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authorFuad Tabba <fuad.tabba@linux.dev>2026-09-22 19:14:30 +0100
committerWill Deacon <will@kernel.org>2026-09-23 12:34:30 +0000
commit2bc6b218717b9d08f466f88209251d54bc09b207 (patch)
treecb91c941eccb15f94cbec4e96aa3a9c8736b5d66 /Documentation/driver-api/gpio/using-gpio.rst
downloadlinux-stable-2bc6b218717b9d08f466f88209251d54bc09b207.tar.gz
linux-stable-2bc6b218717b9d08f466f88209251d54bc09b207.zip
arm64/boot: Disable trapping of PMZR_EL0 writes to EL2grafted
__init_el2_fgt2() writes one mask to both HDFGRTR2_EL2 and HDFGWTR2_EL2. PMZR_EL0 is write-only, so its trap bit, nPMZR_EL0, exists only in HDFGWTR2_EL2 and is therefore never set: a PMZR_EL0 write from the host traps to EL2, where the nVHE hypervisor has no handler and BUG()s. The kernel never writes PMZR_EL0, but kernel.perf_user_access=1 has the PMU driver set PMUSERENR_EL0.UEN for a task with a user-read event, so a write from EL0 reaches the trap and takes the host down without a panic message. Accumulate the HDFGWTR2_EL2 bits separately, as __init_el2_fgt() already does for HDFGWTR_EL2, and set nPMZR_EL0 with the other FEAT_PMUv3p9 bits. Fixes: 858c7bfcb35e1 ("arm64/boot: Enable EL2 requirements for FEAT_PMUv3p9") Cc: stable@vger.kernel.org Signed-off-by: Fuad Tabba <fuad.tabba@linux.dev> Reviewed-by: Anshuman Khandual <anshuman.khandual@arm.com> Reviewed-by: Oliver Upton <oupton@kernel.org> Signed-off-by: Will Deacon <will@kernel.org>
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+=========================
+Using GPIO Lines in Linux
+=========================
+
+The Linux kernel exists to abstract and present hardware to users. GPIO lines
+as such are normally not user facing abstractions. The most obvious, natural
+and preferred way to use GPIO lines is to let kernel hardware drivers deal
+with them.
+
+For examples of already existing generic drivers that will also be good
+examples for any other kernel drivers you want to author, refer to
+Documentation/driver-api/gpio/drivers-on-gpio.rst
+
+For any kind of mass produced system you want to support, such as servers,
+laptops, phones, tablets, routers, and any consumer or office or business goods
+using appropriate kernel drivers is paramount. Submit your code for inclusion
+in the upstream Linux kernel when you feel it is mature enough and you will get
+help to refine it, see Documentation/process/submitting-patches.rst.
+
+In Linux GPIO lines also have a userspace ABI.
+
+The userspace ABI is intended for one-off deployments. Examples are prototypes,
+factory lines, maker community projects, workshop specimen, production tools,
+industrial automation, PLC-type use cases, door controllers, in short a piece
+of specialized equipment that is not produced by the numbers, requiring
+operators to have a deep knowledge of the equipment and knows about the
+software-hardware interface to be set up. They should not have a natural fit
+to any existing kernel subsystem and not be a good fit for an operating system,
+because of not being reusable or abstract enough, or involving a lot of non
+computer hardware related policy.
+
+Applications that have a good reason to use the industrial I/O (IIO) subsystem
+from userspace will likely be a good fit for using GPIO lines from userspace as
+well.
+
+Do not under any circumstances abuse the GPIO userspace ABI to cut corners in
+any product development projects. If you use it for prototyping, then do not
+productify the prototype: rewrite it using proper kernel drivers. Do not under
+any circumstances deploy any uniform products using GPIO from userspace.
+
+The userspace ABI is a character device for each GPIO hardware unit (GPIO chip).
+These devices will appear on the system as ``/dev/gpiochip0`` thru
+``/dev/gpiochipN``. Examples of how to directly use the userspace ABI can be
+found in the kernel tree ``tools/gpio`` subdirectory.
+
+For structured and managed applications, we recommend that you make use of the
+libgpiod_ library. This provides helper abstractions, command line utilities
+and arbitration for multiple simultaneous consumers on the same GPIO chip.
+
+.. _libgpiod: https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/libs/libgpiod/libgpiod.git/