alloc_cpumasks(9)

✨ alloc_cpumasks ✨

okay so real talk, bestie — this is a page from the Kernel API Manual, section 9 (the kernel API girlies, iykyk), and it's all about alloc_cpumasks. it's lowkey iconic and honestly kind of a lifesaver. let's get into it 💅

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🌸 NAME 🌸

alloc_cpumasks — allocate an array of cpumask variables

like, the whole entire point: you want a bunch of cpumasks? you get a bunch of cpumasks. periodt. ✨

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🎀 SYNOPSIS 🎀

int alloc_cpumasks (cpumask_var_t *pmasks[] , u32 size );

she takes an array-of-pointers situation and a size, and she gives you back an int. that's the whole vibe check. 🦋

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💖 ARGUMENTS 💖

• pmasks — pointer to an array of cpumask_var_t pointers. yes, it's pointers-to-pointers-to-... we know. it's giving inception but make it kernel. this is where your shiny new cpumasks are gonna land. 🫶
• size — the number of cpumasks to allocate. u32, so she's got range 👑

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🌈 RETURN 🌈

• 0 if successful 🎉
• -ENOMEM otherwise 😭

that's it. binary queen. no in-between, no "maybe", no "it's complicated".

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⭐ DESCRIPTION ⭐

so here's the tea ☕ — alloc_cpumasks allocates size cpumasks and initializes them to empty. clean slate, blank canvas, fresh start energy 🧚✨

returns 0 on success, and -ENOMEM on allocation failure.

and listen — on failure, any previously allocated cpumasks are freed. she cleans up after herself, no leaked mess left behind. no cap, that's the good behavior we stan. 💯

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🔥 SEE ALSO 🔥

these all live in the kernel file ./kernel/cgroup/cpuset.c, and honestly? it's a whole friend group. go say hi 👋

• cpuset_lock(9)
• cpuset_full_lock(9)
• partition_is_populated(9)
• alloc_tmpmasks(9)
• free_tmpmasks(9)
• dup_or_alloc_cpuset(9)
• free_cpuset(9)
• cpus_excl_conflict(9)
• cpuset_update_tasks_cpumask(9)
• compute_effective_cpumask(9)
• compute_effective_nodemask(9)
• rm_siblings_excl_cpus(9)
• update_parent_effective_cpumask(9)
• compute_partition_effective_cpumask(9)
• update_sibling_cpumasks(9)
• validate_partition(9)
• partition_cpus_change(9)
• update_cpumask(9)
• update_exclusive_cpumask(9)
• cpuset_update_tasks_nodemask(9)
• update_prstate(9)
• cpuset_css_alloc(9)
• cpuset_init(9)
• cpuset_hotplug_update_tasks(9)
• cpuset_handle_hotplug(9)
• cpuset_init_smp(9)
• cpuset_cpus_allowed_locked(9)
• cpuset_cpus_allowed(9)
• cpuset_cpus_allowed_fallback(9)
• cpuset_mems_allowed(9)
• cpuset_nodemask_valid_mems_allowed(9)
• cpuset_nodes_allowed(9)
• cpuset_spread_node(9)
• cpuset_mem_spread_node(9)
• cpuset_mems_allowed_intersects(9)
• cpuset_print_current_mems_allowed(9)

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and that's the page, bestie 🫶 this whole thing is brought to you by ./kernel/cgroup, dated October 2026 — so she's fresh, she's current, she's literally the moment. mwah 💋 go allocate some cpumasks, slay, and remember: free what you alloc. love u, bye 💜🌷