Re: [PATCH v5 04/10] rust: sync: atomic: Add generic atomics

Gary Guo
2025-06-21T11:32:18Z

On Wed, 18 Jun 2025 09:49:28 -0700
Boqun Feng <boqun.feng@gmail.com> wrote:

> To provide using LKMM atomics for Rust code, a generic `Atomic<T>` is
> added, currently `T` needs to be Send + Copy because these are the
> straightforward usages and all basic types support this. The trait
> `AllowAtomic` should be only implemented inside atomic mod until the
> generic atomic framework is mature enough (unless the implementer is a
> `#[repr(transparent)]` new type).
>
> `AtomicImpl` types are automatically `AllowAtomic`, and so far only
> basic operations load() and store() are introduced.
>
> Signed-off-by: Boqun Feng <boqun.feng@gmail.com>
> ---
> rust/kernel/sync/atomic.rs | 2 +
> rust/kernel/sync/atomic/generic.rs | 258 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> 2 files changed, 260 insertions(+)
> create mode 100644 rust/kernel/sync/atomic/generic.rs
>
> diff --git a/rust/kernel/sync/atomic.rs b/rust/kernel/sync/atomic.rs
> index 9fe5d81fc2a9..a01e44eec380 100644
> --- a/rust/kernel/sync/atomic.rs
> +++ b/rust/kernel/sync/atomic.rs
> @@ -16,7 +16,9 @@
> //!
> //! [`LKMM`]: srctree/tools/memory-mode/
>
> +pub mod generic;
> pub mod ops;
> pub mod ordering;
>
> +pub use generic::Atomic;
> pub use ordering::{Acquire, Full, Relaxed, Release};
> diff --git a/rust/kernel/sync/atomic/generic.rs b/rust/kernel/sync/atomic/generic.rs
> new file mode 100644
> index 000000000000..73c26f9cf6b8
> --- /dev/null
> +++ b/rust/kernel/sync/atomic/generic.rs
> @@ -0,0 +1,258 @@
> +// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
> +
> +//! Generic atomic primitives.
> +
> +use super::ops::*;
> +use super::ordering::*;
> +use crate::types::Opaque;
> +
> +/// A generic atomic variable.
> +///
> +/// `T` must impl [`AllowAtomic`], that is, an [`AtomicImpl`] has to be chosen.
> +///
> +/// # Invariants
> +///
> +/// Doing an atomic operation while holding a reference of [`Self`] won't cause a data race, this
> +/// is guaranteed by the safety requirement of [`Self::from_ptr`] and the extra safety requirement
> +/// of the usage on pointers returned by [`Self::as_ptr`].
> +#[repr(transparent)]
> +pub struct Atomic<T: AllowAtomic>(Opaque<T>);

This should store `Opaque<T::Repr>` instead.

The implementation below essentially assumes that this is
`Opaque<T::Repr>`:
* atomic ops cast this to `*mut T::Repr`
* load/store operates on `T::Repr` then converts to `T` with
`T::from_repr`/`T::into_repr`.

Note tha the transparent new types restriction on `AllowAtomic` is not
sufficient for this, as I can define

#[repr(transparent)]
struct MyWeirdI32(pub i32);

impl AllowAtomic for MyWeirdI32 {
type Repr = i32;

fn into_repr(self) -> Self::Repr {
!self
}

fn from_repr(repr: Self::Repr) -> Self {
!self
}
}

Then `Atomic<MyWeirdI32>::new(MyWeirdI32(0)).load(Relaxed)` will give me
`MyWeirdI32(-1)`.

Alternatively, we should remove `into_repr`/`from_repr` and always cast
instead. In such case, `AllowAtomic` needs to have the transmutability
as a safety precondition.

