prandom_bytes_state(9)

💫 prandom_bytes_state(9) — Kernel API Manual, but make it a group chat 💫

okay bestie, so this one is prandom_bytes_state(9) — that's the whole title, we're not doing the boring header line, you're welcome ✨. It lives in the Kernel API Manual and it's genuinely so useful once it clicks, I promise 🫶

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🌸 NAME 🌸

prandom_bytes_state — get the requested number of pseudo-random bytes. that's it, that's the whole vibe. it gives you random-ish bytes, and you tell it how many 💅

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🎀 SYNOPSIS 🎀

void prandom_bytes_state (struct rnd_state *state , void *buf , size_t
bytes );

literally just drop that in and you're golden ✨

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🦋 ARGUMENTS 🦋

• state — pointer to state structure holding seeded state. so like, this is the lil container that's already been seeded, and you're handing it over so it knows what to work with 🧚
• buf — where to copy the pseudo-random bytes to. it's the destination, the place the bytes go to live 🏡
• bytes — the requested number of bytes. how many you want, bestie, you decide 🌈

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🍓 DESCRIPTION 🍓

okay so the actual tea ☕: this is used for pseudo-randomness with no outside seeding. no cap, that's the whole deal — you're not bringing in fresh entropy from anywhere outside, it's just working off what's already in there 💜

and like, if you want more random results? use get_random_bytes. simple as that. that's the upgrade path, iykyk 👑

bestie heads up — "pseudo-random" is doing real work in that sentence. it's giving predictable-if-you-know-the-state, not it's-giving-cryptographic. the manpage literally points you at get_random_bytes for more random results, so take the hint fr fr 🙈

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⭐ SEE ALSO ⭐

• Kernel file ./lib/random32.c 📁
• prandom_u32_state(9) — the 32-bit cousin, iconic behaviour 💫

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and that's the page!! 💖

sign-off time 🎀 — this lil masterpiece comes from ./lib, dated October 2026, and the version tag at the bottom? also prandom_bytes_state(9) because we keep it consistent, periodt 💅✨