Boot

Info on the boot process and its configuration.

First you must understand the non-Linux-specifics with minimal examples: https://github.com/cirosantilli/x86-bare-metal-examples

boot directory

Usually located at /boot/.

Contains the following Linux specific files:

config-VERSION: the kernel configuration options, generated at configuration before kernel compilation by make menuconfig
abi-VERSION: TODO what is? Looks like the kernel symbol table of exported symbols.

vmlinuz

Compiled kernel compressed with gzip, thus the Z

vmlinux

bzimage

http://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/5518/what-is-the-difference-between-the-following-kernel-makefile-terms-vmlinux-vml