tcp_try_coalesce(9)

💅 tcp_try_coalesce(9) — Kernel API Manual

okay bestie, welcome to tcp_try_coalesce(9), the group-chat function that's literally just trying to merge two skbs before things get awkward 💖

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✨ NAME ✨

tcp_try_coalesce — bestie's whole job is: try to merge skb to prior one 🫶

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🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

bool tcp_try_coalesce (struct sock *sk , struct sk_buff *to , struct
sk_buff *from , bool *fragstolen );

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🎀 ARGUMENTS 🎀

• sk — the socket, hii 👋
• to — the prior buffer, the one that was already chilling there
• from — the buffer to add in queue, the new one trying to slide in
• fragstolen — pointer to boolean, that's it, that's the whole description 💀

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🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

So here's the vibe: before you go queueing skb from after to, try to merge them 🫶 the goal is to reduce overall memory use and queue lengths, if cost is small. Lowkey efficiency core.

And like, packets in ofo or receive queues can stay a long time — they're not leaving anytime soon, icon behaviour honestly. So it's better to try to coalesce them right now to avoid future collapses. Periodt. ✨

Returns true if caller should free from instead of queueing it. Not me handing you the cleanup duties 💅

ngl, that return value is the whole plot twist — read it before you queue anything, bestie.

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💜 SEE ALSO 💜

Kernel file ./net/ipv4/tcp_input.c — go read the source, iykyk 📖

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and that's the tea 🍓 brought to you from ./net/ipv4, dated October 2026 — mwah, slay, see u in the kernel trees 🌈👑