From: Oliver Mangold <oliver.mangold@pm.me>
To: "Miguel Ojeda" <ojeda@kernel.org>,
"Alex Gaynor" <alex.gaynor@gmail.com>,
"Boqun Feng" <boqun.feng@gmail.com>,
"Gary Guo" <gary@garyguo.net>,
"Björn Roy Baron" <bjorn3_gh@protonmail.com>,
"Andreas Hindborg" <a.hindborg@kernel.org>,
"Alice Ryhl" <aliceryhl@google.com>,
"Trevor Gross" <tmgross@umich.edu>,
"Benno Lossin" <lossin@kernel.org>,
"Asahi Lina" <lina+kernel@asahilina.net>
Cc: rust-for-linux@vger.kernel.org, linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org,
Oliver Mangold <oliver.mangold@pm.me>
Subject: [PATCH v11 1/4] rust: types: Add Ownable/Owned types
Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2025 12:27:41 +0000 [thread overview]
Message-ID: <20250618-unique-ref-v11-1-49eadcdc0aa6@pm.me> (raw)
In-Reply-To: <20250618-unique-ref-v11-0-49eadcdc0aa6@pm.me>
From: Asahi Lina <lina+kernel@asahilina.net>
By analogy to `AlwaysRefCounted` and `ARef`, an `Ownable` type is a
(typically C FFI) type that *may* be owned by Rust, but need not be. Unlike
`AlwaysRefCounted`, this mechanism expects the reference to be unique
within Rust, and does not allow cloning.
Conceptually, this is similar to a `KBox<T>`, except that it delegates
resource management to the `T` instead of using a generic allocator.
Link: https://lore.kernel.org/all/20250202-rust-page-v1-1-e3170d7fe55e@asahilina.net/
Signed-off-by: Asahi Lina <lina@asahilina.net>
[ om:
- split code into separate file and `pub use` it from types.rs
- make from_raw() and into_raw() public
- fixes to documentation and commit message
]
Signed-off-by: Oliver Mangold <oliver.mangold@pm.me>
Reviewed-by: Boqun Feng <boqun.feng@gmail.com>
---
rust/kernel/types.rs | 7 +++
rust/kernel/types/ownable.rs | 134 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
2 files changed, 141 insertions(+)
diff --git a/rust/kernel/types.rs b/rust/kernel/types.rs
index 22985b6f69820d6df8ff3aae0bf815fad36a9d92..c12ff4d2a3f2d79b760c34c0b84a51b507d0cfb1 100644
--- a/rust/kernel/types.rs
+++ b/rust/kernel/types.rs
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@
};
use pin_init::{PinInit, Zeroable};
+pub mod ownable;
+pub use ownable::{Ownable, OwnableMut, Owned};
+
/// Used to transfer ownership to and from foreign (non-Rust) languages.
///
/// Ownership is transferred from Rust to a foreign language by calling [`Self::into_foreign`] and
@@ -425,6 +428,10 @@ pub const fn raw_get(this: *const Self) -> *mut T {
/// Rust code, the recommendation is to use [`Arc`](crate::sync::Arc) to create reference-counted
/// instances of a type.
///
+/// Note: Implementing this trait allows types to be wrapped in an [`ARef<Self>`]. It requires an
+/// internal reference count and provides only shared references. If unique references are required
+/// [`Ownable`] should be implemented which allows types to be wrapped in an [`Owned<Self>`].
+///
/// # Safety
///
/// Implementers must ensure that increments to the reference count keep the object alive in memory
diff --git a/rust/kernel/types/ownable.rs b/rust/kernel/types/ownable.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..f4065a0d627a62d3ecb15edabf306e9b812556e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rust/kernel/types/ownable.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,134 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
+
+//! Owned reference types.
+
+use core::{
+ marker::PhantomData,
+ mem::ManuallyDrop,
+ ops::{Deref, DerefMut},
+ ptr::NonNull,
+};
+
+/// Types that may be owned by Rust code or borrowed, but have a lifetime managed by C code.
+///
+/// It allows such types to define their own custom destructor function to be called when a
+/// Rust-owned reference is dropped.
+///
+/// This is usually implemented by wrappers to existing structures on the C side of the code.
+///
+/// Note: Implementing this trait allows types to be wrapped in an [`Owned<Self>`]. This does not
+/// provide reference counting but represents a unique, owned reference. If reference counting is
+/// required [`AlwaysRefCounted`](crate::types::AlwaysRefCounted) should be implemented which allows
+/// types to be wrapped in an [`ARef<Self>`](crate::types::ARef).
