kernel_restart(9)

💖 kernel_restart(9) 💖

okay so welcome to the Kernel API Manual page for kernel_restart — yes, that's the manual name, and yes, we're doing reboots today. This is the function that reboots the system, and it's giving main-character energy at the very end of a kernel's life. 🫶

🌸 NAME 🌸

kernel_restart — reboot the system 💅

✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

void kernel_restart (char *cmd );

That's the whole signature, bestie: void, one char * named cmd. No cap. 🦋

🎀 ARGUMENTS 🎀

• cmd — pointer to buffer containing command to execute for restart, or NULL. So like, hand it a buffer with the restart command, or just pass NULL and let it be. ✨

💅 DESCRIPTION 💅

Shutdown everything and perform a clean reboot. That's the assignment. It's literally shutting everything down and doing a clean reboot, and the vibe is very "goodbye forever, but make it orderly." 🌈

⚠️ Safety check: This is not safe to call in interrupt context. Like, do not. The original says it plainly, and I'm saying it with my whole chest: interrupt context is not the place for this. 💀

🦋 SEE ALSO 🦋

Kernel file: ./kernel/reboot.c — that's the source-file bestie. Then the whole reboot/power-off friend group, all with their (9) manpage energy:

• emergency_restart(9)
• register_reboot_notifier(9)
• unregister_reboot_notifier(9)
• register_restart_handler(9)
• unregister_restart_handler(9)
• do_kernel_restart(9)
• kernel_halt(9)
• register_sys_off_handler(9)
• unregister_sys_off_handler(9)
• devm_register_sys_off_handler(9)
• devm_register_power_off_handler(9)
• devm_register_restart_handler(9)
• register_platform_power_off(9)
• unregister_platform_power_off(9)
• do_kernel_power_off(9)
• kernel_can_power_off(9)
• kernel_power_off(9)
• orderly_poweroff(9)
• orderly_reboot(9)
• hw_failure_emergency_action_func(9)
• hw_failure_emergency_schedule(9)
• __hw_protection_trigger(9)

That's the page, bestie! Source/version: ./kernel · Date: October 2026 — mwah 💋✨