strlcpy(9)

🎀 strlcpy(9) — Kernel API Manual, bestie! 🎀

Okay so this is the kernel API manual page for strlcpy(9) and we’re gonna make it make sense, no cap. ✨

💖 NAME 💖

strlcpy — Copy a C-string into a sized buffer. Literally what it says on the tin: it copies a C-string into a buffer that has a size. 🫶

✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

size_t strlcpy (char *dest , const char *src , size_t size );

🌸 ARGUMENTS 🌸

• dest — Where to copy the string to. The destination. The place the copy lands. 📥
• src — Where to copy the string from. The source. The original string. 📤
• size — size of destination buffer. Yes, exactly that: the size of the destination buffer. 📏

🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

Compatible with *BSD: the result is always a valid NUL-terminated string that fits in the buffer (unless, of course, the buffer size is zero). So like, it’s giving “always a valid NUL-terminated string that fits” energy — with one giant exception: buffer size zero. 💀

It does not pad out the result like strncpy does. No extra filler, no padding drama. Periodt. ✨

If libc has strlcpy then that version will override this implementation: 👑 no cap, libc’s version takes over.

🌈 SEE ALSO 🌈

• Kernel file ./tools/lib/string.c
• memdup(9)
• strtobool(9)
• skip_spaces(9)
• strim(9)
• strreplace(9)
• memchr_inv(9)

Cute little sign-off, bestie: this page’s source/version is ./tools/lib 🌸, dated October 2026 🎀, and it’s the strlcpy(9) page. Slay. 💅