__rtnl_register_many(9)

📦 version 7.3.1, in nixpkgs unstable

💅 __rtnl_register_many(9) — the Kernel API Manual bestie 🎀

okay so real talk, this one is a <pink>kernel</pink> page, not your usual command-line situation — it's a <purple>9</purple>-section man page, meaning it's documenting a function for people writing kernel code. and honestly? it's giving "register a whole squad at once" energy. slay 🫶

✨ NAME ✨

__rtnl_register_many — register <cyan>rtnetlink</cyan> message types, but like, many of them, at once 💖

🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

int __rtnl_register_many (const struct rtnl_msg_handler *handlers , int
n );

that's the whole vibe. it takes your array and a count, returns an int. no cap ✨

🦋 ARGUMENTS 🦋

  • handlers — the array of struct rtnl_msg_handlers you're handing over. yes, the synopsis says rtnl_msg_handler and the argument description says rtnl_msg_handlers — that's how the page says it, so that's how we're saying it, periodt 💅
  • n — literally just the length of handlers. how many you got in there 👑

🔥 DESCRIPTION 🔥

so what does it actually do? it registers the function pointers you specify so they get called whenever a <mint>request message</mint> for the specified <mint>protocol family</mint> and <mint>message type</mint> shows up. and heads up bestie: at least one of them has to be non-NULL 🙈

the special protocol family PF_UNSPEC is your <yellow>fallback era</yellow> — you can use it to define fallback function pointers for the case when no entry for the specific protocol family exists. it's the understudy that actually goes on stage 🎭

⚠️ now the serious part, and I need you to listen: when one element of handlers fails to register, things go different ways depending on what you are:
  1. built-in — it <red>panics</red>. like, full stop, everything's over, no recovery arc 💀
  2. modules — the previous successful registrations get unwinded and an error is returned. so it politely walks back what it already did and hands you the error. cute of it honestly 🌈

and the page's parting words of wisdom: use rtnl_register_many. that's the one you actually want, bestie. __rtnl_register_many is the under-the-hood one — iykyk 🤫

👑 SEE ALSO 👑

kernel file ./net/core/rtnetlink.c plus the whole friend group:

go read those too, they're all part of the same storyline 🧚💜

and that's the whole page, bestie!! this one's sourced from ./net/core and dated October 2026 — so yeah, technically from the future, main character energy fr fr ⭐🌸 go register some handlers and stay hydrated 💖

📦 where this page comes from