kernfs_name_hash(9)

💅 kernfs_name_hash(9) — the group chat version

okay so bestie, welcome to kernfs_name_hash, from the Kernel API Manual (section 9, kernel-land, very demure, very mindful). this little icon takes your namespace tag and your name and smashes them together into one lil number. it's giving ✨hashing✨ and honestly? it ate. let me walk you through it 🫶

---

✨ NAME ✨

kernfs_name_hash — calculate hash of @ns + @name

no cap, that's literally the whole job description. it hashes the ns and the name together. that's it, that's the function 💅

---

🎀 SYNOPSIS 🎀

unsigned int kernfs_name_hash (const char *name , const struct ns_common
*ns );

so it hands you back an unsigned int, and you feed it a const char * for the name plus a const struct ns_common * for the namespace. two ingredients, one hash. chef's kiss 🍓

---

🌸 ARGUMENTS 🌸

• name — null terminated string to hash. yes bestie, null terminated, we are not doing the "whoops no terminator" thing today 🙈
• ns — the namespace tag to hash. it gets mixed in with the name so different namespaces don't collide on the same name. iconic behaviour, honestly 👑

---

⭐ RETURN ⭐

a 31-bit hash of ns + name — and the reason it's 31-bit is so it fits in an off_t. the way that's such a specific flex 😭 31 bits, not 32, because off_t said "leave room for my sign bit babes". periodt.

---

🦋 SEE ALSO 🦋

kernel file ./fs/kernfs/dir.c — that's where the source lives, go say hi to it 👋

and then the whole extended friend group, fr fr:

• kernfs_path_from_node_locked(9)
• kernfs_name(9)
• kernfs_path_from_node(9)
• pr_cont_kernfs_name(9)
• pr_cont_kernfs_path(9)
• kernfs_get_parent(9)
• kernfs_link_sibling(9)
• kernfs_unlink_sibling(9)
• kernfs_get_active(9)
• kernfs_put_active(9)
• kernfs_drain(9)
• kernfs_get(9)
• kernfs_put(9)
• kernfs_node_from_dentry(9)
• kernfs_add_one(9)
• kernfs_find_ns(9)
• kernfs_find_and_get_ns(9)
• kernfs_walk_and_get_ns(9)
• kernfs_create_root(9)
• kernfs_destroy_root(9)
• kernfs_root_to_node(9)
• kernfs_create_dir_ns(9)
• kernfs_create_empty_dir(9)
• kernfs_next_descendant_post(9)
• kernfs_activate(9)
• kernfs_show(9)
• kernfs_remove(9)
• kernfs_break_active_protection(9)
• kernfs_unbreak_active_protection(9)
• kernfs_remove_self(9)
• kernfs_remove_by_name_ns(9)
• kernfs_rename_ns(9)

like, the whole squad showed up to the function. main character energy all around 💜

---

ngl bestie, the only real vibe check here: it's a hash, it's 31 bits so it plays nice with off_t, and it mixes ns with name. don't overthink it, just enjoy the immaculate code 😌

---

and that's the page! this one came out of ./fs/kernfs and it's dated October 2026 — so mark your calendar, screenshot it, send it to the group chat, and remember: kernfs_name_hash(9), kernel API manual, section 9. slay 🌈✨💖