[PATCH] mm: gfp_types: fix __GFP_ACCOUNT, GFP_KERNEL_ACCOUNT documentation

[PATCH] mm: gfp_types: fix __GFP_ACCOUNT, GFP_KERNEL_ACCOUNT documentation

[Johannes Weiner]

Gregory points out that these descriptions are cursed and confusing,
considering what these flags actually do. This is mostly due to
historic implementation choices and cgroup1 baggage. Improve the
description of their actual effects.

Reported-by: Gregory Price <gourry@gourry.net>
Signed-off-by: Johannes Weiner <hannes@cmpxchg.org>
---
 include/linux/gfp_types.h | 5 +++--
 1 file changed, 3 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/include/linux/gfp_types.h b/include/linux/gfp_types.h
index 54ca0c88bab6..463b551d12d9 100644
--- a/include/linux/gfp_types.h
+++ b/include/linux/gfp_types.h
@@ -136,7 +136,8 @@ enum {
  * %__GFP_THISNODE forces the allocation to be satisfied from the requested
  * node with no fallbacks or placement policy enforcements.
  *
- * %__GFP_ACCOUNT causes the allocation to be accounted to kmemcg.
+ * %__GFP_ACCOUNT causes the allocation to be accounted to the active
+ * cgroup context.
  *
  * %__GFP_NO_OBJ_EXT causes slab allocation to have no object extension.
  * mark_obj_codetag_empty() should be called upon freeing for objects allocated
@@ -320,7 +321,7 @@ enum {
  * %ZONE_NORMAL or a lower zone for direct access but can direct reclaim.
  *
  * %GFP_KERNEL_ACCOUNT is the same as GFP_KERNEL, except the allocation is
- * accounted to kmemcg.
+ * accounted to the active cgroup context.
  *
  * %GFP_NOWAIT is for kernel allocations that should not stall for direct
  * reclaim, start physical IO or use any filesystem callback.  It is very
-- 
2.55.0

Re: [PATCH] mm: gfp_types: fix __GFP_ACCOUNT, GFP_KERNEL_ACCOUNT documentation

[Vlastimil Babka (SUSE)]

On 7/1/26 20:21, Johannes Weiner wrote:
> Gregory points out that these descriptions are cursed and confusing,
> considering what these flags actually do. This is mostly due to
> historic implementation choices and cgroup1 baggage. Improve the
> description of their actual effects.
> 
> Reported-by: Gregory Price <gourry@gourry.net>
> Signed-off-by: Johannes Weiner <hannes@cmpxchg.org>

Reviewed-by: Vlastimil Babka (SUSE) <vbabka@kernel.org>

> ---
>  include/linux/gfp_types.h | 5 +++--
>  1 file changed, 3 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)
> 
> diff --git a/include/linux/gfp_types.h b/include/linux/gfp_types.h
> index 54ca0c88bab6..463b551d12d9 100644
> --- a/include/linux/gfp_types.h
> +++ b/include/linux/gfp_types.h
> @@ -136,7 +136,8 @@ enum {
>   * %__GFP_THISNODE forces the allocation to be satisfied from the requested
>   * node with no fallbacks or placement policy enforcements.
>   *
> - * %__GFP_ACCOUNT causes the allocation to be accounted to kmemcg.
> + * %__GFP_ACCOUNT causes the allocation to be accounted to the active
> + * cgroup context.
>   *
>   * %__GFP_NO_OBJ_EXT causes slab allocation to have no object extension.
>   * mark_obj_codetag_empty() should be called upon freeing for objects allocated
> @@ -320,7 +321,7 @@ enum {
>   * %ZONE_NORMAL or a lower zone for direct access but can direct reclaim.
>   *
>   * %GFP_KERNEL_ACCOUNT is the same as GFP_KERNEL, except the allocation is
> - * accounted to kmemcg.
> + * accounted to the active cgroup context.
>   *
>   * %GFP_NOWAIT is for kernel allocations that should not stall for direct
>   * reclaim, start physical IO or use any filesystem callback.  It is very

Re: [PATCH] mm: gfp_types: fix __GFP_ACCOUNT, GFP_KERNEL_ACCOUNT documentation

[Shakeel Butt]

On Wed, Jul 01, 2026 at 02:21:02PM -0400, Johannes Weiner wrote:
> Gregory points out that these descriptions are cursed and confusing,
> considering what these flags actually do. This is mostly due to
> historic implementation choices and cgroup1 baggage. Improve the
> description of their actual effects.
> 
> Reported-by: Gregory Price <gourry@gourry.net>
> Signed-off-by: Johannes Weiner <hannes@cmpxchg.org>

Acked-by: Shakeel Butt <shakeel.butt@linux.dev>

Re: [PATCH] mm: gfp_types: fix __GFP_ACCOUNT, GFP_KERNEL_ACCOUNT documentation

[Mike Rapoport]

On Wed, Jul 01, 2026 at 02:21:02PM -0400, Johannes Weiner wrote:
> Gregory points out that these descriptions are cursed and confusing,
> considering what these flags actually do. This is mostly due to
> historic implementation choices and cgroup1 baggage. Improve the
> description of their actual effects.
> 
> Reported-by: Gregory Price <gourry@gourry.net>
> Signed-off-by: Johannes Weiner <hannes@cmpxchg.org>

Acked-by: Mike Rapoport (Microsoft) <rppt@kernel.org>

-- 
Sincerely yours,
Mike.

Re: [PATCH] mm: gfp_types: fix __GFP_ACCOUNT, GFP_KERNEL_ACCOUNT documentation

[Gregory Price]

On Wed, Jul 01, 2026 at 02:21:02PM -0400, Johannes Weiner wrote:
> Gregory points out that these descriptions are cursed and confusing,
> considering what these flags actually do. This is mostly due to
> historic implementation choices and cgroup1 baggage. Improve the
> description of their actual effects.
> 
> Reported-by: Gregory Price <gourry@gourry.net>
> Signed-off-by: Johannes Weiner <hannes@cmpxchg.org>

Much less cursed, thank you!

Reviewed-by: Gregory Price <gourry@gourry.net>

Re: [PATCH] mm: gfp_types: fix __GFP_ACCOUNT, GFP_KERNEL_ACCOUNT documentation

[SJ Park]

On Wed,  1 Jul 2026 14:21:02 -0400 Johannes Weiner <hannes@cmpxchg.org> wrote:

> Gregory points out that these descriptions are cursed and confusing,
> considering what these flags actually do. This is mostly due to
> historic implementation choices and cgroup1 baggage. Improve the
> description of their actual effects.
> 
> Reported-by: Gregory Price <gourry@gourry.net>

FWIW, checkpatch.pl complains.

    WARNING: Reported-by: should be immediately followed by Closes: or Link: with a URL to the report

I think it is completely fine to ignore, though.  Hence FWIW.

> Signed-off-by: Johannes Weiner <hannes@cmpxchg.org>

Acked-by: SJ Park <sj@kernel.org>


Thanks,
SJ

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