ring_buffer_read_start(9)

okay so bestie, this is ring_buffer_read_start(9) from the Kernel API Manual — and it's literally giving “peek but don’t consume” main character energy 💅✨

🌸 NAME 🌸

ring_buffer_read_start — start a non consuming read of the buffer 🫶

✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

struct ring_buffer_iter * ring_buffer_read_start (struct trace_buffer
       *buffer , int cpu , gfp_t flags );

🎀 ARGUMENTS 🎀

• buffer — the ring buffer to read from, bestie 💖
• cpu — the cpu buffer to iterate over 👑
• flags — gfp flags to use for memory allocation, no cap 🧚

💫 DESCRIPTION 💫

okay so this function creates an iterator to allow non-consuming iteration through the buffer — literally the “look, don’t eat” of kernel reads, and I’m obsessed 🦋

If the buffer is disabled for writing, it will produce the same information each time. But if the buffer is still writing, then the first hit of a write will cause the iteration to stop. ⚠️ That’s the vibe check: writing says “bestie, we’re done here” and iteration stops, fr fr.

Must be paired with ring_buffer_read_finish. Do not leave your iterator hanging, that’s not slay behavior 💀🫶

🌈 SEE ALSO 🌈

• Kernel file ./kernel/trace/ring_buffer.c — go look, iykyk 👑

the whole extended friend group is here, no cap:

ring_buffer_event_length(9), ring_buffer_event_data(9), rb_page_capacity(9), rb_subbuf_capacity(9), rb_subbuf_max_data_size(9), rb_subbuf_start(9), ring_buffer_event_time_stamp(9), ring_buffer_nr_dirty_pages(9), ring_buffer_wake_waiters(9), ring_buffer_wait(9), ring_buffer_poll_wait(9), rb_check_pages(9), rb_validate_buffer(9), __ring_buffer_alloc(9), __ring_buffer_alloc_range(9), __ring_buffer_alloc_remote(9)

ring_buffer_free(9), ring_buffer_resize(9), rb_update_event(9), ring_buffer_nest_start(9), ring_buffer_nest_end(9), ring_buffer_unlock_commit(9), ring_buffer_lock_reserve(9), ring_buffer_discard_commit(9), ring_buffer_write(9), ring_buffer_record_disable(9), ring_buffer_record_enable(9), ring_buffer_record_off(9), ring_buffer_record_on(9), ring_buffer_record_is_on(9), ring_buffer_record_is_set_on(9), ring_buffer_record_is_on_cpu(9)

ring_buffer_record_disable_cpu(9), ring_buffer_record_enable_cpu(9), ring_buffer_oldest_event_ts(9), ring_buffer_bytes_cpu(9), ring_buffer_entries_cpu(9), ring_buffer_overrun_cpu(9), ring_buffer_commit_overrun_cpu(9), ring_buffer_dropped_events_cpu(9), ring_buffer_read_events_cpu(9), ring_buffer_entries(9), ring_buffer_overruns(9), ring_buffer_iter_reset(9), ring_buffer_iter_empty(9), ring_buffer_peek(9), ring_buffer_iter_peek(9), ring_buffer_consume(9)

ring_buffer_read_finish(9), ring_buffer_iter_advance(9), ring_buffer_size(9), ring_buffer_max_event_size(9), ring_buffer_reset_cpu(9), ring_buffer_reset_online_cpus(9), ring_buffer_reset(9), ring_buffer_empty(9), ring_buffer_empty_cpu(9), ring_buffer_swap_cpu(9), ring_buffer_alloc_read_page(9), ring_buffer_free_read_page(9), ring_buffer_read_page(9), ring_buffer_read_page_data(9), ring_buffer_read_page_size(9), ring_buffer_subbuf_size_get(9)

ring_buffer_subbuf_order_get(9), ring_buffer_subbuf_order_set(9)

mwah 💋 that’s the whole page, bestie — this one comes from the source/version ./kernel/trace and is dated October 2026, and yes it’s still ring_buffer_read_start(9) and still iconic, periodt 🎀✨