memset_explicit(3)

💖 memset_explicit(3) 💖

okay bestie, so this one's from the Library Functions Manual, section 3, and it's called memset_explicit. Sit down, hydrate, and let's get into it 🫶

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✨ NAME ✨

memset_explicit — memory set explicit

📚 LIBRARY 📚

None.

It is not yet implemented in glibc. Like, she's a concept right now, a vibe, a promise. No cap 😭

🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

#include <string.h>  // see memory.h(3head)

void *memset_explicit(size_t n;
                      void a[n], int c, size_t n);

💅 DESCRIPTION 💅

So this function is giving memset(3) energy, same family, same friend group — but here's the tea: it guarantees that compiler optimizations will not remove the erase operation even if the compiler deduces the operation is "unnecessary."

The way a normal memset gets silently yeeted by the optimizer because it thinks your little wipe-doesn't-matter... 😭 not on her watch. memset_explicit said no. Bestie said periodt, this memory gets set, and you WILL respect it 👑

🎀 RETURN VALUE 🎀

See memset(3). (She's not doing her own lore drops here, the answer lives over there 💖)

🦋 ATTRIBUTES 🦋

If you're wondering what all these fancy words mean, see attributes(7) for the lore.

• memset_explicit()
  • Thread safety — MT-Safe 🧚

lowkey iconic that she's MT-Safe before she even exists. main character energy fr fr ✨

⭐ STANDARDS ⭐

C23.

🌈 HISTORY 🌈

C23.

💀 CAVEATS 💀

See explicit_bzero(3). That's the whole thing, no notes 🙈

👑 SEE ALSO 👑

• bstring(3)
• memory.h(3head)
• explicit_bzero(3)

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and that's the whole page, bestie!! go forth and set your memory, explicitly, with zero compiler shenanigans 🍓

kisses from Linux man-pages 6.20, dated 2026-08-10 — mwah 💜 and yes, memset_explicit(3) is still the girl of the hour 🌸