Re: [PATCH 12/12] misc/syncobj: add new device

From: Greg Kroah-Hartman

Date: Sat May 16 2026 - 07:37:43 EST


On Sat, May 16, 2026 at 01:06:15PM +0200, Julian Orth wrote:
> This device makes the DRM_IOCTL_SYNCOBJ_* ioctls available via a
> dedicated device. This allows applications to use syncobjs without
> having to open device nodes in /dev/dri, on systems that don't have any
> such nodes, or on systems whose devices don't support the
> DRIVER_SYNCOBJ_TIMELINE feature.
>
> Wayland uses syncobjs as its buffer synchronization mechanism. Most
> compositors use the DRM_IOCTL_SYNCOBJ_EVENTFD ioctl to perform a pure
> CPU wait for syncobj point. DRM devices are not involved in this process
> except insofar that a DRM device needs to be used to access the ioctl.
>
> Similarly, a software-rendered client might perform rendering on a
> dedicated thread and use the wayland syncobj protocol to submit frames
> before they finish rendering. Again, this does not involve DRM devices
> except insofar ... as above.
>
> As an added benefit, this device removes the need to translate between
> file descriptors and handles.
>
> Signed-off-by: Julian Orth <ju.orth@xxxxxxxxx>
> ---
> Documentation/userspace-api/ioctl/ioctl-number.rst | 1 +
> drivers/misc/Kconfig | 10 +
> drivers/misc/Makefile | 1 +
> drivers/misc/syncobj.c | 404 +++++++++++++++++++++
> include/uapi/linux/syncobj.h | 75 ++++
> 5 files changed, 491 insertions(+)
>
> diff --git a/Documentation/userspace-api/ioctl/ioctl-number.rst b/Documentation/userspace-api/ioctl/ioctl-number.rst
> index 331223761fff..5e140ae5735e 100644
> --- a/Documentation/userspace-api/ioctl/ioctl-number.rst
> +++ b/Documentation/userspace-api/ioctl/ioctl-number.rst
> @@ -395,6 +395,7 @@ Code Seq# Include File Comments
> <mailto:michael.klein@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> 0xCC 00-0F drivers/misc/ibmvmc.h pseries VMC driver
> 0xCD 01 linux/reiserfs_fs.h Dead since 6.13
> +0xCD 00-0F uapi/linux/syncobj.h
> 0xCE 01-02 uapi/linux/cxl_mem.h Compute Express Link Memory Devices
> 0xCF 02 fs/smb/client/cifs_ioctl.h
> 0xDD 00-3F ZFCP device driver see drivers/s390/scsi/
> diff --git a/drivers/misc/Kconfig b/drivers/misc/Kconfig
> index 00683bf06258..c1e7749bd356 100644
> --- a/drivers/misc/Kconfig
> +++ b/drivers/misc/Kconfig
> @@ -644,6 +644,16 @@ config MCHP_LAN966X_PCI
> - lan966x-miim (MDIO_MSCC_MIIM)
> - lan966x-switch (LAN966X_SWITCH)
>
> +config SYNCOBJ_DEV
> + tristate "DRM syncobj device (/dev/syncobj)"
> + depends on DRM

If this is a drm-only thing, then please put it in the drm subdirs, not
in drivers/misc/ as that would imply that I have to maintain this, not
the DRM developers :)

thanks,

greg k-h