xref: /linux/Documentation/bpf/kfuncs.rst (revision 6f7e6393d1ce636bb7ec77a7fe7b77458fddf701)
1.. SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
2
3.. _kfuncs-header-label:
4
5=============================
6BPF Kernel Functions (kfuncs)
7=============================
8
91. Introduction
10===============
11
12BPF Kernel Functions or more commonly known as kfuncs are functions in the Linux
13kernel which are exposed for use by BPF programs. Unlike normal BPF helpers,
14kfuncs do not have a stable interface and can change from one kernel release to
15another. Hence, BPF programs need to be updated in response to changes in the
16kernel. See :ref:`BPF_kfunc_lifecycle_expectations` for more information.
17
182. Defining a kfunc
19===================
20
21There are two ways to expose a kernel function to BPF programs, either make an
22existing function in the kernel visible, or add a new wrapper for BPF. In both
23cases, care must be taken that BPF program can only call such function in a
24valid context. To enforce this, visibility of a kfunc can be per program type.
25
26If you are not creating a BPF wrapper for existing kernel function, skip ahead
27to :ref:`BPF_kfunc_nodef`.
28
292.1 Creating a wrapper kfunc
30----------------------------
31
32When defining a wrapper kfunc, the wrapper function should have extern linkage.
33This prevents the compiler from optimizing away dead code, as this wrapper kfunc
34is not invoked anywhere in the kernel itself. It is not necessary to provide a
35prototype in a header for the wrapper kfunc.
36
37An example is given below::
38
39        /* Disables missing prototype warnings */
40        __bpf_kfunc_start_defs();
41
42        __bpf_kfunc struct task_struct *bpf_find_get_task_by_vpid(pid_t nr)
43        {
44                return find_get_task_by_vpid(nr);
45        }
46
47        __bpf_kfunc_end_defs();
48
49A wrapper kfunc is often needed when we need to annotate parameters of the
50kfunc. Otherwise one may directly make the kfunc visible to the BPF program by
51registering it with the BPF subsystem. See :ref:`BPF_kfunc_nodef`.
52
532.2 kfunc Parameters
54--------------------
55
56All kfuncs now require trusted arguments by default. This means that all
57pointer arguments must be valid, and all pointers to BTF objects must be
58passed in their unmodified form (at a zero offset, and without having been
59obtained from walking another pointer, with exceptions described below).
60
61There are two types of pointers to kernel objects which are considered "trusted":
62
631. Pointers which are passed as tracepoint or struct_ops callback arguments.
642. Pointers which were returned from a KF_ACQUIRE kfunc.
65
66Pointers to non-BTF objects (e.g. scalar pointers) may also be passed to
67kfuncs, and may have a non-zero offset.
68
69The definition of "valid" pointers is subject to change at any time, and has
70absolutely no ABI stability guarantees.
71
72As mentioned above, a nested pointer obtained from walking a trusted pointer is
73no longer trusted, with one exception. If a struct type has a field that is
74guaranteed to be valid (trusted or rcu, as in KF_RCU description below) as long
75as its parent pointer is valid, the following macros can be used to express
76that to the verifier:
77
78* ``BTF_TYPE_SAFE_TRUSTED``
79* ``BTF_TYPE_SAFE_RCU``
80* ``BTF_TYPE_SAFE_RCU_OR_NULL``
81
82For example,
83
84.. code-block:: c
85
86	BTF_TYPE_SAFE_TRUSTED(struct socket) {
87		struct sock *sk;
88	};
89
90or
91
92.. code-block:: c
93
94	BTF_TYPE_SAFE_RCU(struct task_struct) {
95		const cpumask_t *cpus_ptr;
96		struct css_set __rcu *cgroups;
97		struct task_struct __rcu *real_parent;
98		struct task_struct *group_leader;
99	};
100
101In other words, you must:
102
1031. Wrap the valid pointer type in a ``BTF_TYPE_SAFE_*`` macro.
104
1052. Specify the type and name of the valid nested field. This field must match
106   the field in the original type definition exactly.
