drm_gem_open(9)

📦 version 7.3.1, in nixpkgs unstable

💖 drm_gem_open — the Kernel API Manual glow-up ✨

Okay so bestie, welcome to drm_gem_open(9) — yes that's the section 9, kernel API manual, we're in the kernel part of the docs, very main character of us. Let's get into it 🫶

🌸 NAME 🌸

drm_gem_open — this one initializes GEM file-private structures at devnode open time. Like, the moment someone opens the devnode, this function handles the GEM side of setting that file up. Slay.

🎀 SYNOPSIS 🎀

void drm_gem_open (struct drm_device *dev , struct drm_file
*file_private );

That's it. That's the whole signature. Two arguments, no return value, void, iconic. 💅

🦋 ARGUMENTS 🦋

  • dev — the drm_device which is being opened by userspace. Like, some user process just went "hi I'd like to open this device bestie" and here we are.
  • file_private — the drm file-private structure to set up. This is the per-file thing that gets its little makeover right now.

💜 DESCRIPTION 💜

So this is called at device open time, right? And what it does is sets up the structure for handling refcounting of mm objects. That's the whole vibe. Refcounting. Mm objects. Setup. Periodt.

No cap, it's a small function but it's doing the important bookkeeping so nobody's mm objects get freed while they're still in use. Lowkey essential. 🔥

⭐ SEE ALSO ⭐

The kernel file is at ./drivers/gpu/drm/drm_gem.c — go look, it's got the whole saga. And then the whole friend group of related functions:

That's the whole group chat, fr fr. Go read them, they're all in ./drivers/gpu/drm. 🧚

vibe check 💀 — this page lives in ./drivers/gpu/drm, so if you're looking for the source, that's the neighborhood. Don't get lost bestie.

That's the whole page!! Mwah 💋 — this one's from the Kernel API Manual, dated October 2026, and it's filed under ./drivers/gpu/drm. Take care of her, she's doing the refcounting so you don't have to. 🍓✨

📦 where this page comes from