What does a programmer who writes system software need to know?

Question

System Programming

What does a programmer who writes system software (operating systems, compilers, drivers, Linux kernel assemblies) need to know? I already understood that the programming languages ​​in this area are C, C++, ASM.
What specific technologies need to be studied for this? Can you recommend books?

Answer 1

It depends on what kind of system software we are talking about. The question is too general.

Answer 2

- this is called a system programmer
- some typical qualities of a real system programmer:
- quickly understands the bottlenecks of the problem (a hint at the base in mathematics, much larger than none )
- quickly understands in which language it is better to solve the problem tomatoes )
-- learns new languages ​​like it husks seeds
-- updated API of different OSes clicks just as easily, because it deeply knows the principles of their device (and they are quite similar, no matter how strange it may seem)
... something like this
ps
real system programmer, usually doesn't ask questions.. but answers them.. ;)))
hint - can quickly find answers to the most unexpected questions and situations

Answer 3

An interesting question, dear ICantButTruying ...
For this, in my opinion, you need to go through the school of an application software developer. Understand how to read someone else's code and how to write your own so that others can read it.
In my understanding, a system programmer is a person who has a broad engineering outlook, not only knows about the typical structures of computer systems, but also understands the principles of operation of individual blocks.
Familiar with the works of the founders of UNIX and modern. Specifically, I can't even tell you.
In my 35 years of programming practice, I have written only 1 (one) driver. It was a driver for a "mouse" type device for a Soviet household PC BK-0010.