workqueue_set_max_active(9)

💅 workqueue_set_max_active(9) — from the Kernel API Manual, bestie

okay so picture this: it's a kernel manual page, it's October 2026, and it's literally about to tell you how to change how many things a workqueue will do at once. this is that page. 🎀

---

✨ NAME ✨

workqueue_set_max_active — adjust max_active of a workqueue. that's it, that's the whole vibe. 🌸

---

🦋 SYNOPSIS 🦋

void workqueue_set_max_active (struct workqueue_struct *wq , int max_active );

look at that. void return, two args, no notes. it's giving "i do one thing and i do it well". 💅

---

🍓 ARGUMENTS 🍓

• wq — the target workqueue. the one you're messing with. bestie in question. 👑
• max_active — the new max_active value. yes that's the actual description and yes it is exactly that self-explanatory. ✨

---

💖 DESCRIPTION 💖

so what it does is: set max_active of wq to max_active. that's the whole thing, no cap. 🫶

for the lore behind it, go read the comment on the alloc_workqueue function — that's literally what the manual points you at, and i'm not gonna make up extra behavior that isn't there. iykyk. 🔥

---

💀 CONTEXT 💀

do NOT call this from IRQ context. like, seriously. that's the one line of the whole page and it's a hard no, not a soft no. 😭

---

🌈 SEE ALSO 🌈

Kernel file ./kernel/workqueue.c, plus honestly the entire extended universe of workqueue functions: for_each_pool(9), for_each_pool_worker(9), for_each_pwq(9), worker_pool_assign_id(9), unbound_effective_cpumask(9), get_work_pool(9), worker_set_flags(9), worker_clr_flags(9), worker_enter_idle(9), worker_leave_idle(9), find_worker_executing_work(9), move_linked_works(9), assign_work(9), kick_pool_pick(9), kick_pool(9), wq_worker_running(9), wq_worker_sleeping(9), wq_worker_tick(9), wq_worker_last_func(9), wq_node_nr_active(9), wq_update_node_max_active(9), get_pwq(9), put_pwq(9), put_pwq_unlocked(9), pwq_tryinc_nr_active(9), pwq_activate_first_inactive(9), unplug_oldest_pwq(9), node_activate_pending_pwq(9), pwq_dec_nr_active(9), pwq_dec_nr_in_flight(9), try_to_grab_pending(9), work_grab_pending(9), insert_work(9), queue_work_on(9), select_numa_node_cpu(9), queue_work_node(9), queue_delayed_work_on(9), mod_delayed_work_on(9), queue_rcu_work(9), worker_attach_to_pool(9), worker_detach_from_pool(9), create_worker(9), set_worker_dying(9), idle_worker_timeout(9), idle_cull_fn(9), maybe_create_worker(9), manage_workers(9), process_one_work(9), process_scheduled_works(9), worker_thread(9), rescuer_thread(9), check_flush_dependency(9), insert_wq_barrier(9), flush_workqueue_prep_pwqs(9), __flush_workqueue(9), drain_workqueue(9), flush_work(9), flush_delayed_work(9), flush_rcu_work(9), cancel_work_sync(9), cancel_delayed_work(9), cancel_delayed_work_sync(9), disable_work(9), disable_work_sync(9), enable_work(9), disable_delayed_work(9), disable_delayed_work_sync(9), enable_delayed_work(9), schedule_on_each_cpu(9), execute_in_process_context(9), free_workqueue_attrs(9), alloc_workqueue_attrs(9), init_worker_pool(9), put_unbound_pool(9), get_unbound_pool(9), wq_calc_pod_cpumask(9), apply_workqueue_attrs(9), unbound_wq_update_pwq(9), wq_adjust_max_active(9), destroy_workqueue(9), workqueue_set_min_active(9), current_work(9), current_is_workqueue_rescuer(9), current_is_workqueue_mem_reclaim(9), workqueue_congested(9), work_busy(9), set_worker_desc(9), print_worker_info(9), show_one_workqueue(9), show_one_worker_pool(9), show_all_workqueues(9), show_freezable_workqueues(9), rebind_workers(9), restore_unbound_workers_cpumask(9), work_on_cpu_key(9), freeze_workqueues_begin(9), freeze_workqueues_busy(9), thaw_workqueues(9), workqueue_unbound_housekeeping_update(9), workqueue_set_unbound_cpumask(9), workqueue_sysfs_register(9), workqueue_sysfs_unregister(9), workqueue_init_early(9), workqueue_init(9), llc_count_cores(9), llc_populate_cpu_shard_id(9), precompute_cache_shard_ids(9), workqueue_init_topology(9).

that's a LOT of cousins. family reunion energy fr fr. 🧚

---

and that's the page!! mwah 💋 — brought to you by ./kernel, dated October 2026, still serving workqueue_set_max_active(9) realness. slay, go set some max_active. 🦋💜