summaryrefslogtreecommitdiffstats
path: root/Documentation/driver-api/gpio/using-gpio.rst
diff options
context:
space:
mode:
authorLinus Torvalds <torvalds@linux-foundation.org>2026-09-25 15:55:03 -0700
committerLinus Torvalds <torvalds@linux-foundation.org>2026-09-25 15:55:03 -0700
commit75467f60a3d14f08f86f2b353298d2826382ff23 (patch)
treeacd8a7d5b5a675042449386efa5b42ec44d8bf81 /Documentation/driver-api/gpio/using-gpio.rst
downloadlinux-stable-75467f60a3d14f08f86f2b353298d2826382ff23.tar.gz
linux-stable-75467f60a3d14f08f86f2b353298d2826382ff23.zip
Merge tag 'ipe-pr-20260925' of git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/wufan/ipegrafted
Pull IPE fixes from Fan Wu: "Two fixes for use-after-free issues found by recent LLM-assisted code analysis. - move successful policy load auditing under the new policy directory's inode lock, preventing a concurrent policy deletion from freeing the policy while it is still being audited - protect the dm-verity root hash with RCU, preventing policy evaluation from racing with root hash replacement during preresume" * tag 'ipe-pr-20260925' of git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/wufan/ipe: ipe: protect the dm-verity root hash with RCU ipe: fix use-after-free when auditing a newly loaded policy
Diffstat (limited to 'Documentation/driver-api/gpio/using-gpio.rst')
-rw-r--r--Documentation/driver-api/gpio/using-gpio.rst50
1 files changed, 50 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/Documentation/driver-api/gpio/using-gpio.rst b/Documentation/driver-api/gpio/using-gpio.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..894d88855
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Documentation/driver-api/gpio/using-gpio.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+=========================
+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/