Can xf86-video-amdgpu be used as a replacement for closed-source AMD firmware?

Can xf86-video-amdgpu be used as a replacement for closed-source AMD firmware?

[dan]

Hi XOrg / Freedesktop,

I would like to avoid using any closed-source AMD firmware if
possible. I have a Radeon R9700. Does the xf86-video-amdgpu library
offer a solution?

The README says:

"xf86-video-amdgpu - Xorg driver for AMD Radeon GPUs using the amdgpu
kernel driver"

but I can't tell if the amdgpu module and the associated closed-source
firmware blobs are actually necessary. I've checked the following
sources and failed to find a clear answer:

- https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/v4.11/gpu/drm-internals.html
- https://www.x.org/RadeonFeature/
- the xf86-video-amdgpu source
- the kernel source, particularly in: drivers/gpu/amd/amdgpu
- https://lists.freedesktop.org/mailman/listinfo/amd-gfx for related
  questions

I'm particularly confused by the inclusions of "amdgpu.h" in the
xf86-video-amdgpu source tree. Looking at src/amdgpu_probe.h in
xf86-video-amdgpu, for example:

...
#include <amdgpu.h>
...
amdgpu_device_handle pDev;
...

The "amdgpu_device_handle" does not exist in xf86-video-amdgpu or in the
kernel when I search with grep. Where is this handle coming from?

Any response is greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Dan

Re: Can xf86-video-amdgpu be used as a replacement for closed-source AMD firmware?

[Alex Deucher]

On Wed, Oct 14, 2026 at 8:46 AM <dan@rostovtsev.org> wrote:
>
> Hi XOrg / Freedesktop,
>
> I would like to avoid using any closed-source AMD firmware if
> possible. I have a Radeon R9700. Does the xf86-video-amdgpu library
> offer a solution?
>
> The README says:
>
> "xf86-video-amdgpu - Xorg driver for AMD Radeon GPUs using the amdgpu
> kernel driver"
>
> but I can't tell if the amdgpu module and the associated closed-source
> firmware blobs are actually necessary. I've checked the following
> sources and failed to find a clear answer:
>
> - https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/v4.11/gpu/drm-internals.html
> - https://www.x.org/RadeonFeature/
> - the xf86-video-amdgpu source
> - the kernel source, particularly in: drivers/gpu/amd/amdgpu
> - https://lists.freedesktop.org/mailman/listinfo/amd-gfx for related
>   questions
>
> I'm particularly confused by the inclusions of "amdgpu.h" in the
> xf86-video-amdgpu source tree. Looking at src/amdgpu_probe.h in
> xf86-video-amdgpu, for example:
>
> ...
> #include <amdgpu.h>
> ...
> amdgpu_device_handle pDev;
> ...
>
> The "amdgpu_device_handle" does not exist in xf86-video-amdgpu or in the
> kernel when I search with grep. Where is this handle coming from?
>
> Any response is greatly appreciated!

There is no way to use the GPU without firmware other than as a basic
console using the pre-OS framebuffer.

Alex

Re: Can xf86-video-amdgpu be used as a replacement for closed-source AMD firmware?

[dan]

Good to know, thanks!