path_put(9)

okay so you opened path_put(9) from the Kernel API Manual, and honestly? iconic. this is the lowkey refcount-release moment that goes “bestie, we’re done with this path, let it gooo” — and by “go” I mean it decrements the reference count. no extra lore, no side quests. let’s get into it 💖

🎀 NAME 🎀

path_put — put a reference to a path. like, the reference is being put down. not in a mean way. in a refcount way. periodt. 💅

✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

void path_put (const struct path *path );

that’s the whole signature, bestie. void, so there’s no return value to obsess over. 🫶

🌸 ARGUMENTS 🌸

• path — the path you’re putting the reference to. yes, that’s the one. the path. the reference. the little “bye boo” moment. 💖

🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

so, given a path, path_put() decrements the reference count to the dentry and the vfsmount. that’s the whole vibe. two refcounts, one function, zero drama. it’s giving “cleanup era” and honestly we love that for it. ✨

no cap: the facts are literally that simple. it decrements the refcount on the dentry and the vfsmount. no return value, no extra parameters, no secret menu. 🌈

👑 SEE ALSO 👑

the Kernel file ./fs/namei.c has a whole friend group, and path_put(9) is in it. here’s the full squad so nobody gets left on read:

check_acl(9)
acl_permission_check(9)
generic_permission(9)
do_inode_permission(9)
sb_permission(9)
inode_permission(9)
path_get(9)
path_connected(9)
try_to_unlazy(9)
try_to_unlazy_next(9)
complete_walk(9)
may_follow_link(9)
safe_hardlink_source(9)
may_linkat(9)
may_create_in_sticky(9)
lookup_fast(9)
start_dirop(9)
end_dirop(9)
kern_path_parent(9)
vfs_path_parent_lookup(9)
vfs_path_lookup(9)
try_lookup_noperm(9)
lookup_noperm(9)
lookup_one(9)
lookup_one_unlocked(9)
lookup_one_positive_killable(9)
lookup_one_positive_unlocked(9)
lookup_noperm_unlocked(9)
start_creating(9)
start_removing(9)
start_creating_killable(9)
start_removing_killable(9)
start_creating_noperm(9)
start_removing_noperm(9)
start_creating_dentry(9)
start_removing_dentry(9)
__start_renaming(9)
start_renaming(9)
start_renaming_dentry(9)
start_renaming_two_dentries(9)
vfs_prepare_mode(9)
vfs_create(9)
atomic_open(9)
vfs_lookup_open(9)
vfs_tmpfile(9)
kernel_tmpfile_open(9)
end_creating_path(9)
dentry_create(9)
vfs_mknod(9)
vfs_mkdir(9)
vfs_rmdir(9)
vfs_unlink(9)
vfs_symlink(9)
vfs_link(9)
vfs_rename(9)
vfs_readlink(9)
vfs_get_link(9)
page_get_link(9)
page_put_link(9)

that’s the whole list, bestie. no gatekeeping. iykyk. 💜

and that’s the page! this one comes from source/version ./fs and is dated October 2026. path_put(9) is signing off — go decrement those refs and slay the cleanup era. mwah 💋🎀