---
name: "kldload"
section: "2freebsd"
platform: "linux"
package: "freebsd-manpages"
version: "12.2-2"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/kldload/2freebsd"
---

# kldload(2freebsd)

load KLD files into the kernel

## NAME

**kldload** – load KLD files into the kernel

## LIBRARY

Standard C Library (libc, -lc)

## SYNOPSIS

**#include \<sys/param.h\>**

**#include \<sys/linker.h\>**

*int*\

**kldload**(*const char \*file*);

## DESCRIPTION

The **kldload**() system call loads a kld file into the kernel using the kernel linker.

## RETURN VALUES

The **kldload**() system call returns the fileid of the kld file which was loaded into the kernel. If an error occurs, **kldload**() will return -1 and set *errno* to indicate the error.

## ERRORS

The named file is loaded unless:

- \[EPERM\]

  You do not have access to read the file or link it with the kernel. You should be the root user to be able to use the **kld** system calls.

- \[EFAULT\]

  Bad address encountered when adding kld info into the kernel space.

- \[ENOMEM\]

  There is no memory to load the file into the kernel.

- \[ENOENT\]

  The file was not found.

- \[ENOEXEC\]

  The file format of *file* was unrecognized.

- \[EEXIST\]

  The supplied *file* has already been loaded.

## SEE ALSO

[kldfind(2)](/kldfind/2.md), [kldfirstmod(2)](/kldfirstmod/2.md), [kldnext(2)](/kldnext/2.md), [kldstat(2)](/kldstat/2.md), [kldsym(2)](/kldsym/2.md), [kldunload(2)](/kldunload/2.md), [modfind(2)](/modfind/2.md), [modfnext(2)](/modfnext/2.md), [modnext(2)](/modnext/2.md), [modstat(2)](/modstat/2.md), [kld(4)](/kld/4.md), [kldload(8)](/kldload/8.md)

## HISTORY

The **kld** interface first appeared in FreeBSD 3.0.