original_kernel/Documentation/atomic_bitops.txt

72 lines
1.5 KiB
Plaintext

On atomic bitops.
While our bitmap_{}() functions are non-atomic, we have a number of operations
operating on single bits in a bitmap that are atomic.
API
---
The single bit operations are:
Non-RMW ops:
test_bit()
RMW atomic operations without return value:
{set,clear,change}_bit()
clear_bit_unlock()
RMW atomic operations with return value:
test_and_{set,clear,change}_bit()
test_and_set_bit_lock()
Barriers:
smp_mb__{before,after}_atomic()
All RMW atomic operations have a '__' prefixed variant which is non-atomic.
SEMANTICS
---------
Non-atomic ops:
In particular __clear_bit_unlock() suffers the same issue as atomic_set(),
which is why the generic version maps to clear_bit_unlock(), see atomic_t.txt.
RMW ops:
The test_and_{}_bit() operations return the original value of the bit.
ORDERING
--------
Like with atomic_t, the rule of thumb is:
- non-RMW operations are unordered;
- RMW operations that have no return value are unordered;
- RMW operations that have a return value are fully ordered.
- RMW operations that are conditional are unordered on FAILURE,
otherwise the above rules apply. In the case of test_and_{}_bit() operations,
if the bit in memory is unchanged by the operation then it is deemed to have
failed.
Except for a successful test_and_set_bit_lock() which has ACQUIRE semantics and
clear_bit_unlock() which has RELEASE semantics.
Since a platform only has a single means of achieving atomic operations
the same barriers as for atomic_t are used, see atomic_t.txt.