export ARCH=arm64
export CROSS_COMPILE=aarch64-linux-android-
make hikey_defconfig
make

To build a different kernel, simply replace hikey-linaro with the name of the kernel you want to build and hikey_defconfig with the name of the corresponding defconfig file.

The image outputs to the arch/arm64/boot/ directory; the kernel binary outputs to the arch/arm64/boot/dts/hisilicon/hi6220-hikey.dtb file. Follow the instructions in Running the kernel for how to embedd the freshly built kernel into your AOSP image.