This patch updates the documentation with information about usage of lockdep with list_for_each_entry_rcu(). Signed-off-by: Joel Fernandes (Google) <joel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> --- Documentation/RCU/lockdep.txt | 15 +++++++++++---- Documentation/RCU/whatisRCU.txt | 9 ++++++++- 2 files changed, 19 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-) diff --git a/Documentation/RCU/lockdep.txt b/Documentation/RCU/lockdep.txt index da51d3068850..3d967df3a801 100644 --- a/Documentation/RCU/lockdep.txt +++ b/Documentation/RCU/lockdep.txt @@ -96,7 +96,14 @@ other flavors of rcu_dereference(). On the other hand, it is illegal to use rcu_dereference_protected() if either the RCU-protected pointer or the RCU-protected data that it points to can change concurrently. -There are currently only "universal" versions of the rcu_assign_pointer() -and RCU list-/tree-traversal primitives, which do not (yet) check for -being in an RCU read-side critical section. In the future, separate -versions of these primitives might be created. +Similar to rcu_dereference_protected, The RCU list and hlist traversal +primitives also check for whether there are called from within a reader +section. However, an optional lockdep expression can be passed to them as +the last argument in case they are called under other non-RCU protection. + +For example, the workqueue for_each_pwq() macro is implemented as follows. +It is safe to call for_each_pwq() outside a reader section but under protection +of wq->mutex: +#define for_each_pwq(pwq, wq) + list_for_each_entry_rcu((pwq), &(wq)->pwqs, pwqs_node, + lock_is_held(&(wq->mutex).dep_map)) diff --git a/Documentation/RCU/whatisRCU.txt b/Documentation/RCU/whatisRCU.txt index 981651a8b65d..a08c03735963 100644 --- a/Documentation/RCU/whatisRCU.txt +++ b/Documentation/RCU/whatisRCU.txt @@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ rcu_dereference() at any time, including immediately after the rcu_dereference(). And, again like rcu_assign_pointer(), rcu_dereference() is typically used indirectly, via the _rcu list-manipulation - primitives, such as list_for_each_entry_rcu(). + primitives, such as list_for_each_entry_rcu() [2]. [1] The variant rcu_dereference_protected() can be used outside of an RCU read-side critical section as long as the usage is @@ -305,6 +305,13 @@ rcu_dereference() a lockdep splat is emitted. See RCU/Design/Requirements/Requirements.html and the API's code comments for more details and example usage. + [2] In case the list_for_each_entry_rcu() primitive is intended + to be used outside of an RCU reader section such as when + protected by a lock, then an additional lockdep expression can be + passed as the last argument to it so that RCU lockdep checking code + knows that the dereference of the list pointers are safe. If the + indicated protection is not provided, a lockdep splat is emitted. + The following diagram shows how each API communicates among the reader, updater, and reclaimer. -- 2.22.0.510.g264f2c817a-goog
