add_taint(9)

💅 add_taint(9)

okay so bestie, we're in the Kernel API Manual today and this one is short but iconic — it's literally the function that lets the kernel raise its hand and say "hey. something is up." 🫶

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✨ NAME ✨

add_taint — adds a taint flag, but only if that flag isn't already set. no double-dipping, no cap 💅

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🎀 SYNOPSIS 🎀

void add_taint (unsigned flag , enum lockdep_ok lockdep_ok );

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🦋 ARGUMENTS 🦋

• flag — one of the TAINT_* constants. that's the whole vibe check, pick your flag 🌸
• lockdep_ok — tells the kernel whether lock debugging is still OK. lowkey the important one 👑

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💖 DESCRIPTION 💖

so if something bad has gone wrong, bestie, you're gonna want lockdebug_ok = false. like, fully. do not pass go.

but for some notewortht-but-not-corrupting cases, it can be set to true. yes, notewortht is literally how it's spelled in the source and honestly? we stan a typo that made it to production 💀✨

fr fr though: the distinction matters. false = something actually went wrong. true = noteworthy but not corrupting. don't get them twisted 🙈

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🌈 SEE ALSO 🌈

• Kernel file ./kernel/panic.c — the main character of a file, go read it 📖
• panic_smp_redirect_cpu(9)
• panic_try_force_cpu(9)
• vpanic(9)
• print_tainted(9)
• print_tainted_verbose(9)

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and that's the page, bestie 💜 it lives under ./kernel and the docs are dated October 2026 — periodt, go forth and taint responsibly 🧚‍♀️🎀