path_overmounted(9)

💅 path_overmounted(9) — like, the kernel API manual bestie 🎀

okay so this is path_overmounted from the Kernel API Manual and honestly? it's a little baddie of a function that does exactly one thing and does it slay. let's get into it ✨

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🌸 NAME 🌸

path_overmounted — check if a path is overmounted, fr fr

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⭐ SYNOPSIS ⭐

bool path_overmounted (const struct path *path );

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🦋 ARGUMENTS 🦋

• path — the path you wanna check, bestie. that's it. that's the whole argument 💖

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👑 DESCRIPTION 👑

so here's the vibe: this checks if path is overmounted — meaning, is there literally a mount sitting on top of path->mnt with path->dentry as its mountpoint? like, is something mounted on top of this thing? 🏔️

that's the whole check. no cap. it's giving "is there a mount stacked here or not" energy and honestly we respect the focus 💅

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🔥 CONTEXT 🔥

okay this part actually matters so listen up bestie:

• namespace_sem must be held at least shared — non-negotiable, periodt ✋
• you MUST NOT call this under lock_mount_hash 😭 like genuinely do not. if you're in there, you should just call __lookup_mnt and check if it returns NULL instead. that's the move. iykyk

💀 for real though, calling it under lock_mount_hash is a no. the manpage literally yells MUST NOT at you in all caps, so like… hear it.

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🌈 RETURN 🌈

• if path is overmounted → true is returned 🎉
• if not → false 🫶

true/false, in and out, clean, iconic, no notes ✨

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🧚 SEE ALSO 🧚

the kernel file ./fs/namespace.c and honestly the whole friend group of mount-related girlies:

• mnt_get_write_access(9)
• mnt_want_write(9)
• mnt_get_write_access_file(9)
• mnt_want_write_file(9)
• mnt_put_write_access(9)
• mnt_drop_write(9)
• mnt_hold_writers(9)
• mnt_unhold_writers(9)
• __lookup_mnt(9)
• lookup_mnt(9)
• attach_mnt(9)
• vfs_create_mount(9)
• path_is_mountpoint(9)
• may_umount_tree(9)
• may_umount(9)
• clone_private_mount(9)
• attach_recursive_mnt(9)
• do_lock_mount(9)
• can_move_mount_beneath(9)
• mnt_set_expiry(9)
• mnt_allow_writers(9)

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and that's the whole page, bestie!! 💖✨🎀 this little icon lives in the kernel source at ./fs, dated October 2026, and it's filed under path_overmounted(9) in the Kernel API Manual — go off, king 👑🦋