107
108A new type declared by a ``BTF_TYPE_SAFE_*`` macro also needs to be emitted so
109that it appears in BTF. For example, ``BTF_TYPE_SAFE_TRUSTED(struct socket)``
110is emitted in the ``type_is_trusted()`` function as follows:
111
112.. code-block:: c
113
114	BTF_TYPE_EMIT(BTF_TYPE_SAFE_TRUSTED(struct socket));
115
1162.3 Annotating kfunc parameters
117-------------------------------
118
119Similar to BPF helpers, there is sometime need for additional context required
120by the verifier to make the usage of kernel functions safer and more useful.
121Hence, we can annotate a parameter by suffixing the name of the argument of the
122kfunc with a __tag, where tag may be one of the supported annotations.
123
1242.3.1 __sz Annotation
125---------------------
126
127This annotation is used to indicate a memory and size pair in the argument list.
128An example is given below::
129
130        __bpf_kfunc void bpf_memzero(void *mem, int mem__sz)
131        {
132        ...
133        }
134
135Here, the verifier will treat first argument as a PTR_TO_MEM, and second
136argument as its size. By default, without __sz annotation, the size of the type
137of the pointer is used. Without __sz annotation, a kfunc cannot accept a void
138pointer.
139
1402.3.2 __k Annotation
141--------------------
142
143This annotation is only understood for scalar arguments, where it indicates that
144the verifier must check the scalar argument to be a known constant, which does
145not indicate a size parameter, and the value of the constant is relevant to the
146safety of the program.
147
148An example is given below::
149
150        __bpf_kfunc void *bpf_obj_new(u32 local_type_id__k, ...)
151        {
152        ...
153        }
154
155Here, bpf_obj_new uses local_type_id argument to find out the size of that type
156ID in program's BTF and return a sized pointer to it. Each type ID will have a
157distinct size, hence it is crucial to treat each such call as distinct when
158values don't match during verifier state pruning checks.
159
160Hence, whenever a constant scalar argument is accepted by a kfunc which is not a
161size parameter, and the value of the constant matters for program safety, __k
162suffix should be used.
163
1642.3.3 __uninit Annotation
165-------------------------
166
167This annotation is used to indicate that the argument will be treated as
168uninitialized.
169
170An example is given below::
171
172        __bpf_kfunc int bpf_dynptr_from_skb(..., struct bpf_dynptr_kern *ptr__uninit)
173        {
174        ...
175        }
176
177Here, the dynptr will be treated as an uninitialized dynptr. Without this
178annotation, the verifier will reject the program if the dynptr passed in is
179not initialized.
180
1812.3.4 __nullable Annotation
182---------------------------
183
184This annotation is used to indicate that the pointer argument may be NULL.
185The verifier will allow passing NULL for such arguments.
186
187An example is given below::
188
189        __bpf_kfunc void bpf_task_release(struct task_struct *task__nullable)
190        {
191        ...
192        }
193
194Here, the task pointer may be NULL. The kfunc is responsible for checking if
195the pointer is NULL before dereferencing it.
196
197The __nullable annotation can be combined with other annotations. For example,
198when used with __sz or __szk annotations for memory and size pairs, the
199verifier will skip size validation when a NULL pointer is passed, but will
200still process the size argument to extract constant size information when
201needed::
202
203        __bpf_kfunc void *bpf_dynptr_slice(..., void *buffer__nullable,
204                                           u32 buffer__szk)
205
206Here, the buffer may be NULL. If the buffer is not NULL, it must be at least
207buffer__szk bytes in size. The kfunc is responsible for checking if the buffer
208is NULL before using it.
209
2102.3.5 __str Annotation
211----------------------------
212This annotation is used to indicate that the argument is a constant string.
213
214An example is given below::
215
216        __bpf_kfunc bpf_get_file_xattr(..., const char *name__str, ...)
217        {
218        ...
219        }
220
221In this case, ``bpf_get_file_xattr()`` can be called as::
222
223        bpf_get_file_xattr(..., "xattr_name", ...);
224
225Or::
226
227        const char name[] = "xattr_name";  /* This need to be global */
228        int BPF_PROG(...)
229        {
230                ...
231                bpf_get_file_xattr(..., name, ...);
232                ...