+///
+/// # Safety
+///
+/// Implementers must ensure that:
+/// - The [`release()`](Ownable::release) method leaves the underlying object in a state which the
+/// kernel expects after ownership has been relinquished (i.e. no dangling references in the
+/// kernel is case it frees the object, etc.).
+pub unsafe trait Ownable {
+ /// Releases the object (frees it or returns it to foreign ownership).
+ ///
+ /// # Safety
+ ///
+ /// Callers must ensure that:
+ /// - `this` points to a valid `Self`.
+ /// - The object is no longer referenced after this call.
+ unsafe fn release(this: NonNull<Self>);
+}
+
+/// Type where [`Owned<Self>`] derefs to `&mut Self`.
+///
+/// # Safety
+///
+/// Implementers must ensure that access to a `&mut T` is safe, implying that:
+/// - It is safe to call [`core::mem::swap`] on the [`Ownable`]. This excludes pinned types
+/// (i.e. most kernel types).
+/// - The kernel will never access the underlying object (excluding internal mutability that follows
+/// the usual rules) while Rust owns it.
+pub unsafe trait OwnableMut: Ownable {}
+
+/// An owned reference to an ownable kernel object.
+///
+/// The object is automatically freed or released when an instance of [`Owned`] is
+/// dropped.
+///
+/// # Invariants
+///
+/// The pointer stored in `ptr` can be considered owned by the [`Owned`] instance.
+pub struct Owned<T: Ownable> {
+ ptr: NonNull<T>,
+ _p: PhantomData<T>,
+}
+
+// SAFETY: It is safe to send `Owned<T>` to another thread when the underlying `T` is `Send` because
+// it effectively means sending a `&mut T` (which is safe because `T` is `Send`).
+unsafe impl<T: Ownable + Send> Send for Owned<T> {}
+
+// SAFETY: It is safe to send `&Owned<T>` to another thread when the underlying `T` is `Sync`
+// because it effectively means sharing `&T` (which is safe because `T` is `Sync`).
+unsafe impl<T: Ownable + Sync> Sync for Owned<T> {}
+
+impl<T: Ownable> Owned<T> {
+ /// Creates a new instance of [`Owned`].
+ ///
+ /// It takes over ownership of the underlying object.
+ ///
+ /// # Safety
+ ///
+ /// Callers must ensure that:
+ /// - Ownership of the underlying object can be transferred to the `Owned<T>` (i.e. operations
+ /// which require ownership will be safe).
+ /// - No other Rust references to the underlying object exist. This implies that the underlying
+ /// object is not accessed through `ptr` anymore after the function call (at least until the
+ /// the `Owned<T>` is dropped).
+ /// - The C code follows the usual shared reference requirements. That is, the kernel will never
+ /// mutate or free the underlying object (excluding interior mutability that follows the usual
+ /// rules) while Rust owns it.
+ /// - In case `T` implements [`OwnableMut`] the previous requirement is extended from shared to
+ /// mutable reference requirements. That is, the kernel will not mutate or free the underlying
+ /// object and is okay with it being modified by Rust code.
+ pub unsafe fn from_raw(ptr: NonNull<T>) -> Self {
+ // INVARIANT: The safety requirements guarantee that the new instance now owns the
+ // reference.
+ Self {
+ ptr,
+ _p: PhantomData,
+ }
+ }
+
+ /// Consumes the [`Owned`], returning a raw pointer.
+ ///
+ /// This function does not actually relinquish ownership of the object. After calling this
+ /// function, the caller is responsible for ownership previously managed
+ /// by the [`Owned`].
+ pub fn into_raw(me: Self) -> NonNull<T> {
+ ManuallyDrop::new(me).ptr
+ }
+}
+
+impl<T: Ownable> Deref for Owned<T> {
+ type Target = T;
+
+ fn deref(&self) -> &Self::Target {
+ // SAFETY: The type invariants guarantee that the object is valid.
+ unsafe { self.ptr.as_ref() }
+ }
+}
+
+impl<T: OwnableMut> DerefMut for Owned<T> {
+ fn deref_mut(&mut self) -> &mut Self::Target {
+ // SAFETY: The type invariants guarantee that the object is valid, and that we can safely
+ // return a mutable reference to it.
