linux/Documentation/arch/x86/elf_auxvec.rst
Jonathan Corbet ff61f0791c docs: move x86 documentation into Documentation/arch/
Move the x86 documentation under Documentation/arch/ as a way of cleaning
up the top-level directory and making the structure of our docs more
closely match the structure of the source directories it describes.

All in-kernel references to the old paths have been updated.

Acked-by: Dave Hansen <dave.hansen@linux.intel.com>
Cc: linux-arch@vger.kernel.org
Cc: x86@kernel.org
Cc: Borislav Petkov <bp@alien8.de>
Cc: Thomas Gleixner <tglx@linutronix.de>
Link: https://lore.kernel.org/lkml/20230315211523.108836-1-corbet@lwn.net/
Signed-off-by: Jonathan Corbet <corbet@lwn.net>
2023-03-30 12:58:51 -06:00

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.. SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
==================================
x86-specific ELF Auxiliary Vectors
==================================
This document describes the semantics of the x86 auxiliary vectors.
Introduction
============
ELF Auxiliary vectors enable the kernel to efficiently provide
configuration-specific parameters to userspace. In this example, a program
allocates an alternate stack based on the kernel-provided size::
#include <sys/auxv.h>
#include <elf.h>
#include <signal.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <assert.h>
#include <err.h>
#ifndef AT_MINSIGSTKSZ
#define AT_MINSIGSTKSZ 51
#endif
....
stack_t ss;
ss.ss_sp = malloc(ss.ss_size);
assert(ss.ss_sp);
ss.ss_size = getauxval(AT_MINSIGSTKSZ) + SIGSTKSZ;
ss.ss_flags = 0;
if (sigaltstack(&ss, NULL))
err(1, "sigaltstack");
The exposed auxiliary vectors
=============================
AT_SYSINFO is used for locating the vsyscall entry point. It is not
exported on 64-bit mode.
AT_SYSINFO_EHDR is the start address of the page containing the vDSO.
AT_MINSIGSTKSZ denotes the minimum stack size required by the kernel to
deliver a signal to user-space. AT_MINSIGSTKSZ comprehends the space
consumed by the kernel to accommodate the user context for the current
hardware configuration. It does not comprehend subsequent user-space stack
consumption, which must be added by the user. (e.g. Above, user-space adds
SIGSTKSZ to AT_MINSIGSTKSZ.)