Re: wireless: guidelines for user space interfaces

[Kalle Valo <kvalo@codeaurora.org>]

Arend van Spriel <arend.vanspriel@broadcom.com> writes:

> On 10/11/2021 11:23 AM, Kalle Valo wrote:
>> (changing subject, was "Re: [PATCH v2 2/2] rtw88: add debugfs to
>> force lowest basic rate")
>>
>> Brian Norris <briannorris@chromium.org> writes:
>>
>>> BTW, if we have clear guidelines on debugfs, module parameters, etc.,
>>> maybe those should be going on the wiki? I know this came up before:
>>>
>>> https://lore.kernel.org/linux-wireless/87d09u7tyr.fsf@codeaurora.org/
>>>
>>> At this point, I'm willing to write such guidelines, if I get an ack
>>> from the relevant folks (I guess that's just Kalle?). It probably
>>> belongs somewhere in this tree:
>>>
>>> https://wireless.wiki.kernel.org/en/developers/documentation
>>>
>>> similar to this:
>>> https://wireless.wiki.kernel.org/en/developers/documentation/nl80211#vendor-specific_api
>>> except it's not really an nl80211 thing. Suggestions welcome.
>>
>> I think this is a very good idea. Having general guidelines for wireless
>> drivers using user space interfaces would help both people submitting
>> patches and also people like me reviewing the patches.
>>
>> We should try to get an ack for the guidelines at least from Johannes,
>> but I would prefer also involve Jakub and Dave (CCed) as they might have
>> some input from the network subsystem point of view.
>>
>> Just to get this started, here's a draft list I came up of different
>> user space interfaces upstream wireless drivers are using:
>>
>> * generic nl80211 (excluding testmode and vendor commands)
>>
>> * nl80211 testmode commands
>>
>> * nl80211 vendor commands
>>
>> * sysfs[1]
>>
>> * debugfs
>>
>> * relayfs
>>
>> * configfs[1]
>>
>> * module parameters
>>
>> * thermal subsystem
>>
>> * firmware_request()
>>
>> I'm not saying that we need to document all these in the first version,
>> I'm just trying to come up a comprehensive overview how wireless drivers
>> interact with the user space. And I'm sure I missed something. so please
>> do fill in.
>
> Not sure if all of the above can be considered user-space interfaces,
> but wireless driver developers could benefit from guidelines for them
> regardless.

Maybe the name should be "Guidelines for wireless drivers" without being
too specific?

> Maybe following needs to be considered as well although I think
> cfg80211 is taking care of it:
>
> * rfkill

Yeah, it would be good to include rfkill.

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