rcu_dereference(9)

🦋 NAME — rcu_dereference(9) 🦋

rcu_dereference — fetch RCU-protected pointer for dereferencing. Okay bestie, this is your Kernel API Manual moment — welcome to the RCU corner of the group chat 💅✨

✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

rcu_dereference (p );

🎀 ARGUMENTS 🎀

• p — the pointer to read, prior to dereferencing. That’s the lil pointer bestie: read it first, then dereference. No skipping steps 💖

💖 DESCRIPTION 💖

Okay so real talk: this one is a simple wrapper around rcu_dereference_check. That’s it. That’s the whole vibe. Lowkey iconic for being lowkey 😌✨

🔥 SEE ALSO 🔥

Kernel file ./include/linux/rcupdate.h — plus the entire squad, no cap:

• same_state_synchronize_rcu(9)
• cond_resched_tasks_rcu_qs(9)
• rcu_softirq_qs_periodic(9)
• RCU_LOCKDEP_WARN(9)
• lockdep_assert_in_rcu_read_lock(9)
• lockdep_assert_in_rcu_read_lock_bh(9)
• lockdep_assert_in_rcu_read_lock_sched(9)
• lockdep_assert_in_rcu_reader(9)
• unrcu_pointer(9)
• RCU_INITIALIZER(9)
• rcu_assign_pointer(9)
• rcu_replace_pointer(9)
• rcu_access_pointer(9)
• rcu_dereference_check(9)
• rcu_dereference_bh_check(9)
• rcu_dereference_sched_check(9)
• rcu_dereference_all_check(9)
• rcu_dereference_protected(9)
• rcu_dereference_bh(9)
• rcu_dereference_sched(9)
• rcu_dereference_all(9)
• rcu_pointer_handoff(9)
• rcu_read_lock(9)
• rcu_read_unlock(9)
• rcu_read_lock_bh(9)
• rcu_read_unlock_bh(9)
• rcu_read_lock_sched(9)
• rcu_read_unlock_sched(9)
• RCU_INIT_POINTER(9)
• RCU_POINTER_INITIALIZER(9)
• kfree_rcu(9)
• kfree_rcu_mightsleep(9)
• kfree_rcu_nolock(9)
• rcu_head_init(9)
• rcu_head_after_call_rcu(9)

xoxo, your Kernel API Manual bestie 🫶 — source/version: ./include/linux, date: October 2026 💋✨