dev_close(9)

💅 dev_close(9) — Kernel API Manual, bestie edition

Ok so real talk, this one lives in the Kernel API Manual and it's called dev_close(9). It's short, it's sweet, it's giving "one job, does it well." Let's get into it 🎀

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✨ NAME ✨

dev_close — shutdown an interface 🔌

Like, the polite way to put your network device to bed. Nap time, no cap 😴

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🦋 SYNOPSIS 🦋

void dev_close (struct net_device *dev );

One argument. One function. Zero drama. Slay 💅

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🌸 ARGUMENTS 🌸

• dev — the device to shutdown. That's it, that's the whole argument. It's the struct net_device * you're putting down 😭

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🔥 DESCRIPTION 🔥

Okay so here's the whole vibe: this function moves an active device into the down state. Literally taking it from "we're so on" to "we're so off" ✨

The order of operations is important, so pay attention bestie:

1. A NETDEV_GOING_DOWN is sent to the netdev notifier chain — like a little group chat announcement, "hey everyone, it's about to go down" 📢
2. The device is then deactivated.
3. Finally a NETDEV_DOWN is sent to the notifier chain — "okay it's officially down, periodt" 💀

That's genuinely the whole thing. Two notifier events sandwiching the deactivation, in that exact order. Iconic behaviour honestly 👑

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👀 SEE ALSO 👀

Kernel file ./net/core/dev_api.c — and like, all of these siblings:

• dev_change_name(9)
• dev_set_alias(9)
• dev_change_flags(9)
• dev_set_group(9)
• dev_change_net_namespace(9)
• dev_change_carrier(9)
• dev_change_tx_queue_len(9)
• dev_change_proto_down(9)
• dev_open(9)
• dev_disable_lro(9)
• dev_set_promiscuity(9)
• dev_set_allmulti(9)
• dev_set_mac_address(9)
• netdev_state_change(9)

(If dev_close is the "goodnight", dev_open(9) is the "gm bestie ☀️" — they're a matched set, iykyk.)

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🫶 And that's the page! This lil gem comes from ./net/core, dated October 2026, and it's dev_close(9) — go forth and shut things down responsibly, mwah 💖✨🎀