> +
> +// SAFETY: `Atomic<T>` is safe to share among execution contexts because all accesses are atomic.
> +unsafe impl<T: AllowAtomic> Sync for Atomic<T> {}
> +
> +/// Atomics that support basic atomic operations.
> +///
> +/// TODO: Currently the [`AllowAtomic`] types are restricted within basic integer types (and their
> +/// transparent new types). In the future, we could extend the scope to more data types when there
> +/// is a clear and meaningful usage, but for now, [`AllowAtomic`] should only be implemented inside
> +/// atomic mod for the restricted types mentioned above.
> +///
> +/// # Safety
> +///
> +/// [`Self`] must have the same size and alignment as [`Self::Repr`].
> +pub unsafe trait AllowAtomic: Sized + Send + Copy {
> + /// The backing atomic implementation type.
> + type Repr: AtomicImpl;
> +
> + /// Converts into a [`Self::Repr`].
> + fn into_repr(self) -> Self::Repr;
> +
> + /// Converts from a [`Self::Repr`].
> + fn from_repr(repr: Self::Repr) -> Self;
> +}
> +
> +// An `AtomicImpl` is automatically an `AllowAtomic`.
> +//
> +// SAFETY: `T::Repr` is `Self` (i.e. `T`), so they have the same size and alignment.
> +unsafe impl<T: AtomicImpl> AllowAtomic for T {
> + type Repr = Self;
> +
> + fn into_repr(self) -> Self::Repr {
> + self
> + }
> +
> + fn from_repr(repr: Self::Repr) -> Self {
> + repr
> + }
> +}
> +
> +impl<T: AllowAtomic> Atomic<T> {
> + /// Creates a new atomic.
> + pub const fn new(v: T) -> Self {
> + Self(Opaque::new(v))
> + }
> +
> + /// Creates a reference to [`Self`] from a pointer.
> + ///
> + /// # Safety
> + ///
> + /// - `ptr` has to be a valid pointer.
> + /// - `ptr` has to be valid for both reads and writes for the whole lifetime `'a`.
> + /// - For the whole lifetime of '`a`, other accesses to the object cannot cause data races
> + /// (defined by [`LKMM`]) against atomic operations on the returned reference.
> + ///
> + /// [`LKMM`]: srctree/tools/memory-model
> + ///
> + /// # Examples
> + ///
> + /// Using [`Atomic::from_ptr()`] combined with [`Atomic::load()`] or [`Atomic::store()`] can
> + /// achieve the same functionality as `READ_ONCE()`/`smp_load_acquire()` or
> + /// `WRITE_ONCE()`/`smp_store_release()` in C side:
> + ///
> + /// ```rust
> + /// # use kernel::types::Opaque;
> + /// use kernel::sync::atomic::{Atomic, Relaxed, Release};
> + ///
> + /// // Assume there is a C struct `Foo`.
> + /// mod cbindings {
> + /// #[repr(C)]
> + /// pub(crate) struct foo { pub(crate) a: i32, pub(crate) b: i32 }
> + /// }
> + ///
> + /// let tmp = Opaque::new(cbindings::foo { a: 1, b: 2});
> + ///
> + /// // struct foo *foo_ptr = ..;
> + /// let foo_ptr = tmp.get();
> + ///
> + /// // SAFETY: `foo_ptr` is a valid pointer, and `.a` is inbound.
> + /// let foo_a_ptr = unsafe { core::ptr::addr_of_mut!((*foo_ptr).a) };
> + ///
> + /// // a = READ_ONCE(foo_ptr->a);
> + /// //
> + /// // SAFETY: `foo_a_ptr` is a valid pointer for read, and all accesses on it is atomic, so no
> + /// // data race.
> + /// let a = unsafe { Atomic::from_ptr(foo_a_ptr) }.load(Relaxed);
> + /// # assert_eq!(a, 1);
> + ///
> + /// // smp_store_release(&foo_ptr->a, 2);
> + /// //
> + /// // SAFETY: `foo_a_ptr` is a valid pointer for write, and all accesses on it is atomic, so no
> + /// // data race.
> + /// unsafe { Atomic::from_ptr(foo_a_ptr) }.store(2, Release);
> + /// ```
> + ///
> + /// However, this should be only used when communicating with C side or manipulating a C struct.
> + pub unsafe fn from_ptr<'a>(ptr: *mut T) -> &'a Self
> + where
> + T: Sync,
> + {
> + // CAST: `T` is transparent to `Atomic<T>`.
> + // SAFETY: Per function safety requirement, `ptr` is a valid pointer and the object will
> + // live long enough. It's safe to return a `&Atomic<T>` because function safety requirement
> + // guarantees other accesses won't cause data races.
> + unsafe { &*ptr.cast::<Self>() }
> + }
> +
> + /// Returns a pointer to the underlying atomic variable.
> + ///
> + /// Extra safety requirement on using the return pointer: the operations done via the pointer
> + /// cannot cause data races defined by [`LKMM`].
> + ///
> + /// [`LKMM`]: srctree/tools/memory-model
> + pub const fn as_ptr(&self) -> *mut T {
> + self.0.get()
> + }
> +
> + /// Returns a mutable reference to the underlying atomic variable.
> + ///
> + /// This is safe because the mutable reference of the atomic variable guarantees the exclusive
> + /// access.
> + pub fn get_mut(&mut self) -> &mut T {
> + // SAFETY: `self.as_ptr()` is a valid pointer to `T`, and the object has already been
> + // initialized. `&mut self` guarantees the exclusive access, so it's safe to reborrow
> + // mutably.
> + unsafe { &mut *self.as_ptr() }
> + }
> +}
> +
> +impl<T: AllowAtomic> Atomic<T>
> +where
> + T::Repr: AtomicHasBasicOps,
> +{
> + /// Loads the value from the atomic variable.
> + ///
> + /// # Examples
> + ///
> + /// Simple usages:
> + ///
> + /// ```rust
> + /// use kernel::sync::atomic::{Atomic, Relaxed};
> + ///
> + /// let x = Atomic::new(42i32);
> + ///
> + /// assert_eq!(42, x.load(Relaxed));
> + ///
> + /// let x = Atomic::new(42i64);
> + ///
> + /// assert_eq!(42, x.load(Relaxed));
> + /// ```
> + ///
> + /// Customized new types in [`Atomic`]:
> + ///
> + /// ```rust
> + /// use kernel::sync::atomic::{generic::AllowAtomic, Atomic, Relaxed};
> + ///
> + /// #[derive(Clone, Copy)]
> + /// #[repr(transparent)]
> + /// struct NewType(u32);
> + ///
> + /// // SAFETY: `NewType` is transparent to `u32`, which has the same size and alignment as
> + /// // `i32`.
> + /// unsafe impl AllowAtomic for NewType {
> + /// type Repr = i32;
> + ///
> + /// fn into_repr(self) -> Self::Repr {
> + /// self.0 as i32
> + /// }
> + ///
> + /// fn from_repr(repr: Self::Repr) -> Self {
> + /// NewType(repr as u32)
> + /// }
> + /// }
> + ///
> + /// let n = Atomic::new(NewType(0));
> + ///
> + /// assert_eq!(0, n.load(Relaxed).0);
> + /// ```
> + #[doc(alias("atomic_read", "atomic64_read"))]
> + #[inline(always)]
> + pub fn load<Ordering: AcquireOrRelaxed>(&self, _: Ordering) -> T {
> + let a = self.as_ptr().cast::<T::Repr>();
> +
> + // SAFETY:
> + // - For calling the atomic_read*() function:
> + // - `self.as_ptr()` is a valid pointer, and per the safety requirement of `AllocAtomic`,
> + // a `*mut T` is a valid `*mut T::Repr`. Therefore `a` is a valid pointer,
> + // - per the type invariants, the following atomic operation won't cause data races.
> + // - For extra safety requirement of usage on pointers returned by `self.as_ptr():
> + // - atomic operations are used here.
> + let v = unsafe {
> + if Ordering::IS_RELAXED {
> + T::Repr::atomic_read(a)
> + } else {
> + T::Repr::atomic_read_acquire(a)
> + }

