Merge branches 'expcb.2026.07.24a', 'misc.2026.07.30a', 'rcu-tasks.2026.07.30a', 'srcu.2026.08.11a' and 'torture.2026.08.14a' into HEADgrafted

Changes:

Make expedited grace periods expedite normal RCU callbacks

Miscellaneous fixes:
 * Improve diagnostic output with character task states.
 * Mark accesses to inform KCSAN of concurrency design.
 * Move from kmalloc() to kmalloc_obj().
 * Documentation updates.
 * Improve handling of RCU deferred quiescent states.
 * Clean up unused function arguments and structure fields.
 * Reduce show_rcu_gp_kthreads() stack space.

Tasks RCU updates:
 * Clean up after SRCU re-implementation of Tasks Trace RCU.
 * Mark accesses to inform KCSAN of concurrency design.
 * Add ->lazy_timer status to diagnostic output.
 * Remove an unnecessary memory barrier.
 * Fix a data race, courtesy of KCSAN.
 * Documentation updates.
 * Convert cond_resched_tasks_rcu_qs() from macro to static inline
   function.

SRCU updates:
 * Add Rust helpers for SRCU.
 * Avoid losing queued work at cleanup_srcu_struct() time.

Torture-test updates:
 * Preparation work for immediate RCU priority deboosting.
 * Test RCU readers from real interrupt handlers (as opposed to softirq).
 * Simplify code through use of cpumask_next_wrap().
 * Improve diagnostic output with character task states.
 * Add rcutorture.nwriters parameter to allow lightweight stall testing,
   and rcutorture.stall_only to make doing so easier.
 * Test an RCU Tasks Trace grace period implying an RCU grace period.
 * Make RCU Tasks Trace torturing track reader batches.
 * Fix a data race, courtesy of KCSAN.
 * Plug a shuffle_tmp_mask memory leak on kthread spawn failure.

1 files changed, 49 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/Documentation/driver-api/firmware/firmware-usage-guidelines.rst b/Documentation/driver-api/firmware/firmware-usage-guidelines.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..336e91228
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Documentation/driver-api/firmware/firmware-usage-guidelines.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+===================
+Firmware Guidelines
+===================
+
+Users switching to a newer kernel should *not* have to install newer
+firmware files to keep their hardware working. At the same time updated
+firmware files must not cause any regressions for users of older kernel
+releases.
+
+Drivers that use firmware from linux-firmware should follow the rules in
+this guide. (Where there is limited control of the firmware,
+i.e. company doesn't support Linux, firmwares sourced from misc places,
+then of course these rules will not apply strictly.)
+
+* Firmware files shall be designed in a way that it allows checking for
+  firmware ABI version changes. It is recommended that firmware files be
+  versioned with at least a major/minor version. It is suggested that
+  the firmware files in linux-firmware be named with some device
+  specific name, and just the major version. The firmware version should
+  be stored in the firmware header, or as an exception, as part of the
+  firmware file name, in order to let the driver detact any non-ABI
+  fixes/changes. The firmware files in linux-firmware should be
+  overwritten with the newest compatible major version. Newer major
+  version firmware shall remain compatible with all kernels that load
+  that major number.
+
+* If the kernel support for the hardware is normally inactive, or the
+  hardware isn't available for public consumption, this can
+  be ignored, until the first kernel release that enables that hardware.
+  This means no major version bumps without the kernel retaining
+  backwards compatibility for the older major versions.  Minor version
+  bumps should not introduce new features that newer kernels depend on
+  non-optionally.
+
+* If a security fix needs lockstep firmware and kernel fixes in order to
+  be successful, then all supported major versions in the linux-firmware
+  repo that are required by currently supported stable/LTS kernels,
+  should be updated with the security fix. The kernel patches should
+  detect if the firmware is new enough to declare if the security issue
+  is fixed.  All communications around security fixes should point at
+  both the firmware and kernel fixes. If a security fix requires
+  deprecating old major versions, then this should only be done as a
+  last option, and be stated clearly in all communications.
+
+* Firmware files that affect the User API (UAPI) shall not introduce
+  changes that break existing userspace programs. Updates to such firmware
+  must ensure backward compatibility with existing userspace applications.
+  This includes maintaining consistent interfaces and behaviors that
+  userspace programs rely on.