fbnic_netdev_alloc(9)

💅 fbnic_netdev_alloc(9) — like, the kernel API manual, bestie ✨

Okay so real talk, this page lives in the fbnic corner of the kernel API manual (9 = kernel developer section, iykyk), and it's about one little function that's honestly kind of the main character of driver bring-up 🎀

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🌸 NAME 🌸

fbnic_netdev_alloc — allocate a netdev and associate it with fbnic 💖

Like, you're making a net_device and then literally introducing it to its fbnic bestie. So iconic of them.

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✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

struct net_device * fbnic_netdev_alloc (struct fbnic_dev *fbd );

That's the whole vibe — one argument, one pointer back. Lowkey elegant 🦋

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🫶 ARGUMENTS 🫶

• fbd — the driver-specific structure that you're associating the netdev with. It's the fbnic-side thing that the new netdev gets matched up with, no cap 🔥

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💜 DESCRIPTION 💜

So what's actually happening here? This function allocates and initializes the netdev and the netdev private structure — both, together, one stop shop 🛍️

Then it binds together the hardware, netdev, and pci data structures. Like, it's giving matchmaker. It's giving "you three are a friend group now." The way that it just glues all of those together? Obsessed 😭💅

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⭐ RETURN ⭐

• Pointer to a net_device on success 👑
• NULL on failure 💀

Bestie please check for that NULL, fr fr. Success does not come free and the kernel will humble you 🙈

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🦋 SEE ALSO 🦋

• Kernel file ./drivers/net/ethernet/meta/fbnic/fbnic_netdev.c — go read the source, it's right there 🌈
• fbnic_netdev_free(9) — the cleanup era 🧹
• fbnic_netdev_register(9) — the "okay now you're official" era 📋

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That's the whole page, bestie! 🍓 Source and version live in ./drivers/net/ethernet/meta/fbnic, and this slice of documentation is dated October 2026 — so yeah, future-core of the kernel manual, slay 🌸💖✨