unflatten_an..._device_tree(9)

✨ unflatten_an..._device_tree(9) ✨

okay bestie, welcome to the Kernel API Manual 💖 this one is a lil function from the kernel's device-tree corner of the universe and honestly it's giving "quiet but crucial," iykyk 🎀

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🌸 NAME 🌸

unflatten_and_copy_device_tree — copy and create tree of device_nodes from flat blob 🦋

like... it copies AND it unflattens? she does it all, no cap 💅

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⭐ SYNOPSIS ⭐

void unflatten_and_copy_device_tree (void );

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🧚 ARGUMENTS 🧚

• void — no arguments. that's it. zero. nada. she takes nothing and she needs nothing 🙈✨

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👑 DESCRIPTION 👑

okay so picture this: the firmware hands over a device-tree, right? this function copies it and unflattens it, creating the tree of struct device_node. literally building the whole vibe from scratch 🌈

it also fills in the "name" and "type" pointers of the nodes, so the normal device-tree walking functions can actually be used — like, the tree is fully functional after this, bestie, it's ready to be walked 🫶

⚠️ highkey important: this should only be used when the FDT memory has not been reserved — such is the case when the FDT is built-in to the kernel init section. if the FDT memory is reserved already, then unflatten_device_tree should be used instead. not optional, fr fr, respect the reservation rules 💀

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🔥 SEE ALSO 🔥

• Kernel file ./drivers/of/fdt.c — the actual home of the drama 💜
• unflatten_dt_nodes(9)
• __unflatten_device_tree(9)
• of_fdt_unflatten_tree(9)
• early_init_fdt_scan_reserved_mem(9)
• early_init_fdt_reserve_self(9)
• of_scan_flat_dt(9)
• of_scan_flat_dt_subnodes(9)
• of_get_flat_dt_subnode_by_name(9)
• of_fdt_is_compatible(9)
• of_flat_dt_is_compatible(9)
• of_flat_dt_match_machine(9)
• early_init_dt_check_for_initrd(9)
• early_init_dt_check_for_elfcorehdr(9)
• early_init_dt_check_for_usable_mem_range(9)
• early_init_dt_check_kho(9)
• unflatten_device_tree(9) — the one you use when the FDT memory is reserved, bestie, don't mix them up 😭

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and that's the whole page, bestie, you ate that reading 💅✨

source/version: ./drivers/of · date: October 2026 · unflatten_an..._device_tree(9) 🎀🦋💖