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| author | Linus Torvalds <torvalds@linux-foundation.org> | 2026-08-19 10:09:22 -0700 |
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| committer | Linus Torvalds <torvalds@linux-foundation.org> | 2026-08-19 10:09:22 -0700 |
| commit | f4cdf7ca9a1fdcca413157df19753f388a5a224e (patch) | |
| tree | 60a31895b2446cd7fa27514e8c2843534a0de0da /tools/memory-model/README | |
| download | linux-stable-f4cdf7ca9a1fdcca413157df19753f388a5a224e.tar.gz linux-stable-f4cdf7ca9a1fdcca413157df19753f388a5a224e.zip | |
Merge tag 'media/v7.3-1' of git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/mchehab/linux-mediagrafted
Pull media updates from Mauro Carvalho Chehab:
- v4l2-core: added ISP statistics support and per-block validation
- v4l2-core: Allow unknown HDR10 white point and luminance
- New camera sensors: Sony IMX678 and IMX471m, Himax HM1092 IR sensor
- New codec: Milos: VPU v2.0 codec support
- isp driver: gained support for Dreamchip RPPX1 ISP framework
- vsp1 driver: gained support for RZ/T2H and RZ/N2H
- Novalake driver: gained CVS support for new NVL hardware
- dvb-core: fix feed leak on failed DMX_ADD_PID
- several driver fixes, cleanups and minor improvements
* tag 'media/v7.3-1' of git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/mchehab/linux-media: (308 commits)
media: ipu-bridge: check all DMI entries when overriding sensor rotation
media: v4l2-async: avoid deleting unlinked ASC entry on link error
media: rzg2l-cru: Align bytesperline to hardware DMA stride requirement
media: intel/ipu6: fix async notifier cleanup leak on parse error
media: staging/ipu7: fix async notifier UAF on probe error path
media: amd: isp4: fix self-deadlock in isp4sd_pwron_and_init() error path
media: amd: isp4: release partial allocations in isp4if_alloc_fw_gpumem()
media: rcar-isp: Fix VSPX reference leaks
media: rcar-isp: Release ISPCORE resources
media: i2c: imx415: Release runtime PM reference on VBLANK error
media: i2c: imx415: Return test pattern write errors
media: renesas: vsp1: Declare index variables in for loop statement
media: renesas: vsp1: Make reset control optional to support platforms without a reset line
media: dt-bindings: media: renesas,vsp1: Document RZ/T2H and RZ/N2H SoCs
media: dt-bindings: media: renesas,fcp: Document RZ/T2H and RZ/N2H SoCs
media: nxp: imx8-isi: Add additional 32-bit RGB format support
media: nxp: imx8-isi: Add 16-bit raw Bayer format support
media: nxp: imx8-isi: Implement per-stream reference counting for multiplexed streams
media: nxp: imx8-isi: Use BIT_ULL() for 64-bit stream masks
media: nxp: imx8-isi: Correct color map between V4L2 and ISI
...
Diffstat (limited to 'tools/memory-model/README')
| -rw-r--r-- | tools/memory-model/README | 223 |
1 files changed, 223 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/tools/memory-model/README b/tools/memory-model/README new file mode 100644 index 000000000..64c860863 --- /dev/null +++ b/tools/memory-model/README @@ -0,0 +1,223 @@ + ===================================== + LINUX KERNEL MEMORY CONSISTENCY MODEL + ===================================== + +============ +INTRODUCTION +============ + +This directory contains the memory consistency model (memory model, for +short) of the Linux kernel, written in the "cat" language and executable +by the externally provided "herd7" simulator, which exhaustively explores +the state space of small litmus tests. + +In addition, the "klitmus7" tool (also externally provided) may be used +to convert a litmus test to a Linux kernel module, which in turn allows +that litmus test to be exercised within the Linux kernel. + + +============ +REQUIREMENTS +============ + +Version 7.58 or higher of the "herd7" and "klitmus7" tools must be +downloaded separately: + + https://github.com/herd/herdtools7 + +See "herdtools7/INSTALL.md" for installation instructions. + +Note that although these tools usually provide backwards compatibility, +this is not absolutely guaranteed. + +For example, a future version of herd7 might not work with the model +in this release. A compatible model will likely be made available in +a later release of Linux kernel. + +If you absolutely need to run the model in this particular release, +please try using the exact version called out above. + +klitmus7 is independent of the model provided here. It has its own +dependency on a target kernel release where converted code is built +and executed. Any change in kernel APIs essential to klitmus7 will +necessitate an upgrade of klitmus7. + +If you find any compatibility issues in klitmus7, please inform the +memory model maintainers. + +klitmus7 Compatibility Table +---------------------------- + + ============ ========== + target Linux herdtools7 + ------------ ---------- + -- 4.14 7.48 -- + 4.15 -- 4.19 7.49 -- + 4.20 -- 5.5 7.54 -- + 5.6 -- 5.16 7.56 -- + 5.17 -- 7.56.1 -- + ============ ========== + + +================== +BASIC USAGE: HERD7 +================== + +The memory model is used, in conjunction with "herd7", to exhaustively +explore the state space of small litmus tests. Documentation describing +the format, features, capabilities and limitations of these litmus +tests is available in tools/memory-model/Documentation/litmus-tests.txt. + +Example