233        }
234
235.. _BPF_kfunc_nodef:
236
2372.4 Using an existing kernel function
238-------------------------------------
239
240When an existing function in the kernel is fit for consumption by BPF programs,
241it can be directly registered with the BPF subsystem. However, care must still
242be taken to review the context in which it will be invoked by the BPF program
243and whether it is safe to do so.
244
2452.5 Annotating kfuncs
246---------------------
247
248In addition to kfuncs' arguments, verifier may need more information about the
249type of kfunc(s) being registered with the BPF subsystem. To do so, we define
250flags on a set of kfuncs as follows::
251
252        BTF_KFUNCS_START(bpf_task_set)
253        BTF_ID_FLAGS(func, bpf_get_task_pid, KF_ACQUIRE | KF_RET_NULL)
254        BTF_ID_FLAGS(func, bpf_put_pid, KF_RELEASE)
255        BTF_KFUNCS_END(bpf_task_set)
256
257This set encodes the BTF ID of each kfunc listed above, and encodes the flags
258along with it. Ofcourse, it is also allowed to specify no flags.
259
260kfunc definitions should also always be annotated with the ``__bpf_kfunc``
261macro. This prevents issues such as the compiler inlining the kfunc if it's a
262static kernel function, or the function being elided in an LTO build as it's
263not used in the rest of the kernel. Developers should not manually add
264annotations to their kfunc to prevent these issues. If an annotation is
265required to prevent such an issue with your kfunc, it is a bug and should be
266added to the definition of the macro so that other kfuncs are similarly
267protected. An example is given below::
268
269        __bpf_kfunc struct task_struct *bpf_get_task_pid(s32 pid)
270        {
271        ...
272        }
273
2742.5.1 KF_ACQUIRE flag
275---------------------
276
277The KF_ACQUIRE flag is used to indicate that the kfunc returns a pointer to a
278refcounted object. The verifier will then ensure that the pointer to the object
279is eventually released using a release kfunc, or transferred to a map using a
280referenced kptr (by invoking bpf_kptr_xchg). If not, the verifier fails the
281loading of the BPF program until no lingering references remain in all possible
282explored states of the program.
283
2842.5.2 KF_RET_NULL flag
285----------------------
286
287The KF_RET_NULL flag is used to indicate that the pointer returned by the kfunc
288may be NULL. Hence, it forces the user to do a NULL check on the pointer
289returned from the kfunc before making use of it (dereferencing or passing to
290another helper). This flag is often used in pairing with KF_ACQUIRE flag, but
291both are orthogonal to each other.
292
2932.5.3 KF_RELEASE flag
294---------------------
295
296The KF_RELEASE flag is used to indicate that the kfunc releases the pointer
297passed in to it. There can be only one referenced pointer that can be passed
298in. All copies of the pointer being released are invalidated as a result of
299invoking kfunc with this flag.
300
3012.5.4 KF_SLEEPABLE flag
302-----------------------
303
304The KF_SLEEPABLE flag is used for kfuncs that may sleep. Such kfuncs can only
305be called by sleepable BPF programs (BPF_F_SLEEPABLE).
306
3072.5.5 KF_DESTRUCTIVE flag
308--------------------------
309
310The KF_DESTRUCTIVE flag is used to indicate functions calling which is
311destructive to the system. For example such a call can result in system
312rebooting or panicking. Due to this additional restrictions apply to these
313calls. At the moment they only require CAP_SYS_BOOT capability, but more can be
314added later.
315
3162.5.6 KF_RCU flag
317-----------------
318
319The KF_RCU flag allows kfuncs to opt out of the default trusted args
320requirement and accept RCU pointers with weaker guarantees. The kfuncs marked
321with KF_RCU expect either PTR_TRUSTED or MEM_RCU arguments. The verifier
322guarantees that the objects are valid and there is no use-after-free. The
323pointers are not NULL, but the object's refcount could have reached zero. The
324kfuncs need to consider doing refcnt != 0 check, especially when returning a
325KF_ACQUIRE pointer. Note as well that a KF_ACQUIRE kfunc that is KF_RCU should
326very likely also be KF_RET_NULL.
