vc4_submit_cl_ioctl(9)

💖 vc4_submit_cl_ioctl(9) 💖

okay so bestie, welcome to the Kernel API Manual — this is the page for vc4_submit_cl_ioctl, and ngl it's kind of a big deal. It's the function that actually gets your 3D frame from userspace into the VC4 GPU. main character energy fr fr 👑

---

✨ NAME ✨

vc4_submit_cl_ioctl — Submits a job (frame) to the VC4. that's it, that's the whole vibe 🎀

---

🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

int vc4_submit_cl_ioctl (struct drm_device *dev , void *data , struct
       drm_file *file_priv );

look at that signature. gorgeous. it takes three things and it returns an int — we love a return value 💅

---

🦋 ARGUMENTS 🦋

• dev — the DRM device. like, the actual thing you're talking to. the hardware bestie 🖥️
• data — the ioctl argument. this is where all your juicy frame info lives 📦
• file_priv — the DRM file for this fd. your file descriptor's little passport, basically 🛂

---

🔥 DESCRIPTION 🔥

okay so this is the main entrypoint for userspace to submit a 3D frame to the GPU. literally the front door. the way that everything 3D-shaped has to go through here?? iconic.

here's the tea ☕: userspace provides the binner command list (if applicable — key phrase, "if applicable", don't @ me), and then the kernel sets up the render command list to draw to the framebuffer described in the ioctl, using the command lists that the 3D engine's binner will produce.

so to recap the choreography, because it's giving relay race 🏃‍♀️:

1. userspace shows up with the binner command list (if applicable)
2. the kernel sets up the render command list
3. that render list draws to the framebuffer described in the ioctl
4. and it does this using the command lists that the 3D engine's binner will produce

the kernel is doing so much behind the scenes here and honestly? ate. no notes. 🙈

bestie reminder: you hand it the binner list, the kernel handles the render list setup — you are not doing that part yourself. trust the process 💜

---

🎀 SEE ALSO 🎀

• Kernel file ./drivers/gpu/drm/vc4/vc4_gem.c — go read it, iykyk 📖
• vc4_cl_lookup_bos(9) — the related one, don't sleep on it 🌈

---

and that's the page!! 🫶 it's from ./drivers/gpu/drm/vc4, dated October 2026, and it's vc4_submit_cl_ioctl(9) — go submit a frame, slay, periodt. 💅✨🍓