rcuref_get(9)

💅 rcuref_get(9) — like, the Kernel API Manual girlies finally got a reference-counter page

okay so bestie, welcome to the rcuref_get(9) page. this is the one that grabs you one (1) reference on an rcuref reference count. grabby hands, but make it kernel-safe 🫶

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✨ NAME ✨

rcuref_get — acquire one reference on a rcuref reference count. that's it, that's the whole job 💖

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✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

bool rcuref_get (rcuref_t *ref );

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✨ ARGUMENTS ✨

• ref — pointer to the reference count. yes, the reference count. the one we're about to be obsessed with ✨

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✨ DESCRIPTION ✨

so this is similar to atomic_inc_not_zero, except it saturates at RCUREF_MAXREF. so it will not just keep climbing forever like your unread notifications — it caps out, no cap 📈💀

it provides no memory ordering. ngl, that's on purpose: it is assumed the caller has already guaranteed the object memory to be stable (RCU, etc.). like, the object has to be staying put, that's your job, bestie, not this function's 😌

what it does provide is a control dependency, and thereby it orders future stores. see the documentation in lib/rcuref.c for the whole lore 🧚

and fr fr: it returns true if a reference was successfully acquired. iconic behaviour, honestly 💅

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✨ RETURN ✨

False if the attempt to acquire a reference failed. this happens when the last reference has been put already — like showing up to the party after everyone's gone home 😭💀

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🌈 SEE ALSO 🌈

• Kernel file ./include/linux/rcuref.h
• rcuref_init(9)
• rcuref_read(9)
• rcuref_is_dead(9)
• rcuref_put_rcusafe(9)
• rcuref_put(9)

the whole rcuref friend group, honestly. go say hi 💜

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⚠️ reminder bestie: no memory ordering here. you gotta bring the stability yourself (RCU, etc.) or things get real undefined-vibes real fast 🙈

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and that's the page!! mwah 💋 this one came from ./include/linux, October 2026, and it's giving main character energy in the Kernel API Manual. slay, go acquire your references responsibly 🎀🦋⭐