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docs: driver-api: firmware: clarify userspace requirements

Message ID 20250314100137.2972355-1-jacek.lawrynowicz@linux.intel.com (mailing list archive)
State New
Headers show
Series docs: driver-api: firmware: clarify userspace requirements | expand

Commit Message

Jacek Lawrynowicz March 14, 2025, 10:01 a.m. UTC
The guidelines mention that firmware updates can't break the kernel,
but it doesn't state directly that they can't break userspace programs.
Make it explicit that firmware updates cannot break UAPI.

Signed-off-by: Jacek Lawrynowicz <jacek.lawrynowicz@linux.intel.com>
---
 .../driver-api/firmware/firmware-usage-guidelines.rst        | 5 +++++
 1 file changed, 5 insertions(+)

Comments

Bagas Sanjaya March 14, 2025, 12:34 p.m. UTC | #1
On Fri, Mar 14, 2025 at 11:01:36AM +0100, Jacek Lawrynowicz wrote:
> +* Firmware files that affect the User API (UAPI) shall not introduce
> +  changes that break existing userspace programs. Updates to such firmware
> +  must ensure backward compatibility with existing userspace applications.
> +  This includes maintaining consistent interfaces and behaviors that
> +  userspace programs rely on.

Is it implied that the firmware UAPI MUST be designed to be right in the
first time (attempt) as it MUST be supported indefinitely?

Anyway, the wording LGTM.

Reviewed-by: Bagas Sanjaya <bagasdotme@gmail.com>

Thanks.
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Patch

diff --git a/Documentation/driver-api/firmware/firmware-usage-guidelines.rst b/Documentation/driver-api/firmware/firmware-usage-guidelines.rst
index fdcfce42c6d28..5f8f13e2ee510 100644
--- a/Documentation/driver-api/firmware/firmware-usage-guidelines.rst
+++ b/Documentation/driver-api/firmware/firmware-usage-guidelines.rst
@@ -42,3 +42,8 @@  then of course these rules will not apply strictly.)
   deprecating old major versions, then this should only be done as a
   last option, and be stated clearly in all communications.
 
+* Firmware files that affect the User API (UAPI) shall not introduce
+  changes that break existing userspace programs. Updates to such firmware
+  must ensure backward compatibility with existing userspace applications.
+  This includes maintaining consistent interfaces and behaviors that
+  userspace programs rely on.
\ No newline at end of file