RM_SYSINIT9
Kernel reader/writer lock optimized for read-mostly access patterns
Usage
void
void
void
void
int
void
void
void
int
int
options INVARIANTS
options
INVARIANT_SUPPORT
void
void
void
void
void
void
void
Overview
Read-mostly locks allow shared access to protected data by multiple threads, or exclusive access by a single thread. The threads with shared access are known as readers since they only read the protected data. A thread with exclusive access is known as a writer since it can modify protected data.
Read-mostly locks are designed to be efficient for locks almost exclusively used as reader locks and as such should be used for protecting data that rarely changes. Acquiring an exclusive lock after the lock has been locked for shared access is an expensive operation.
Normal read-mostly locks are similar to rwlock(9) locks and follow the same lock ordering rules as rwlock(9) locks. Read-mostly locks have full priority propagation like mutexes. Unlike rwlock(9), read-mostly locks propagate priority to both readers and writers. This is implemented via the rm_priotracker structure argument supplied to rm_rlock() and rm_runlock(). Readers can recurse if the lock is initialized with the RM_RECURSE option; however, writers are never allowed to recurse.
Sleeping for writers can be allowed by passing RM_SLEEPABLE to rm_init_flags(). It changes lock ordering rules to the same as for sx(9) locks. They do not propagate priority to writers, but they do propagate priority to readers. Note that readers are not permitted to sleep regardless of the flag.
Sleepable read-mostly locks (created with rms_init()) allow sleeping for both readers and writers, but don't do priority propagation for either. They follow sx(9) lock ordering.
Macros and Functions
rm_init(struct rmlock *rm, const char *name)-
Initialize the read-mostly lock rm. The name description is used solely for debugging purposes. This function must be called before any other operations on the lock.
rm_init_flags(struct rmlock *rm, const char *name, int opts)-
Similar to
rm_init(), initialize the read-mostly lock rm with a set of optional flags. The opts arguments contains one or more of the following flags:- RM_NOWITNESS
-
Instruct witness(4) to ignore this lock.
- RM_RECURSE
-
Allow threads to recursively acquire shared locks for rm.
- RM_SLEEPABLE
-
Create a sleepable read-mostly lock.
- RM_NEW
-
If the kernel has been compiled with option INVARIANTS,
rm_init_flags() will assert that the rm has not been initialized multiple times without intervening calls torm_destroy() unless this option is specified. - RM_DUPOK
-
witness(4) should not log messages about duplicate locks being acquired.
rm_rlock(struct rmlock *rm, struct rm_priotracker* tracker)-
Lock rm as a reader using tracker to track read owners of a lock for priority propagation. This data structure is only used internally by
rmlockand must persist untilrm_runlock() has been called. This data structure can be allocated on the stack since readers cannot sleep. If any thread holds this lock exclusively, the current thread blocks, and its priority is propagated to the exclusive holder. If the lock was initialized with the RM_RECURSE option therm_rlock() function can be called when the current thread has already acquired reader access on rm. rm_try_rlock(struct rmlock *rm, struct rm_priotracker* tracker)-
Try to lock rm as a reader.
rm_try_rlock() will return 0 if the lock cannot be acquired immediately; otherwise, the lock will be acquired and a non-zero value will be returned. Note thatrm_try_rlock() may fail even while the lock is not currently held by a writer. If the lock was initialized with the RM_RECURSE option,rm_try_rlock() will succeed if the current thread has already acquired reader access. rm_wlock(struct rmlock *rm)-
Lock rm as a writer. If there are any shared owners of the lock, the current thread blocks. The
rm_wlock() function cannot be called recursively. rm_runlock(struct rmlock *rm, struct rm_priotracker* tracker)-
This function releases a shared lock previously acquired by
rm_rlock(). The tracker argument must match the tracker argument used for acquiring the shared lock rm_wunlock(struct rmlock *rm)-
This function releases an exclusive lock previously acquired by
rm_wlock(). rm_destroy(struct rmlock *rm)-
This functions destroys a lock previously initialized with
rm_init(). The rm lock must be unlocked. rm_wowned(const struct rmlock *rm)-
This function returns a non-zero value if the current thread owns an exclusive lock on rm.
rm_sleep(void *wchan, struct rmlock *rm, int priority, const char *wmesg, int timo)-
This function atomically releases rm while waiting for an event. The rm lock must be exclusively locked. For more details on the parameters to this function, see sleep(9).
rm_assert(struct rmlock *rm, int what)-
This function asserts that the rm lock is in the state specified by what. If the assertions are not true and the kernel is compiled with options INVARIANTS and options INVARIANT_SUPPORT, the kernel will panic. Currently the following base assertions are supported:
- RA_LOCKED
-
Assert that current thread holds either a shared or exclusive lock of rm.
- RA_RLOCKED
-
Assert that current thread holds a shared lock of rm.
- RA_WLOCKED
-
Assert that current thread holds an exclusive lock of rm.
- RA_UNLOCKED
-
Assert that current thread holds neither a shared nor exclusive lock of rm.
In addition, one of the following optional flags may be specified with RA_LOCKED, RA_RLOCKED, or RA_WLOCKED:
- RA_RECURSED
-
Assert that the current thread holds a recursive lock of rm.
- RA_NOTRECURSED
-
Assert that the current thread does not hold a recursive lock of rm.
rms_init(struct rmslock *rms, const char *name)-
Initialize the sleepable read-mostly lock rms. The name description is used as wmesg parameter to the msleep(9) routine. This function must be called before any other operations on the lock.
rms_rlock(struct rmlock *rm)-
Lock rms as a reader. If any thread holds this lock exclusively, the current thread blocks.
rms_wlock(struct rmslock *rms)-
Lock rms as a writer. If the lock is already taken, the current thread blocks. The
rms_wlock() function cannot be called recursively. rms_runlock(struct rmslock *rms)-
This function releases a shared lock previously acquired by
rms_rlock(). rms_wunlock(struct rmslock *rms)-
This function releases an exclusive lock previously acquired by
rms_wlock(). rms_destroy(struct rmslock *rms)-
This functions destroys a lock previously initialized with
rms_init(). The rms lock must be unlocked.
History
- FreeBSD 16.0-CURRENT (2026-10-27) to FreeBSD 14.0-RELEASE: the text shown here
- FreeBSD 13.5-RELEASE to FreeBSD 13.3-RELEASE
- FreeBSD 13.2-RELEASE to FreeBSD 13.1-RELEASE
- FreeBSD 13.0-RELEASE
- FreeBSD 12.4-RELEASE
- FreeBSD 12.3-RELEASE
- FreeBSD 12.2-RELEASE
- FreeBSD 12.1-RELEASE
- FreeBSD 12.0-RELEASE
- FreeBSD 11.4-RELEASE
- FreeBSD 11.3-RELEASE
- FreeBSD 11.2-RELEASE
- FreeBSD 11.1-RELEASE
- FreeBSD 11.0-RELEASE
- FreeBSD 10.4-RELEASE
- FreeBSD 10.3-RELEASE
- FreeBSD 10.2-RELEASE
- FreeBSD 10.1-RELEASE
- FreeBSD 10.0-RELEASE
- FreeBSD 9.3-RELEASE
- FreeBSD 9.2-RELEASE
- FreeBSD 9.1-RELEASE
- FreeBSD 9.0-RELEASE
- FreeBSD 8.4-RELEASE
- FreeBSD 8.3-RELEASE
- FreeBSD 8.2-RELEASE
- FreeBSD 8.1-RELEASE
- FreeBSD 8.0-RELEASE