ks8851_start_xmit_spi(9)

📦 version 7.3.1, in nixpkgs unstable

💅 ks8851_start_xmit_spi — like, the SPI transmit era 💅

okay so this is a page from the Kernel API Manual, bestie — yes the Kernel API Manual — and it's all about one very specific little function. sit down, grab a strawberry 🍓, let's get into it.

✨ NAME ✨

ks8851_start_xmit_spi — literally the "transmit a packet using SPI" girlie 🦋

🎀 SYNOPSIS 🎀

netdev_tx_t ks8851_start_xmit_spi (struct sk_buff *skb , struct
net_device *dev );

that's it. that's the whole signature. no cap. ✨

🌸 ARGUMENTS 🌸

  • skb — the buffer you're gonna transmit, bestie. it's giving "the actual packet" energy 💖
  • dev — the device doing the transmitting. the main character of this whole operation, honestly 👑

💜 DESCRIPTION 💜

So. The network layer calls this bad boy when it wants to transmit the skb. What we do is queue the packet up for the device, and then schedule the necessary work so it actually gets transmitted once the device is free. iconic behavior, truly. 🧚

Why we do it this way? Two reasons, and both of them ate:

  1. firstly, so we avoid sleeping while the network device is locked. we do NOT want that. that's the drama we're skipping, periodt. 😭
  2. secondly, so we can round up more than one packet to transmit — which means we can try to avoid generating too many transmit-done interrupts. fewer interrupts = less chaos = better vibes 🔥

like, it's giving "batched and considerate." we love a thoughtful king. 🫶

👑 SEE ALSO 👑

the kernel file ./drivers/net/ethernet/micrel/ks8851_spi.c and also these absolute legends in the struct/friend group:

lowkey a whole friend group. go read them too, iykyk 💅

and that's the page!! 🎀 source is ./drivers/net/ethernet/micrel, dated October 2026 — so yeah, slightly from the future, slay. catch you on the next manpage, bestie 💖🦋⭐

📦 where this page comes from