binder_dec_ref_for_handle(9)

💅 binder_dec_ref_for_handle(9) — the Kernel API Manual era 🎀

okay so real talk, this page lives in the Kernel API Manual, section 9, and it's literally about dropping a reference on a handle. tiny function, huge responsibilities, main character energy only. let's get into it bestie 💖

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✨ NAME ✨

binder_dec_ref_for_handle — dec the ref for given handle. that's it. that's the vibe. she decreases a ref and she does it beautifully 🦋

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🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

int binder_dec_ref_for_handle (struct binder_proc *proc , uint32_t desc
, bool strong , struct binder_ref_data *rdata );

okay so the signature is a whole lil squad, keep it exactly like that, no cap:

• int — the return type, we'll get to what it hands back
• struct binder_proc *proc, uint32_t desc, bool strong, struct binder_ref_data *rdata — the four besties going in 💅

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🫶 ARGUMENTS 🫶

• proc — proc containing the ref. she's the container, the holder, the one who's got the ref 🎀
• desc — the handle associated with the ref. the lil id that points at the thing 🔥
• strong — true=strong reference, false=weak reference. binary queen, no in-between ⭐
• rdata — the id/refcount data for the ref. all the bookkeeping lives here, iykyk 📓

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💜 DESCRIPTION 💜

Just calls binder_update_ref_for_handle to decrement the ref.

like... that's genuinely the whole description. she is a one-line wonder. a delegator. she outsources the actual decrementing to binder_update_ref_for_handle and honestly? iconic behaviour 💅✨

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🌈 RETURN 🌈

0 if successful, else errno — so zero means slay, anything else means the vibe check failed and you get an errno back 😭

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👑 SEE ALSO 👑

the friend group is massive, brace yourself bestie, everybody's here:

• binder_proc_lock(9)
• binder_proc_unlock(9)
• binder_inner_proc_lock(9)
• binder_inner_proc_unlock(9)
• binder_node_lock(9)
• binder_node_unlock(9)
• binder_node_inner_lock(9)
• binder_node_inner_unlock(9)
• binder_worklist_empty(9)
• binder_enqueue_work_ilocked(9)
• binder_enqueue_deferred_thread_work_ilocked(9)
• binder_enqueue_thread_work_ilocked(9)
• binder_enqueue_thread_work(9)
• binder_dequeue_work(9)
• binder_select_thread_ilocked(9)
• binder_wakeup_thread_ilocked(9)
• binder_inc_node_tmpref(9)
• binder_dec_node_tmpref(9)
• binder_get_ref_for_node_olocked(9)
• binder_inc_ref_olocked(9)
• binder_dec_ref_olocked(9)
• binder_get_node_from_ref(9)
• binder_free_ref(9)
• binder_update_ref_for_handle(9) ← the one she's literally calling, the actual MVP 🏆
• binder_inc_ref_for_node(9)
• binder_thread_dec_tmpref(9)
• binder_proc_dec_tmpref(9)
• binder_get_txn_from(9)
• binder_get_txn_from_and_acq_inner(9)
• binder_free_txn_fixups(9)
• binder_cleanup_transaction(9)
• binder_get_object(9)
• binder_validate_ptr(9)
• binder_validate_fixup(9)
• struct binder_task_work_cb(9)
• binder_do_fd_close(9)
• binder_deferred_fd_close(9)
• struct binder_ptr_fixup(9)
• struct binder_sg_copy(9)
• binder_do_deferred_txn_copies(9)
• binder_cleanup_deferred_txn_lists(9)
• binder_defer_copy(9)
• binder_add_fixup(9)
• binder_can_update_transaction(9)
• binder_find_outdated_transaction_ilocked(9)
• binder_proc_transaction(9)
• binder_get_node_refs_for_txn(9)
• binder_netlink_report(9)
• binder_free_buf(9)
• binder_apply_fd_fixups(9)
• print_next_binder_node_ilocked(9)

and where does all this magic live? Kernel file ./drivers/android/binder.c — go read it, it's giving lore 🧚💀

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real one: this page is part of the Kernel API Manual section 9. go touch grass after reading 51 cross-references, you earned it 🍓

and that's the page!! 💖 this masterpiece of a manpage came from ./drivers/android, dated October 2026, titled binder_dec_ref_for_handle(9) — see you in the next group chat bestie, mwah 🎀✨🫶