rtnl_notify_needed(9)

💖 NAME 💖

okay so you're reading rtnl_notify_needed(9) from the Kernel API Manual, bestie 💅 and the name is literally giving:

rtnl_notify_needed — check if notification is needed. that's the whole vibe, no cap ✨

✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

bool rtnl_notify_needed (const struct net *net , u16 nlflags , u32 group );

🎀 ARGUMENTS 🎀

• net — pointer to the net namespace 🌍 like, the little net world we're checking on.
• nlflags — netlink ingress message flags 🛰️ the flags coming in on the netlink message.
• group — rtnl group 🎯 the rtnl group in question.

🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

so based on the ingress message flags and the rtnl group, this returns true if a notification is needed, and false otherwise 🫶

that's it. that's the whole check. iconic, lowkey 🎀

🌸 SEE ALSO 🌸

• Kernel file ./include/linux/rtnetlink.h — go look, iykyk 👀
• rcu_dereference_rtnl(9)
• rtnl_dereference(9)
• rcu_replace_pointer_rtnl(9)

xoxo, your kernel bestie 💖 — this page comes from ./include/linux and is dated October 2026 🎀