This can be

match Ordering::TYPE {
OrderingType::Relaxed => T::Repr::atomic_read(a),
_ => T::Repr::atomic_read_acquire(a),
}

Or, also add the match arm for acquire and add a match
arm for `_ => build_error!()`.

> + };
> +
> + T::from_repr(v)
> + }
> +
> + /// Stores a value to the atomic variable.
> + ///
> + /// # Examples
> + ///
> + /// ```rust
> + /// use kernel::sync::atomic::{Atomic, Relaxed};
> + ///
> + /// let x = Atomic::new(42i32);
> + ///
> + /// assert_eq!(42, x.load(Relaxed));
> + ///
> + /// x.store(43, Relaxed);
> + ///
> + /// assert_eq!(43, x.load(Relaxed));
> + /// ```
> + ///
> + #[doc(alias("atomic_set", "atomic64_set"))]
> + #[inline(always)]
> + pub fn store<Ordering: ReleaseOrRelaxed>(&self, v: T, _: Ordering) {
> + let v = T::into_repr(v);
> + let a = self.as_ptr().cast::<T::Repr>();
> +
> + // SAFETY:
> + // - For calling the atomic_set*() function:
> + // - `self.as_ptr()` is a valid pointer, and per the safety requirement of `AllocAtomic`,
> + // a `*mut T` is a valid `*mut T::Repr`. Therefore `a` is a valid pointer,
> + // - per the type invariants, the following atomic operation won't cause data races.
> + // - For extra safety requirement of usage on pointers returned by `self.as_ptr():
> + // - atomic operations are used here.
> + unsafe {
> + if Ordering::IS_RELAXED {
> + T::Repr::atomic_set(a, v)
> + } else {
> + T::Repr::atomic_set_release(a, v)
> + }
> + };
> + }
> +}