[PATCH v2] mm: expand documentation over __read_mostly

[PATCH v2] mm: expand documentation over __read_mostly

[Luis Chamberlain]

__read_mostly can easily be misused by folks, its not meant for
just read-only data. There are performance reasons for using it, but
we also don't provide any guidance about its use. Provide a bit more
guidance over its use.

Acked-by: Christoph Lameter <cl@linux.com>
Signed-off-by: Luis Chamberlain <mcgrof@kernel.org>
---

This v2 just has a few spelling fixes.

 include/linux/cache.h | 10 ++++++++--
 1 file changed, 8 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/include/linux/cache.h b/include/linux/cache.h
index 750621e41d1c..8106fb304fa7 100644
--- a/include/linux/cache.h
+++ b/include/linux/cache.h
@@ -15,8 +15,14 @@
 
 /*
  * __read_mostly is used to keep rarely changing variables out of frequently
- * updated cachelines. If an architecture doesn't support it, ignore the
- * hint.
+ * updated cachelines. Its use should be reserved for data that is used
+ * frequently in hot paths. Performance traces can help decide when to use
+ * this. You want __read_mostly data to be tightly packed, so that in the
+ * best case multiple frequently read variables for a hot path will be next
+ * to each other in order to reduce the number of cachelines needed to
+ * execute a critical path. We should be mindful and selective of its use.
+ * ie: if you're going to use it please supply a *good* justification in your
+ * commit log
  */
 #ifndef __read_mostly
 #define __read_mostly
-- 
2.25.1

Re: [PATCH v2] mm: expand documentation over __read_mostly

[Kees Cook]

On Thu, May 07, 2020 at 04:14:24PM +0000, Luis Chamberlain wrote:
> __read_mostly can easily be misused by folks, its not meant for
> just read-only data. There are performance reasons for using it, but
> we also don't provide any guidance about its use. Provide a bit more
> guidance over its use.
> 
> Acked-by: Christoph Lameter <cl@linux.com>
> Signed-off-by: Luis Chamberlain <mcgrof@kernel.org>

Reviewed-by: Kees Cook <keescook@chromium.org>

-- 
Kees Cook

Re: [PATCH v2] mm: expand documentation over __read_mostly

[Rafael Aquini]

On Thu, May 07, 2020 at 04:14:24PM +0000, Luis Chamberlain wrote:
> __read_mostly can easily be misused by folks, its not meant for
> just read-only data. There are performance reasons for using it, but
> we also don't provide any guidance about its use. Provide a bit more
> guidance over its use.
> 
> Acked-by: Christoph Lameter <cl@linux.com>
> Signed-off-by: Luis Chamberlain <mcgrof@kernel.org>
> ---
> 
> This v2 just has a few spelling fixes.
> 
>  include/linux/cache.h | 10 ++++++++--
>  1 file changed, 8 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)
> 
> diff --git a/include/linux/cache.h b/include/linux/cache.h
> index 750621e41d1c..8106fb304fa7 100644
> --- a/include/linux/cache.h
> +++ b/include/linux/cache.h
> @@ -15,8 +15,14 @@
>  
>  /*
>   * __read_mostly is used to keep rarely changing variables out of frequently
> - * updated cachelines. If an architecture doesn't support it, ignore the
> - * hint.
> + * updated cachelines. Its use should be reserved for data that is used
> + * frequently in hot paths. Performance traces can help decide when to use
> + * this. You want __read_mostly data to be tightly packed, so that in the
> + * best case multiple frequently read variables for a hot path will be next
> + * to each other in order to reduce the number of cachelines needed to
> + * execute a critical path. We should be mindful and selective of its use.
> + * ie: if you're going to use it please supply a *good* justification in your
> + * commit log
>   */
>  #ifndef __read_mostly
>  #define __read_mostly
> -- 
> 2.25.1
> 
Acked-by: Rafael Aquini <aquini@redhat.com>