percpu_ref_is_dying(9)

🦋 percpu_ref_is_dying(9) — the kernel API manual, but make it make sense 💅

okay so bestie, welcome to section 9 of the Kernel API Manual — yes, that's the kernel-API section, we love a numbered vibe. today's main character is percpu_ref_is_dying, and ngl she's a tiny little function who just wants to tell you the truth about a refcount. let's get into it ✨

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🌸 NAME 🌸

percpu_ref_is_dying — test whether a percpu refcount is dying or dead

like... is she okay? is she on her way out? this function will tell you 🎀

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✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

bool percpu_ref_is_dying (struct percpu_ref *ref );

yup, that's the whole thing. she returns a bool, she takes one pointer, she does not do small talk 🫶

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🎀 ARGUMENTS 🎀

• ref — the percpu_ref you want to test. that's it. that's the whole argument list. she's low maintenance 🧚

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💖 DESCRIPTION 💖

Returns true if ref is dying or dead. 💀

fr fr, that's the whole read: you hand her a refcount, she hits you with the truth. alive-adjacent energy or true-because-she's-leaving energy. no in-between narrative, no lore drop.

⚠️ okay this part matters, bestie: this function is safe to call as long as ref is between init and exit — and the caller is responsible for synchronizing against state changes. that's on YOU, not her. don't come for her if you called it outside that window, she literally told you 🙈

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🌈 SEE ALSO 🌈

the whole percpu-refcount friend group, plus the kernel file they all live in:

Kernel file ./include/linux/percpu-refcount.h

• percpu_ref_kill(9)
• percpu_ref_get_many(9)
• percpu_ref_get(9)
• percpu_ref_tryget_many(9)
• percpu_ref_tryget(9)
• percpu_ref_tryget_live_rcu(9)
• percpu_ref_tryget_live(9)
• percpu_ref_put_many(9)
• percpu_ref_put(9)

iykyk 👑

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okay that's the page!! sourced straight from ./include/linux, dated October 2026, and yes — it's percpu_ref_is_dying(9) again at the bottom, because the footer said so and we respect the footer. mwah 💜💅