fdt_get_alias(9)

💅 fdt_get_alias — a Kernel API Manual moment (yes, from the fdt_get_alias(9) page, we're fancy)

okay so bestie, picture this: the device tree has this little node called /aliases that's basically the group chat of nicknames — and fdt_get_alias is the bestie who reads the chat and tells you where that nickname actually points. that's the whole vibe. let's get into it 🎀

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✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

const char * fdt_get_alias (const void *fdt , const char *name );

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🫶 ARGUMENTS 🫶

• fdt — pointer to the device tree blob 💖 this is the tree you're digging around in.
• name — name of the alias to look up 🌸 like, the nickname you want the real address for.

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👑 DESCRIPTION 👑

fdt_get_alias retrieves the value of a given alias. that's the moment. that's the whole thing ✨

more specifically (because we're nothing if not precise): it gets you the value of the property named name in the node /aliases. so if the tree's got /aliases with a property called name, boom — that property's value is what comes back. it's giving "glow-up for path lookups", lowkey iconic 💅

no extra tricks, no surprises, just a clean little lookup. periodt 🦋

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⭐ RETURN ⭐

a pointer to the expansion of the alias named name, if it exists — slay 💖

and NULL if the given alias or the /aliases node does not exist. so if you get NULL back, it's not you, it's the tree — the alias isn't there, or the whole /aliases node ghosted you 😭

fr fr always check for that NULL, bestie. treat it like the vibe check it is 🙈

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🌈 SEE ALSO 🌈

the kernel file ./scripts/dtc/libfdt/libfdt.h and honestly the entire friend group:

fdt_offset_ptr(9), fdt_next_tag(9), fdt_first_subnode(9), fdt_next_subnode(9), fdt_for_each_subnode(9), fdt_header_size(9), fdt_header_size_(9), fdt_check_header(9), fdt_move(9), fdt_check_full(9), fdt_get_string(9), fdt_string(9), fdt_find_max_phandle(9), fdt_get_max_phandle(9), fdt_generate_phandle(9), fdt_num_mem_rsv(9), fdt_get_mem_rsv(9), fdt_subnode_offset_namelen(9), fdt_subnode_offset(9), fdt_path_offset_namelen(9), fdt_path_offset(9), fdt_get_name(9), fdt_first_property_offset(9), fdt_next_property_offset(9), fdt_for_each_property_offset(9), fdt_get_property_by_offset(9), fdt_get_property_namelen(9), fdt_get_property(9), fdt_getprop_by_offset(9), fdt_getprop_namelen(9), fdt_getprop(9), fdt_get_phandle(9), fdt_get_alias_namelen(9), fdt_get_symbol_namelen(9), fdt_get_symbol(9), fdt_get_path(9), fdt_supernode_atdepth_offset(9), fdt_node_depth(9), fdt_parent_offset(9), fdt_node_offset_by_prop_value(9), fdt_node_offset_by_phandle(9), fdt_node_check_compatible(9), fdt_node_offset_by_compatible(9), fdt_stringlist_contains(9), fdt_stringlist_count(9), fdt_stringlist_search(9), fdt_stringlist_get(9), FDT_MAX_NCELLS(9), fdt_address_cells(9), fdt_size_cells(9), fdt_setprop_inplace_namelen_partial(9), fdt_setprop_inplace(9), fdt_setprop_inplace_u32(9), fdt_setprop_inplace_u64(9), fdt_setprop_inplace_cell(9), fdt_nop_property(9), fdt_nop_node(9), fdt_create_with_flags(9), fdt_create(9), fdt_resize(9), fdt_add_reservemap_entry(9), fdt_finish_reservemap(9), fdt_begin_node(9), fdt_property(9), fdt_property_placeholder(9), fdt_end_node(9), fdt_finish(9), fdt_create_empty_tree(9), fdt_open_into(9), fdt_pack(9), fdt_add_mem_rsv(9), fdt_del_mem_rsv(9), fdt_set_name(9), fdt_setprop_namelen(9), fdt_setprop(9), fdt_setprop_placeholder_namelen(9), fdt_setprop_placeholder(9), fdt_setprop_u32(9), fdt_setprop_u64(9), fdt_setprop_cell(9), fdt_setprop_string(9), fdt_setprop_namelen_string(9), fdt_setprop_empty(9), fdt_appendprop(9), fdt_appendprop_u32(9), fdt_appendprop_u64(9), fdt_appendprop_cell(9), fdt_appendprop_string(9), fdt_appendprop_addrrange(9), fdt_delprop(9), fdt_add_subnode_namelen(9), fdt_add_subnode(9), fdt_del_node(9), fdt_overlay_apply(9), fdt_overlay_target_offset(9), fdt_strerror(9)

bestie that's a lot of friends and every single one of them is invited to the party 🧚💜

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okay and finally, the receipts 🎀 this page lives in ./scripts/dtc/libfdt and it's dated October 2026 — so yeah, she's from the future, main character energy only 👑✨ mwah, go forth and look up those aliases 💖