summaryrefslogtreecommitdiffstats
path: root/Documentation/livepatch/system-state.rst
diff options
context:
space:
mode:
authorLinus Torvalds <torvalds@linux-foundation.org>2026-08-24 08:46:03 -0700
committerLinus Torvalds <torvalds@linux-foundation.org>2026-08-24 08:46:03 -0700
commitcf9610f9116d55c5a66ef9f1faecacabd93a9322 (patch)
tree757a3d280760c654767631cab5ad8af2d86d1848 /Documentation/livepatch/system-state.rst
downloadlinux-stable-cf9610f9116d55c5a66ef9f1faecacabd93a9322.tar.gz
linux-stable-cf9610f9116d55c5a66ef9f1faecacabd93a9322.zip
Merge tag 'pinctrl-v7.3-1' of git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/linusw/linux-pinctrlgrafted
Pull pin control updates from Linus Walleij: "Core changes: - Use the non-blocking mux_state_try_select() in the generic MUX pin control back-end - Free pin maps on pinctrl_generic_to_map() failure in the core helpers New hardware pin control: - Qualcomm Maili TLMM SoC, PMG1110 PMIC, and Eliza LPASS LPI TLMM SoC (this is for the low power audio, LPASS = Low Power Audio SubSystem portions) - Upboard support on top of the Intel pin controller - Apple T6030 and T6031 support (just compatible strings) - Samsung Exynos 8855 SoC - Mediatek MT6858 SoC - Rockchip RK3308B and RV1106 SoCs - Airoha EN7523 and AN7563 SoCs Improvements: - Qualcomm TLMM GPIOs are unconditionally marked as wakeup capable - Qualcomm improvements on top of the Qualcomm PDC (power domain controller) irqchip improvements from tglx:s tree - Qualcomm IPQ806x and IPQ9650 non-urgent pin grop fixups - The NPCM8xx driver has been put into shape fixing many pin and group definitions - Some non-urgent Tegra 264 pin assignments are fixed up - Some non-urgent fixups to Airoha AN7581 and AN7583 registers and pin assignments, missing features etc" * tag 'pinctrl-v7.3-1' of git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/linusw/linux-pinctrl: (130 commits) dt-bindings: pinctrl: Convert TI DA850 pupd to DT schema pinctrl: meson: sync some modify from A4 pinctrl: meson: a4: Add input enable pin configuration pinctrl: realtek: rtd1625: remove unused group name spdif_sel pinctrl: realtek: rtd1625: fix base_bit for VE4 GPIO 13 dt-bindings: pinctrl: microchip,pic32mzda-pinctrl: Convert to DT schema Revert "Merge branch 'ib-rsk7204' into devel" pinctrl: rockchip: Add RV1106 pinctrl support dt-bindings: pinctrl: rockchip: Add RV1106 compatible pinctrl: rockchip: Decode drive strength in the get function pinctrl: fix PINCTRL_GENERIC_MUX not always being selectable pinctrl: airoha: add support of an7563 SoC dt-bindings: pinctrl: airoha: add support of an7563 pin controller pinctrl: airoha: try to find chip scu node by phandle first pinctrl: airoha: add support of en7523 SoC dt-bindings: pinctrl: airoha: add support of en7523 pin controller pinctrl: airoha: an7583: add support for olt pinmux pinctrl: airoha: an7583: add support for pon_alt pinmux pinctrl: airoha: an7583: add support for npu_uart pinmux dt-bindings: pinctrl: airoha: an7583: add missed features ...
Diffstat (limited to 'Documentation/livepatch/system-state.rst')
-rw-r--r--Documentation/livepatch/system-state.rst167
1 files changed, 167 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/Documentation/livepatch/system-state.rst b/Documentation/livepatch/system-state.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7a3935fd8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Documentation/livepatch/system-state.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,167 @@
+====================
+System State Changes
+====================
+
+Some users are really reluctant to reboot a system. This brings the need
+to provide more livepatches and maintain some compatibility between them.
+
+Maintaining more livepatches is much easier with cumulative livepatches.
+Each new livepatch completely replaces any older one. It can keep,
+add, and even remove fixes. And it is typically safe to replace any version
+of the livepatch with any other one thanks to the atomic replace feature.
