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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/gpio/using-gpio.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/gpio/using-gpio.rst')
| -rw-r--r-- | Documentation/driver-api/gpio/using-gpio.rst | 50 |
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/ |