327
3282.5.7 KF_RCU_PROTECTED flag
329---------------------------
330
331The KF_RCU_PROTECTED flag is used to indicate that the kfunc must be invoked in
332an RCU critical section. This is assumed by default in non-sleepable programs,
333and must be explicitly ensured by calling ``bpf_rcu_read_lock`` for sleepable
334ones.
335
336If the kfunc returns a pointer value, this flag also enforces that the returned
337pointer is RCU protected, and can only be used while the RCU critical section is
338active.
339
340The flag is distinct from the ``KF_RCU`` flag, which only ensures that its
341arguments are at least RCU protected pointers. This may transitively imply that
342RCU protection is ensured, but it does not work in cases of kfuncs which require
343RCU protection but do not take RCU protected arguments.
344
345.. _KF_deprecated_flag:
346
3472.5.8 KF_DEPRECATED flag
348------------------------
349
350The KF_DEPRECATED flag is used for kfuncs which are scheduled to be
351changed or removed in a subsequent kernel release. A kfunc that is
352marked with KF_DEPRECATED should also have any relevant information
353captured in its kernel doc. Such information typically includes the
354kfunc's expected remaining lifespan, a recommendation for new
355functionality that can replace it if any is available, and possibly a
356rationale for why it is being removed.
357
358Note that while on some occasions, a KF_DEPRECATED kfunc may continue to be
359supported and have its KF_DEPRECATED flag removed, it is likely to be far more
360difficult to remove a KF_DEPRECATED flag after it's been added than it is to
361prevent it from being added in the first place. As described in
362:ref:`BPF_kfunc_lifecycle_expectations`, users that rely on specific kfuncs are
363encouraged to make their use-cases known as early as possible, and participate
364in upstream discussions regarding whether to keep, change, deprecate, or remove
365those kfuncs if and when such discussions occur.
366
3672.5.9 KF_IMPLICIT_ARGS flag
368------------------------------------
369
370The KF_IMPLICIT_ARGS flag is used to indicate that the BPF signature
371of the kfunc is different from it's kernel signature, and the values
372for implicit arguments are provided at load time by the verifier.
373
374Only arguments of specific types are implicit.
375Currently only ``struct bpf_prog_aux *`` type is supported.
376
377A kfunc with KF_IMPLICIT_ARGS flag therefore has two types in BTF: one
378function matching the kernel declaration (with _impl suffix in the
379name by convention), and another matching the intended BPF API.
380
381Verifier only allows calls to the non-_impl version of a kfunc, that
382uses a signature without the implicit arguments.
383
384Example declaration:
385
386.. code-block:: c
387
388	__bpf_kfunc int bpf_task_work_schedule_signal(struct task_struct *task, struct bpf_task_work *tw,
389						      void *map__map, bpf_task_work_callback_t callback,
390						      struct bpf_prog_aux *aux) { ... }
391
392Example usage in BPF program:
393
394.. code-block:: c
395
396	/* note that the last argument is omitted */
397        bpf_task_work_schedule_signal(task, &work->tw, &arrmap, task_work_callback);
398
3992.6 Registering the kfuncs
400--------------------------
401
402Once the kfunc is prepared for use, the final step to making it visible is
403registering it with the BPF subsystem. Registration is done per BPF program
404type. An example is shown below::
405
406        BTF_KFUNCS_START(bpf_task_set)
407        BTF_ID_FLAGS(func, bpf_get_task_pid, KF_ACQUIRE | KF_RET_NULL)
408        BTF_ID_FLAGS(func, bpf_put_pid, KF_RELEASE)
409        BTF_KFUNCS_END(bpf_task_set)
410
411        static const struct btf_kfunc_id_set bpf_task_kfunc_set = {
412                .owner = THIS_MODULE,
413                .set   = &bpf_task_set,
414        };
415
416        static int init_subsystem(void)
417        {
418                return register_btf_kfunc_id_set(BPF_PROG_TYPE_TRACING, &bpf_task_kfunc_set);
419        }
420        late_initcall(init_subsystem);
421
4222.7  Specifying no-cast aliases with ___init
423--------------------------------------------
424
425The verifier will always enforce that the BTF type of a pointer passed to a
426kfunc by a BPF program, matches the type of pointer specified in the kfunc
427definition. The verifier, does, however, allow types that are equivalent
428according to the C standard to be passed to the same kfunc arg, even if their
429BTF_IDs differ.
