summaryrefslogtreecommitdiffstats
path: root/Documentation/userspace-api/futex2.rst
diff options
context:
space:
mode:
authorTim Chen <tim.c.chen@linux.intel.com>2026-09-21 17:37:22 -0700
committerIngo Molnar <mingo@kernel.org>2026-09-22 10:49:53 +0200
commit0d6526f82c3cdefcca47f73f5fc08dc6f335eac6 (patch)
tree176dc2d685debcfb082c151ee94f2425ac96b364 /Documentation/userspace-api/futex2.rst
downloadlinux-stable-0d6526f82c3cdefcca47f73f5fc08dc6f335eac6.tar.gz
linux-stable-0d6526f82c3cdefcca47f73f5fc08dc6f335eac6.zip
sched/cache: Keep nr_pref_llc_running in the runnable domain, to fix LLC mis-scheduling buggrafted
alb_break_llc() decides whether to break LLC preference during active load balance. It does so by testing that every runnable fair task on the source rq prefers its LLC: env->src_rq->nr_pref_llc_running == env->src_rq->cfs.h_nr_runnable But the two counters cover different sets. nr_pref_llc_running is updated in account_llc_enqueue()/account_llc_dequeue(), next to cfs_rq->nr_queued, so it follows queued tasks. h_nr_runnable is updated in set_delayed()/ clear_delayed() and drops delay-dequeued tasks. So under DELAY_DEQUEUE, a preferring task that goes to sleep stays counted in nr_pref_llc_running while h_nr_runnable falls. The equality then breaks, alb_break_llc() returns false, and active balance is free to pull a task off its preferred LLC. Active balance only moves runnable tasks, and this is the only LLC check it consults: once the stopper runs, LBF_ACTIVE_LB skips the per-task test in can_migrate_task(). The runnable set is the one we want. Fix it on the counter side. A task should be counted in nr_pref_llc_running exactly while it is both queued on its preferred LLC (pref_llc_queued) and runnable (!sched_delayed). Define that membership once in task_pref_llc_runnable(), and adjust the counter only through pref_llc_running_inc()/pref_llc_running_dec() from the four sites that change either input: account_llc_enqueue(), account_llc_dequeue(), set_delayed() and clear_delayed(). Gating every update on the same predicate keeps the delay, wake and dequeue paths from double-counting or underflowing; see the comments at those sites for the ordering. nr_llc_running and sd->llc_counts are not touched and stay on queued semantics. Fixes: 714059f79ff0 ("sched/cache: Handle moving single tasks to/from their preferred LLC") Closes: https://lore.kernel.org/lkml/20260827135000.735138-1-zhanxusheng@xiaomi.com/ Reported-by: Zhan Xusheng <zhanxusheng@xiaomi.com> Suggested-by: Chen Yu <yu.c.chen@intel.com> Signed-off-by: Tim Chen <tim.c.chen@linux.intel.com> Signed-off-by: Peter Zijlstra (Intel) <peterz@infradead.org> Signed-off-by: Ingo Molnar <mingo@kernel.org> Reviewed-by: Kayra Cizmeci <kayracizmeci@gmail.com> Cc: <stable@kernel.org> # v7.2.x Link: https://patch.msgid.link/06af61afedac32e6477f57feb4d658f6c411c3af.1790035273.git.tim.c.chen@linux.intel.com
Diffstat (limited to 'Documentation/userspace-api/futex2.rst')
-rw-r--r--Documentation/userspace-api/futex2.rst86
1 files changed, 86 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/Documentation/userspace-api/futex2.rst b/Documentation/userspace-api/futex2.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9693f47a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Documentation/userspace-api/futex2.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+.. SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
+
+======
+futex2
+======
+
+:Author: André Almeida <andrealmeid@collabora.com>
+
+futex, or fast user mutex, is a set of syscalls to allow userspace to create
+performant synchronization mechanisms, such as mutexes, semaphores and
+conditional variables in userspace. C standard libraries, like glibc, uses it
+as a means to implement more high level interfaces like pthreads.
+
+futex2 is a followup version of the initial futex syscall, designed to overcome
+limitations of the original interface.
+
+User API
+========
+
+``futex_waitv()``
+-----------------
+
+Wait on an array of futexes, wake on any::
+
+ futex_waitv(struct futex_waitv *waiters, unsigned int nr_futexes,
+ unsigned int flags, struct timespec *timeout, clockid_t clockid)
+
+ struct futex_waitv {
+ __u64 val;
+ __u64 uaddr;
+ __u32 flags;
+ __u32 __reserved;
+ };
+
+Userspace sets an array of struct futex_waitv (up to a max of 128 entries),
+using ``uaddr`` for the address to wait for, ``val`` for the expected value
+and ``flags`` to specify the type (e.g. private) and size of futex.
+``__reserved`` needs to be 0, but it can be used for future extension. The
+pointer for the first item of the array is passed as ``waiters``. An invalid
+address for ``waiters`` or for any ``uaddr`` returns ``-EFAULT``.
+
+If userspace has 32-bit pointers, it should do a explicit cast to make sure
+the upper bits are zeroed. ``uintptr_t`` does the tricky and it works for
+both 32/64-bit pointers.
+
+``nr_futexes`` specifies the size of the array. Numbers out of [1, 128]
+interval will make the syscall return ``-EINVAL``.
+
+The ``flags`` argument of the syscall needs to be 0, but it can be used for
+future extension.
+
+For each entry in ``waiters`` array, the current value at ``uaddr`` is compared
+to ``val``. If it's different, the syscall undo all the work done so far and
+return ``-EAGAIN``. If all tests and verifications succeeds, syscall waits until
+one of the following happens:
+
+- The timeout expires, returning ``-ETIMEOUT``.
+- A signal was sent to the sleeping task, returning ``-ERESTARTSYS``.
+- Some futex at the list was woken, returning the index of some waked futex.
+
+An example of how to use the interface can be found at ``tools/testing/selftests/futex/functional/futex_waitv.c``.
+
+Timeout
+-------
+
+``struct timespec *timeout`` argument is an optional argument that points to an
+absolute timeout. You need to specify the type of clock being used at
+``clockid`` argument. ``CLOCK_MONOTONIC`` and ``CLOCK_REALTIME`` are supported.
+This syscall accepts only 64bit timespec structs.
+
+Types of futex
+--------------
+
+A futex can be either private or shared. Private is used for processes that
+shares the same memory space and the virtual address of the futex will be the
+same for all processes. This allows for optimizations in the kernel. To use
+private futexes, it's necessary to specify ``FUTEX_PRIVATE_FLAG`` in the futex
+flag. For processes that doesn't share the same memory space and therefore can
+have different virtual addresses for the same futex (using, for instance, a
+file-backed shared memory) requires different internal mechanisms to be get
+properly enqueued. This is the default behavior, and it works with both private
+and shared futexes.
+
+Futexes can be of different sizes: 8, 16, 32 or 64 bits. Currently, the only
+supported one is 32 bit sized futex, and it need to be specified using
+``FUTEX_32`` flag.