set_mm_exe_file(9)

✨ NAME ✨

set_mm_exe_file — changing a reference to the mm's executable file, bestie 💅

Okay so real talk, this page is set_mm_exe_file(9) from the Kernel API Manual, and it's lowkey iconic for doing exactly one very specific little job. 🎀

---

🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

int set_mm_exe_file (struct mm_struct *mm , struct file *new_exe_file );

It's giving "takes an int, takes two pointers, handles business." ✨

---

🦋 ARGUMENTS 🦋

• mm — the mm that's getting changed. That's the one, bestie.
• new_exe_file — the new file to use. The fresh one being swapped in. 🫶

---

💖 DESCRIPTION 💖

So this function changes the mm's executable file — the one that shows up as the symlink /proc/[pid]/exe. No cap, that's the whole vibe. 🎀

The main users are mmput and sys_execve. And the way callers keep concurrent invocations from happening? Iconic behavior, honestly:

• in mmput, nobody alive is left;
• in execve, it happens before the new mm is made visible to anyone. 🦋

It can only fail if new_exe_file != NULL. That's the fail condition, periodt. 💅

---

👑 SEE ALSO 👑

Kernel file ./kernel/fork.c is right there in the mix, and the whole squad is:

• replace_mm_exe_file(9)
• get_mm_exe_file(9)
• get_task_exe_file(9)
• get_task_mm(9)
• dup_mm(9)
• pidfd_prepare(9)
• clone3_stack_valid(9)
• sys_clone3(9)

Go read the friends, iykyk. 🌈✨

---

Source/version is ./kernel, the date is October 2026, and the page is set_mm_exe_file(9) — mwah, bestie, that's the whole manual page. 💜🎀