430
431For example, for the following type definition:
432
433.. code-block:: c
434
435	struct bpf_cpumask {
436		cpumask_t cpumask;
437		refcount_t usage;
438	};
439
440The verifier would allow a ``struct bpf_cpumask *`` to be passed to a kfunc
441taking a ``cpumask_t *`` (which is a typedef of ``struct cpumask *``). For
442instance, both ``struct cpumask *`` and ``struct bpf_cpmuask *`` can be passed
443to bpf_cpumask_test_cpu().
444
445In some cases, this type-aliasing behavior is not desired. ``struct
446nf_conn___init`` is one such example:
447
448.. code-block:: c
449
450	struct nf_conn___init {
451		struct nf_conn ct;
452	};
453
454The C standard would consider these types to be equivalent, but it would not
455always be safe to pass either type to a trusted kfunc. ``struct
456nf_conn___init`` represents an allocated ``struct nf_conn`` object that has
457*not yet been initialized*, so it would therefore be unsafe to pass a ``struct
458nf_conn___init *`` to a kfunc that's expecting a fully initialized ``struct
459nf_conn *`` (e.g. ``bpf_ct_change_timeout()``).
460
461In order to accommodate such requirements, the verifier will enforce strict
462PTR_TO_BTF_ID type matching if two types have the exact same name, with one
463being suffixed with ``___init``.
464
465.. _BPF_kfunc_lifecycle_expectations:
466
4673. kfunc lifecycle expectations
468===============================
469
470kfuncs provide a kernel <-> kernel API, and thus are not bound by any of the
471strict stability restrictions associated with kernel <-> user UAPIs. This means
472they can be thought of as similar to EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL, and can therefore be
473modified or removed by a maintainer of the subsystem they're defined in when
474it's deemed necessary.
475
476Like any other change to the kernel, maintainers will not change or remove a
477kfunc without having a reasonable justification.  Whether or not they'll choose
478to change a kfunc will ultimately depend on a variety of factors, such as how
479widely used the kfunc is, how long the kfunc has been in the kernel, whether an
480alternative kfunc exists, what the norm is in terms of stability for the
481subsystem in question, and of course what the technical cost is of continuing
482to support the kfunc.
483
484There are several implications of this:
485
486a) kfuncs that are widely used or have been in the kernel for a long time will
487   be more difficult to justify being changed or removed by a maintainer. In
488   other words, kfuncs that are known to have a lot of users and provide
489   significant value provide stronger incentives for maintainers to invest the
490   time and complexity in supporting them. It is therefore important for
491   developers that are using kfuncs in their BPF programs to communicate and
492   explain how and why those kfuncs are being used, and to participate in
493   discussions regarding those kfuncs when they occur upstream.
494
495b) Unlike regular kernel symbols marked with EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL, BPF programs
496   that call kfuncs are generally not part of the kernel tree. This means that
497   refactoring cannot typically change callers in-place when a kfunc changes,
498   as is done for e.g. an upstreamed driver being updated in place when a
499   kernel symbol is changed.
500
501   Unlike with regular kernel symbols, this is expected behavior for BPF
502   symbols, and out-of-tree BPF programs that use kfuncs should be considered
503   relevant to discussions and decisions around modifying and removing those
504   kfuncs. The BPF community will take an active role in participating in
505   upstream discussions when necessary to ensure that the perspectives of such
506   users are taken into account.
507
508c) A kfunc will never have any hard stability guarantees. BPF APIs cannot and
509   will not ever hard-block a change in the kernel purely for stability
510   reasons. That being said, kfuncs are features that are meant to solve
511   problems and provide value to users. The decision of whether to change or
512   remove a kfunc is a multivariate technical decision that is made on a
513   case-by-case basis, and which is informed by data points such as those
514   mentioned above. It is expected that a kfunc being removed or changed with
515   no warning will not be a common occurrence or take place without sound
516   justification, but it is a possibility that must be accepted if one is to
517   use kfuncs.
