Back in the old days, the compiling of a Linux kernel was often a necessity. If you wanted to get a particular piece of hardware working or if you wanted to prune some of the “fat” from the kernel you had to compile a kernel specific to your machine. It was never an easy process (at least until you got the hang of it) and always took a long period of time.

So why bother with it now? When machines are large and fast enough to not have to worry about such issues as extra kernel modules or space? There are still plenty of reasons for wanting to compile your own kernel. One of those reasons is the experience. Nothing says “Linux” like compiling ones own kernel. But beyond that – gaining as much performance out of your server or eking out a bit more security are two fine examples as to why one should learn how to compile their own kernel.