Subject: Re: [PATCH] Update core.c

From: Jakub Kicinski <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 2 Oct 2024 06:27:51 -0700

On Mon, 30 Sep 2024 23:20:45 +0100 Conor Dooley wrote:
> (do netdev folks even want scoped cleanup?),

Since I have it handy... :)

Quoting documentation:

  Using device-managed and cleanup.h constructs
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  
  Netdev remains skeptical about promises of all "auto-cleanup" APIs,
  including even ``devm_`` helpers, historically. They are not the preferred
  style of implementation, merely an acceptable one.
  
  Use of ``guard()`` is discouraged within any function longer than 20 lines,
  ``scoped_guard()`` is considered more readable. Using normal lock/unlock is
  still (weakly) preferred.
  
  Low level cleanup constructs (such as ``__free()``) can be used when building
  APIs and helpers, especially scoped iterators. However, direct use of
  ``__free()`` within networking core and drivers is discouraged.
  Similar guidance applies to declaring variables mid-function.
  
See: https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/next/process/maintainer-netdev.html#using-device-managed-and-cleanup-h-constructs