+
+The problems might come with shadow variables and callbacks. They might
+change the system behavior or state so that it is no longer safe to
+go back and use an older livepatch or the original kernel code. Also
+any new livepatch must be able to detect what changes have already been
+done by the already installed livepatches.
+
+This is where the livepatch system state tracking gets useful. It
+allows to:
+
+ - store data needed to manipulate and restore the system state
+
+ - define compatibility between livepatches using a change id
+ and version
+
+
+1. Livepatch system state API
+=============================
+
+The state of the system might get modified either by several livepatch callbacks
+or by the newly used code. Also it must be possible to find changes done by
+already installed livepatches.
+
+Each modified state is described by struct klp_state, see
+include/linux/livepatch.h.
+
+Each livepatch defines an array of struct klp_states. They mention
+all states that the livepatch modifies.
+
+The livepatch author must define the following two fields for each
+struct klp_state:
+
+ - *id*
+
+ - Non-zero number used to identify the affected system state.
+
+ - *version*
+
+ - Number describing the variant of the system state change that
+ is supported by the given livepatch.
+
+The state can be manipulated using two functions:
+
+ - klp_get_state()
+
+ - Get struct klp_state associated with the given livepatch
+ and state id.
+
+ - klp_get_prev_state()
+
+ - Get struct klp_state associated with the given feature id and
+ already installed livepatches.
+
+2. Livepatch compatibility
+==========================
+
+The system state version is used to prevent loading incompatible livepatches.
+The check is done when the livepatch is enabled. The rules are:
+
+ - Any completely new system state modification is allowed.
+
+ - System state modifications with the same or higher version are allowed
+ for already modified system states.
+
+ - Cumulative livepatches must handle all system state modifications from
+ already installed livepatches.
+
+ - Non-cumulative livepatches are allowed to touch already modified
+ system states.
+
+3. Supported scenarios
+======================
+
+Livepatches have their life-cycle and the same is true for the system
+state changes. Every compatible livepatch has to support the following
+scenarios:
+
+ - Modify the system state when the livepatch gets enabled and the state
+ has not been already modified by a livepatches that are being
+ replaced.
+
+ - Take over or update the system state modification when is has already
+ been done by a livepatch that is being replaced.
+
+ - Restore the original state when the livepatch is disabled.
+
+ - Restore the previous state when the transition is reverted.
+ It might be the original system state or the state modification
+ done by livepatches that were being replaced.
+
+ - Remove any already made changes when error occurs and the livepatch
+ cannot get enabled.
+
+4. Expected usage
+=================
+
+System states are usually modified by livepatch callbacks. The expected
+role of each callback is as follows:
+
+*pre_patch()*
+
+ - Allocate *state->data* when necessary. The allocation might fail
+ and *pre_patch()* is the only callback that could stop loading
+ of the livepatch. The allocation is not needed when the data
+ are already provided by previously installed livepatches.
+
+ - Do any other preparatory action that is needed by
+ the new code even before the transition gets finished.
+ For example, initialize *state->data*.
+
+ The system state itself is typically modified in *post_patch()*
+ when the entire system is able to handle it.
+
+ - Clean up its own mess in case of error. It might be done by a custom
+ code or by calling *post_unpatch()* explicitly.
+
+*post_patch()*
+
+ - Copy *state->data* from the previous livepatch when they are
+ compatible.
+
+ - Do the actual system state modification. Eventually allow
+ the new code to use it.
+
+ - Make sure that *state->data* has all necessary information.
+
+ - Free *state->data* from replaces livepatches when they are
+ not longer needed.
+
+*pre_unpatch()*
+
+ - Prevent the code, added by the livepatch, relying on the system
+ state change.
+
+ - Revert the system state modification..
+
+*post_unpatch()*
+
+ - Distinguish transition reverse and livepatch disabling by
+ checking *klp_get_prev_state()*.
+
+ - In case of transition reverse, restore the previous system
+ state. It might mean doing nothing.
+
+ - Remove any not longer needed setting or data.
+
+.. note::
+
+ *pre_unpatch()* typically does symmetric operations to *post_patch()*.
+ Except that it is called only when the livepatch is being disabled.
+ Therefore it does not need to care about any previously installed
+ livepatch.
+
+ *post_unpatch()* typically does symmetric operations to *pre_patch()*.
+ It might be called also during the transition reverse. Therefore it
+ has to handle the state of the previously installed livepatches.