lz77_encode_match(9)

💅 lz77_encode_match — bestie's guide to match encoding 💅

okay so this one lives in the Kernel API Manual (yes, the kernel has a manual, and yes it's iconic) and it's called lz77_encode_match(9). buckle up, it's actually short and slay. 🎀

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✨ NAME ✨

lz77_encode_match — match encoding. that's it. that's the whole vibe. it encodes a match. periodt. 💅

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✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

void * lz77_encode_match (void *dst , void **nib , u16 dist , u32 len );

look at her. four args, returns a pointer, no cap. 🫶

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✨ ARGUMENTS ✨

so these four besties walk into a function:

• dst — the compressed buffer. this is the main character, the one getting written into. 💖
• nib — a pointer to an address in dst. like, a pointer inside the buffer. nested pointer energy, highkey iconic. 🦋
• dist — the match distance. how far back we're reaching, ngl. 🧚
• len — the match length. how much we're grabbing from back there. ✨

it's typed u16 dist and u32 len fr fr — short distance, long length, that's the signature, don't @ me.

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✨ DESCRIPTION ✨

so the description is literally one line and it's giving confident:

Assumes all args were previously checked. 😭

like ok queen, she's not doing the vibe check herself — somebody already validated everything before calling her, and she trusts that. so please, please do your checking before you pass stuff in, because she will not be re-checking it for you. 🙈

and here's the receipt, the reference, the source-of-truth citation:

Ref: MS-XCA 2.3.4 "Plain LZ77 Compression Algorithm Details" - "Processing"

that's where the algorithm brainrot comes from. go read it if you want the whole lore. 🔥

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✨ RETURN ✨

dst advanced to new position. 👑

that's the whole return value. the buffer pointer, but moved forward. new position, new her. ⭐

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✨ SEE ALSO ✨

• Kernel file ./fs/smb/common/compress/lz77.c — the actual source, go read it bestie 💜
• lz77_encode_literals(9) — the sibling function, the literal counterpart, the other half of the duo 🌈

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anyway that's the whole page, no filler, all facts, all slay 💀🌸

also lowkey: this page is from ./fs/smb/common/compress and it's dated October 2026 — yes, the future, because we're just that ahead. 🕰️✨ and the manual name up top? Kernel API Manual, iykyk. 🫶

bye bestie, go encode some matches 💖🎀🦋