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| author | Linus Torvalds <torvalds@linux-foundation.org> | 2026-09-20 08:15:23 -0700 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | Linus Torvalds <torvalds@linux-foundation.org> | 2026-09-20 08:15:23 -0700 |
| commit | bdab18633a302c82b5e5d5dbc4e38b0baf9c0837 (patch) | |
| tree | 0446500af9a76d4e8b2a72a0a41391ceede73a10 /Documentation/driver-api/firmware/firmware-usage-guidelines.rst | |
| download | linux-stable-bdab18633a302c82b5e5d5dbc4e38b0baf9c0837.tar.gz linux-stable-bdab18633a302c82b5e5d5dbc4e38b0baf9c0837.zip | |
Merge tag 'locking-urgent-2026-09-20' of git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/tip/tipgrafted
Pull futex fix from Ingo Molnar:
- Also allocate a default private futex hash on vfork() as well, to
avoid races with (private) futex waiters (Peter Zijlstra)
* tag 'locking-urgent-2026-09-20' of git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/tip/tip:
futex: Also allocate private hash on vfork()
Diffstat (limited to 'Documentation/driver-api/firmware/firmware-usage-guidelines.rst')
| -rw-r--r-- | Documentation/driver-api/firmware/firmware-usage-guidelines.rst | 49 |
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. |
