Linux kernel interfaces: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 02:28, 5 February 2024

Revision as of 02:35, 5 February 2024

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== In-kernel APIs ==

Many kernel-internal APIs exist, allowing kernel subsystems to interface with one another. These are being kept fairly stable, but there is no guarantee for stability. InA casekernel-internal newAPI researchcan orbe insightschanged makewhen such a changeneed seemis favorable,indicated anby APInew isresearch changed,or insights; all necessary rewritemodifications and testing have to be done by the author.

The Linux kernel is a monolithic kernel, hence device drivers are kernel components. To ease the burden of companies maintaining their (proprietary) device drivers out-of-tree, stable APIs for the device drivers have been repeatedly requested. The Linux kernel developers have repeatedly denied guaranteeing stable in-kernel APIs for device drivers. Guaranteeing such would have faltered the development of the Linux kernel in the past and would still in the future and, due to the nature of free and open-source software, are not necessary. Ergo, by choice, the Linux kernel has no ''stable'' in-kernel API.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/tree/Documentation/process/stable-api-nonsense.rst |title=The Linux Kernel Driver Interface}}</ref>