518
5193.1 kfunc deprecation
520---------------------
521
522As described above, while sometimes a maintainer may find that a kfunc must be
523changed or removed immediately to accommodate some changes in their subsystem,
524usually kfuncs will be able to accommodate a longer and more measured
525deprecation process. For example, if a new kfunc comes along which provides
526superior functionality to an existing kfunc, the existing kfunc may be
527deprecated for some period of time to allow users to migrate their BPF programs
528to use the new one. Or, if a kfunc has no known users, a decision may be made
529to remove the kfunc (without providing an alternative API) after some
530deprecation period so as to provide users with a window to notify the kfunc
531maintainer if it turns out that the kfunc is actually being used.
532
533It's expected that the common case will be that kfuncs will go through a
534deprecation period rather than being changed or removed without warning. As
535described in :ref:`KF_deprecated_flag`, the kfunc framework provides the
536KF_DEPRECATED flag to kfunc developers to signal to users that a kfunc has been
537deprecated. Once a kfunc has been marked with KF_DEPRECATED, the following
538procedure is followed for removal:
539
5401. Any relevant information for deprecated kfuncs is documented in the kfunc's
541   kernel docs. This documentation will typically include the kfunc's expected
542   remaining lifespan, a recommendation for new functionality that can replace
543   the usage of the deprecated function (or an explanation as to why no such
544   replacement exists), etc.
545
5462. The deprecated kfunc is kept in the kernel for some period of time after it
547   was first marked as deprecated. This time period will be chosen on a
548   case-by-case basis, and will typically depend on how widespread the use of
549   the kfunc is, how long it has been in the kernel, and how hard it is to move
550   to alternatives. This deprecation time period is "best effort", and as
551   described :ref:`above<BPF_kfunc_lifecycle_expectations>`, circumstances may
552   sometimes dictate that the kfunc be removed before the full intended
553   deprecation period has elapsed.
554
5553. After the deprecation period the kfunc will be removed. At this point, BPF
556   programs calling the kfunc will be rejected by the verifier.
557
5584. Core kfuncs
559==============
560
561The BPF subsystem provides a number of "core" kfuncs that are potentially
562applicable to a wide variety of different possible use cases and programs.
563Those kfuncs are documented here.
564
5654.1 struct task_struct * kfuncs
566-------------------------------
567
568There are a number of kfuncs that allow ``struct task_struct *`` objects to be
569used as kptrs:
570
571.. kernel-doc:: kernel/bpf/helpers.c
572   :identifiers: bpf_task_acquire bpf_task_release
573
574These kfuncs are useful when you want to acquire or release a reference to a
575``struct task_struct *`` that was passed as e.g. a tracepoint arg, or a
576struct_ops callback arg. For example:
577
578.. code-block:: c
579
580	/**
581	 * A trivial example tracepoint program that shows how to
582	 * acquire and release a struct task_struct * pointer.
583	 */
584	SEC("tp_btf/task_newtask")
585	int BPF_PROG(task_acquire_release_example, struct task_struct *task, u64 clone_flags)
586	{
587		struct task_struct *acquired;
588
589		acquired = bpf_task_acquire(task);
590		if (acquired)
591			/*
592			 * In a typical program you'd do something like store
593			 * the task in a map, and the map will automatically
594			 * release it later. Here, we release it manually.
595			 */
596			bpf_task_release(acquired);
597		return 0;
598	}
599
600
601References acquired on ``struct task_struct *`` objects are RCU protected.
602Therefore, when in an RCU read region, you can obtain a pointer to a task
603embedded in a map value without having to acquire a reference:
604
605.. code-block:: c
606
607	#define private(name) SEC(".data." #name) __hidden __attribute__((aligned(8)))
608	private(TASK) static struct task_struct *global;
609
610	/**
611	 * A trivial example showing how to access a task stored
612	 * in a map using RCU.
