alloc_netdev_mqs(9)

📦 version 7.3.1, in nixpkgs unstable

💅 alloc_netdev_mqs(9)

okay so bestie, this is a page from the Kernel API Manual — yes, the real one — and it's about the function that literally births a network device. main character energy fr fr 👑

✨ NAME ✨

alloc_netdev_mqs — allocate network device 🎀

🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

struct net_device * alloc_netdev_mqs (int sizeof_priv , const char *name
, unsigned char name_assign_type , void (*setup)(struct net_device *) ,
unsigned int txqs , unsigned int rxqs );

Like, that's the whole signature, no cap. Six args, one pointer back. Slay. ✨

🦋 ARGUMENTS 🦋

  • sizeof_priv — the size of the private data you want space allocated for. yes bestie, it's your little scratchpad inside the struct 💖
  • name — the device name format string
  • name_assign_type — where the device name came from, i.e. the origin of the device name (it's an unsigned char, don't @ me)
  • setup — a callback to initialize the device. it's literally void (*setup)(struct net_device *), so hand it a function and it'll do the vibe check for you 🫶
  • txqs — the number of TX subqueues to allocate
  • rxqs — the number of RX subqueues to allocate

💜 DESCRIPTION 💜

So what it does: it allocates a struct net_device with a private data area for driver use, and performs basic initialization. that's the whole vibe. 👑

Also — and this is the part people forget — it allocates subqueue structs for each queue on the device. like, every single one. txqs of them, rxqs of them. iconic behavior honestly 🌈

ngl this is the function that's doing the heavy lifting before your driver even gets to say hi. respect. 💅

🔥 SEE ALSO 🔥

the kernel file lives at ./net/core/dev.c, and bestie… the friend group is huge. buckle up 🍓

like… that's the whole group chat and they're all in the ./net/core clique 😭💀 love that for them.

and that's the page, bestie!! 🧚‍♀️💖 this one came out of ./net/core, dated October 2026, and it's alloc_netdev_mqs(9) — go forth and allocate responsibly, mwah 💅✨

📦 where this page comes from