+ unsafe { self.ptr.as_mut() }
+ }
+}
+
+impl<T: Ownable> Drop for Owned<T> {
+ fn drop(&mut self) {
+ // SAFETY: The type invariants guarantee that the `Owned` owns the object we're about to
+ // release.
+ unsafe { T::release(self.ptr) };
+ }
+}
--
2.49.0
next prev parent reply other threads:[~2025-06-18 12:27 UTC|newest]
Thread overview: 56+ messages / expand[flat|nested] mbox.gz Atom feed top
[not found] <OYpTDi4YYXiWvLG3nO_8_WKsgOl9KOpun9l3a34m0jza6nmEWDCLTldSwCfZ2PRRprjXqGmrgSL2JN8rPOQH8Q==@protonmail.internalid>
2025-06-18 12:27 ` [PATCH v11 0/4] New trait OwnableRefCounted for ARef<->Owned conversion Oliver Mangold
2025-06-18 12:27 ` Oliver Mangold [this message]
2025-07-02 11:03 ` [PATCH v11 1/4] rust: types: Add Ownable/Owned types Benno Lossin
2025-07-07 6:58 ` Oliver Mangold
2025-07-07 9:23 ` Benno Lossin
2025-07-08 9:56 ` Oliver Mangold
2025-07-08 10:16 ` Miguel Ojeda
2025-07-08 13:06 ` Benno Lossin
2025-07-08 18:30 ` Andreas Hindborg
2025-07-08 19:18 ` Benno Lossin
2025-07-09 8:53 ` Andreas Hindborg
2025-07-09 9:11 ` Benno Lossin
2025-07-08 13:22 ` Andreas Hindborg
2025-07-08 14:53 ` Benno Lossin
2025-07-08 15:00 ` Benno Lossin
2025-07-07 12:26 ` Miguel Ojeda
2025-09-25 8:31 ` Oliver Mangold
2025-08-18 12:46 ` Andreas Hindborg
2025-08-18 13:04 ` Oliver Mangold
2025-08-18 22:27 ` Benno Lossin
2025-08-19 6:04 ` Oliver Mangold
2025-08-19 8:26 ` Benno Lossin
2025-08-19 8:45 ` Oliver Mangold
2025-08-19 9:00 ` Andreas Hindborg
2025-08-19 17:15 ` Benno Lossin
2025-08-20 10:48 ` Andreas Hindborg
2025-08-19 8:53 ` Andreas Hindborg
2025-08-19 17:13 ` Benno Lossin
2025-08-19 18:28 ` Andreas Hindborg
2025-08-20 6:02 ` Oliver Mangold
2025-08-20 7:41 ` Benno Lossin
2025-08-20 7:43 ` Oliver Mangold
2025-08-20 10:51 ` Andreas Hindborg
2025-06-18 12:27 ` [PATCH v11 2/4] rust: Split `AlwaysRefCounted` into two traits Oliver Mangold
2025-06-19 3:15 ` kernel test robot
2025-07-02 11:23 ` Benno Lossin
2025-07-07 7:42 ` Oliver Mangold
2025-07-07 9:27 ` Benno Lossin
2025-06-18 12:27 ` [PATCH v11 3/4] rust: Add missing SAFETY documentation for `ARef` example Oliver Mangold
2025-06-18 12:27 ` [PATCH v11 4/4] rust: Add `OwnableRefCounted` Oliver Mangold
2025-07-02 13:24 ` Benno Lossin
2025-07-07 8:07 ` Oliver Mangold
2025-07-07 9:33 ` Benno Lossin
2025-07-07 11:12 ` Andreas Hindborg
2025-07-07 11:47 ` Benno Lossin
2025-07-07 13:21 ` Andreas Hindborg
2025-07-07 15:39 ` Benno Lossin
2025-07-08 13:15 ` Andreas Hindborg
2025-07-08 14:50 ` Benno Lossin
2025-07-08 15:35 ` Andreas Hindborg
2025-07-08 9:36 ` Oliver Mangold
2025-07-08 13:42 ` Benno Lossin
2025-08-05 17:23 ` [PATCH v11 0/4] New trait OwnableRefCounted for ARef<->Owned conversion Danilo Krummrich
2025-08-06 5:56 ` Oliver Mangold
2025-08-15 10:12 ` Andreas Hindborg
2025-08-18 5:59 ` Oliver Mangold
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