613	 */
614	SEC("tp_btf/task_newtask")
615	int BPF_PROG(task_rcu_read_example, struct task_struct *task, u64 clone_flags)
616	{
617		struct task_struct *local_copy;
618
619		bpf_rcu_read_lock();
620		local_copy = global;
621		if (local_copy)
622			/*
623			 * We could also pass local_copy to kfuncs or helper functions here,
624			 * as we're guaranteed that local_copy will be valid until we exit
625			 * the RCU read region below.
626			 */
627			bpf_printk("Global task %s is valid", local_copy->comm);
628		else
629			bpf_printk("No global task found");
630		bpf_rcu_read_unlock();
631
632		/* At this point we can no longer reference local_copy. */
633
634		return 0;
635	}
636
637----
638
639A BPF program can also look up a task from a pid. This can be useful if the
640caller doesn't have a trusted pointer to a ``struct task_struct *`` object that
641it can acquire a reference on with bpf_task_acquire().
642
643.. kernel-doc:: kernel/bpf/helpers.c
644   :identifiers: bpf_task_from_pid
645
646Here is an example of it being used:
647
648.. code-block:: c
649
650	SEC("tp_btf/task_newtask")
651	int BPF_PROG(task_get_pid_example, struct task_struct *task, u64 clone_flags)
652	{
653		struct task_struct *lookup;
654
655		lookup = bpf_task_from_pid(task->pid);
656		if (!lookup)
657			/* A task should always be found, as %task is a tracepoint arg. */
658			return -ENOENT;
659
660		if (lookup->pid != task->pid) {
661			/* bpf_task_from_pid() looks up the task via its
662			 * globally-unique pid from the init_pid_ns. Thus,
663			 * the pid of the lookup task should always be the
664			 * same as the input task.
665			 */
666			bpf_task_release(lookup);
667			return -EINVAL;
668		}
669
670		/* bpf_task_from_pid() returns an acquired reference,
671		 * so it must be dropped before returning from the
672		 * tracepoint handler.
673		 */
674		bpf_task_release(lookup);
675		return 0;
676	}
677
6784.2 struct cgroup * kfuncs
679--------------------------
680
681``struct cgroup *`` objects also have acquire and release functions:
682
683.. kernel-doc:: kernel/bpf/helpers.c
684   :identifiers: bpf_cgroup_acquire bpf_cgroup_release
685
686These kfuncs are used in exactly the same manner as bpf_task_acquire() and
687bpf_task_release() respectively, so we won't provide examples for them.
688
689----
690
691Other kfuncs available for interacting with ``struct cgroup *`` objects are
692bpf_cgroup_ancestor() and bpf_cgroup_from_id(), allowing callers to access
693the ancestor of a cgroup and find a cgroup by its ID, respectively. Both
694return a cgroup kptr.
695
696.. kernel-doc:: kernel/bpf/helpers.c
697   :identifiers: bpf_cgroup_ancestor
698
699.. kernel-doc:: kernel/bpf/helpers.c
700   :identifiers: bpf_cgroup_from_id
701
702Eventually, BPF should be updated to allow this to happen with a normal memory
703load in the program itself. This is currently not possible without more work in
704the verifier. bpf_cgroup_ancestor() can be used as follows:
705
706.. code-block:: c
707
708	/**
709	 * Simple tracepoint example that illustrates how a cgroup's
710	 * ancestor can be accessed using bpf_cgroup_ancestor().
711	 */
712	SEC("tp_btf/cgroup_mkdir")
713	int BPF_PROG(cgrp_ancestor_example, struct cgroup *cgrp, const char *path)
714	{
715		struct cgroup *parent;
716
717		/* The parent cgroup resides at the level before the current cgroup's level. */
718		parent = bpf_cgroup_ancestor(cgrp, cgrp->level - 1);
719		if (!parent)
720			return -ENOENT;
721
722		bpf_printk("Parent id is %d", parent->self.id);
723
724		/* Return the parent cgroup that was acquired above. */
725		bpf_cgroup_release(parent);
726		return 0;
727	}
728
7294.3 struct cpumask * kfuncs
730---------------------------
731
732BPF provides a set of kfuncs that can be used to query, allocate, mutate, and
733destroy struct cpumask * objects. Please refer to :ref:`cpumasks-header-label`
734for more details.
735