litmus tests may be found in the Linux-kernel source tree: + + tools/memory-model/litmus-tests/ + Documentation/litmus-tests/ + +Several thousand more example litmus tests are available here: + + https://github.com/paulmckrcu/litmus + https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/paulmck/perfbook.git/tree/CodeSamples/formal/herd + https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/paulmck/perfbook.git/tree/CodeSamples/formal/litmus + +Documentation describing litmus tests and how to use them may be found +here: + + tools/memory-model/Documentation/litmus-tests.txt + +The remainder of this section uses the SB+fencembonceonces.litmus test +located in the tools/memory-model directory. + +To run SB+fencembonceonces.litmus against the memory model: + + $ cd $LINUX_SOURCE_TREE/tools/memory-model + $ herd7 -conf linux-kernel.cfg litmus-tests/SB+fencembonceonces.litmus + +Here is the corresponding output: + + Test SB+fencembonceonces Allowed + States 3 + 0:r0=0; 1:r0=1; + 0:r0=1; 1:r0=0; + 0:r0=1; 1:r0=1; + No + Witnesses + Positive: 0 Negative: 3 + Condition exists (0:r0=0 /\ 1:r0=0) + Observation SB+fencembonceonces Never 0 3 + Time SB+fencembonceonces 0.01 + Hash=d66d99523e2cac6b06e66f4c995ebb48 + +The "Positive: 0 Negative: 3" and the "Never 0 3" each indicate that +this litmus test's "exists" clause can not be satisfied. + +See "herd7 -help" or "herdtools7/doc/" for more information on running the +tool itself, but please be aware that this documentation is intended for +people who work on the memory model itself, that is, people making changes +to the tools/memory-model/linux-kernel.* files. It is not intended for +people focusing on writing, understanding, and running LKMM litmus tests. + + +===================== +BASIC USAGE: KLITMUS7 +===================== + +The "klitmus7" tool converts a litmus test into a Linux kernel module, +which may then be loaded and run. + +For example, to run SB+fencembonceonces.litmus against hardware: + + $ mkdir mymodules + $ klitmus7 -o mymodules litmus-tests/SB+fencembonceonces.litmus + $ cd mymodules ; make + $ sudo sh run.sh + +The corresponding output includes: + + Test SB+fencembonceonces Allowed + Histogram (3 states) + 644580 :>0:r0=1; 1:r0=0; + 644328 :>0:r0=0; 1:r0=1; + 711092 :>0:r0=1; 1:r0=1; + No + Witnesses + Positive: 0, Negative: 2000000 + Condition exists (0:r0=0 /\ 1:r0=0) is NOT validated + Hash=d66d99523e2cac6b06e66f4c995ebb48 + Observation SB+fencembonceonces Never 0 2000000 + Time SB+fencembonceonces 0.16 + +The "Positive: 0 Negative: 2000000" and the "Never 0 2000000" indicate +that during two million trials, the state specified in this litmus +test's "exists" clause was not reached. + +And, as with "herd7", please see "klitmus7 -help" or "herdtools7/doc/" +for more information. And again, please be aware that this documentation +is intended for people who work on the memory model itself, that is, +people making changes to the tools/memory-model/linux-kernel.* files. +It is not intended for people focusing on writing, understanding, and +running LKMM litmus tests. + + +==================== +DESCRIPTION OF FILES +==================== + +Documentation/README + Guide to the other documents in the Documentation/ directory. + +linux-kernel.bell + Categorizes the relevant instructions, including memory + references, memory barriers, atomic read-modify-write operations, + lock acquisition/release, and RCU operations. + + More formally, this file (1) lists the subtypes of the various + event types used by the memory model and (2) performs RCU + read-side critical section nesting analysis. + +linux-kernel.cat + Specifies what reorderings are forbidden by memory references, + memory barriers, atomic read-modify-write operations, and RCU. + + More formally, this file specifies what executions are forbidden + by the memory model. Allowed executions are those which + satisfy the model's "coherence", "atomic", "happens-before", + "propagation", and "rcu" axioms, which are defined in the file. + +linux-kernel.cfg + Convenience file that gathers the common-case herd7 command-line + arguments. + +linux-kernel.def + Maps from C-like syntax to herd7's internal litmus-test + instruction-set architecture. + +litmus-tests + Directory containing a few representative litmus tests, which + are listed in litmus-tests/README. A great deal more litmus + tests are available at https://github.com/paulmckrcu/litmus. + + By "representative", it means the one in the litmus-tests + directory is: + + 1) simple, the number of threads should be relatively + small and each thread function should be relatively + simple. + 2) orthogonal, there should be no two litmus tests + describing the same aspect of the memory model. + 3) textbook, developers can easily copy-paste-modify + the litmus tests to use the patterns on their own + code. + +lock.cat + Provides a front-end analysis of lock acquisition and release, + for example, associating a lock acquisition with the preceding + and following releases and checking for self-deadlock. + + More formally, this file defines a performance-enhanced scheme + for generation of the possible reads-from and coherence order + relations on the locking primitives. + +README + This file. + +scripts Various scripts, see scripts/README. |
