-python3 for Unikraft
-=============================
-
+# python3 for Unikraft
This is the port of python3 for Unikraft as external library.
-Please refer to the `README.md` as well as the documentation in the `doc/`
-subdirectory of the main unikraft repository.
+## Build
+Python 3 interpreter depends on the following libraries, that need to
+be added to `Makefile` in this order:
+
+* `pthreads`, e.g. `pthread-embedded`
+* `libc`, e.g. `newlib`
+* network stack, e.g. `lwip`
+* (optional) a SIMD library, e.g. `intel-intrinsics`, for optimized
+ BLAKE hashing
+* optional extensions: `openssl`, `zlib`, `libuuid`, Expat XML parser,
+ `_ctypes` and decimal operations with `libmpdec`.
+
+## Root filesystem
+### Creating the filesystem
+Python 3 interpreter needs a filesystem which should contain its
+standard library. Therefore, the filesystem needs to be created before
+running the VM. You can do this by running the following command:
+
+```bash
+make python-rootfs path=<some directory>
+```
+
+It will create the filesystem in the directory you choose, by first
+creating a virtual Python environment. After that it will install the
+Python standard library into it. For this second step, the original
+code needs to be configured and build with paths relative to the
+provided root directory. These two steps are executed transparently,
+all you have to do is just running the above `make` command.
+
+### Using the filesystem
+Mounting the filesystem is a transparent operation. All you have to do
+is to provide the right Qemu parameters in order for Unikraft to mount
+the filesystem. We will use the 9pfs support for filesystems and for
+this you will need to use the following parameters:
+
+```bash
+-fsdev local,id=myid,path=<some directory>,security_model=none \
+-device virtio-9p-pci,fsdev=myid,mount_tag=test,disable-modern=on,disable-legacy=off
+```
+
+You should also use `vfs.rootdev=test` to specify the 9pfs mounting
+tag to Unikraft. To enable 9pfs, you'll need to select the following
+menu options, all under "Library Configuration"
+
+* uk9p: 9p client
+
+* vfscore: VFS Core Interface ---> vfscore: Configuration
+ ---> Automatically mount a root filesysytem
+ ---> Default root filesystem
+ ---> 9PFS
+
+* devfs: devfs file system ---> Mount /dev during boot
+
+* uk library parameter
+
+## Running modes
+The Next step is to pick a running mode. We currently support 3 running
+modes:
+
+1. **Python shell**. No extra parameters are needed.
+ * You can use the `main()` function provided by the library via
+ `menuconfig`:
+
+ Library Configuration ---> Python 3 ---> Provide main function
+
+ Otherwise you will have to provide your own `main()` function
+ which should call `_Py_UnixMain()`.
+
+2. **Python script**. You can use any file available in the root
+ filesystem. You should use Qemu's `-append` option to pass
+ parameter to Python interpreter, e.g. `-append "vfs.rootdev=test --
+ <some file in rootfs>"`. Please notice that we are using `test`
+ for the 9pfs mounting tag. For brevity we will skip setting the
+ mounting tag in the next examples.
+
+3. **Python unit testing (developers only)**. With this mode you can
+ check what functionality is completely supported by the Python 3
+ port. Please be aware that this mode is unstable and some of the
+ tests may block. You can work around that by using the options
+ provided by the unit testing framework. The unit testing mode
+ itself supports several submodes:
+
+ * **Running all the tests**. You have to use the following Qemu
+ parameters: `-append "-- -B -c 'from test import autotest'"`
+
+ * Check the supported options of the unit testing framework,
+ e.g. `-append "-- -B -c 'from test import autotest' -h"`.
+
+ * For example, you can run a single unit test with verbosity
+ using `-append "-- -B -c 'from test import autotest' -v
+ test_dict"`.
+
+ * Or you can run a set of tests listed in a file using `-append
+ "-- -B -c 'from test import autotest' -f <file in rootfs>"`.
+
+
+### Memory usage
+Some of the unit tests may require a lot of memory to run; for this
+reason please allow for at least 1G of memory for unit testing (e.g.,
+`-m 1G` in Qemu).
+
+## Adding modules
+For installing Python modules which have only Python code, you can use
+the `pip` utility installed in the Python virtual environment you
+created using the steps above.
+
+```bash
+<my-python-rootfs> $ . bin/activate
+<my-python-rootfs> $ pip install mymodule
+```
+
+However, some of the Python modules need some native support,
+e.g. some C code which should be compiled and registered at run
+time. You need to add the source files of the native library to
+`Makefile.uk.` for compiling them. For runtime registration, you need
+to add a new entry in the `modules_config.c` file.
+
+Note that this port already supports a few such modules: `openssl`,
+`zlib` and `libuuid` as of this writing. To enable them select them in
+the menu under:
+
+Library Configuration ---> Python 3 ---> Extensions
+
+## Further information
+Please refer to the `README.md` as well as the documentation in the
+`doc/` subdirectory of the main unikraft repository.