user_enable_single_step(9)

💫 user_enable_single_step(9) 💫

okay bestie, welcome to the Kernel API Manual page for user_enable_single_step(9) — we're doing kernel ptrace single-step realness today, and yes it's giving very niche but iconic 🔥

🌸 NAME 🌸

user_enable_single_step — single-step in user-mode task. 💅

✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

void user_enable_single_step (struct task_struct *task );

🎀 ARGUMENTS 🎀

• task — either current or a task stopped in TASK_TRACED. 🫶

💖 DESCRIPTION 💖

okay so the rule is: this can only be called when arch_has_single_step has returned nonzero. no cap, that's the gate 💅

It sets task so that when it returns to user mode, it will trap after the next single instruction executes. periodt — one instruction, then trap, that's the whole vibe ⭐

If arch_has_block_step is defined, this must clear the effects of user_enable_block_step too. like, do not leave those effects hanging around, bestie 😭

🔥 SEE ALSO 🔥

Kernel file: ./include/linux/ptrace.h 📚

• ptrace_may_access(9)
• ptrace_parent(9)
• ptrace_event_enabled(9)
• ptrace_event(9)
• ptrace_event_pid(9)
• ptrace_init_task(9)
• ptrace_release_task(9)
• arch_has_single_step(9)
• user_disable_single_step(9)
• arch_has_block_step(9)
• user_enable_block_step(9)
• arch_ptrace_stop_needed(9)
• arch_ptrace_stop(9)
• ptrace_report_syscall_permit_entry(9)
• ptrace_report_syscall_exit(9)

🫶 source/version: ./include/linux · date: October 2026 · page: user_enable_single_step(9) — mwah, go be iconic ✨