2 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-only
4 # Copyright (C) 2018-2019 Netronome Systems, Inc.
5 # Copyright (C) 2021 Isovalent, Inc.
7 # In case user attempts to run with Python 2.
8 from __future__ import print_function
15 helpersDocStart = 'Start of BPF helper function descriptions:'
17 class NoHelperFound(BaseException):
20 class NoSyscallCommandFound(BaseException):
23 class ParsingError(BaseException):
24 def __init__(self, line='<line not provided>', reader=None):
26 BaseException.__init__(self,
27 'Error at file offset %d, parsing line: %s' %
28 (reader.tell(), line))
30 BaseException.__init__(self, 'Error parsing line: %s' % line)
33 class APIElement(object):
35 An object representing the description of an aspect of the eBPF API.
36 @proto: prototype of the API symbol
37 @desc: textual description of the symbol
38 @ret: (optional) description of any associated return value
40 def __init__(self, proto='', desc='', ret=''):
46 class Helper(APIElement):
48 An object representing the description of an eBPF helper function.
49 @proto: function prototype of the helper function
50 @desc: textual description of the helper function
51 @ret: description of the return value of the helper function
53 def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
54 super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
57 def proto_break_down(self):
59 Break down helper function protocol into smaller chunks: return type,
60 name, distincts arguments.
62 arg_re = re.compile('((\w+ )*?(\w+|...))( (\**)(\w+))?$')
64 proto_re = re.compile('(.+) (\**)(\w+)\(((([^,]+)(, )?){1,5})\)$')
66 capture = proto_re.match(self.proto)
67 res['ret_type'] = capture.group(1)
68 res['ret_star'] = capture.group(2)
69 res['name'] = capture.group(3)
72 args = capture.group(4).split(', ')
74 capture = arg_re.match(a)
76 'type' : capture.group(1),
77 'star' : capture.group(5),
78 'name' : capture.group(6)
84 class HeaderParser(object):
86 An object used to parse a file in order to extract the documentation of a
87 list of eBPF helper functions. All the helpers that can be retrieved are
88 stored as Helper object, in the self.helpers() array.
89 @filename: name of file to parse, usually include/uapi/linux/bpf.h in the
92 def __init__(self, filename):
93 self.reader = open(filename, 'r')
97 self.desc_unique_helpers = set()
98 self.define_unique_helpers = []
99 self.helper_enum_vals = {}
100 self.desc_syscalls = []
101 self.enum_syscalls = []
103 def parse_element(self):
104 proto = self.parse_symbol()
105 desc = self.parse_desc(proto)
106 ret = self.parse_ret(proto)
107 return APIElement(proto=proto, desc=desc, ret=ret)
109 def parse_helper(self):
110 proto = self.parse_proto()
111 desc = self.parse_desc(proto)
112 ret = self.parse_ret(proto)
113 return Helper(proto=proto, desc=desc, ret=ret)
115 def parse_symbol(self):
116 p = re.compile(' \* ?(BPF\w+)$')
117 capture = p.match(self.line)
119 raise NoSyscallCommandFound
120 end_re = re.compile(' \* ?NOTES$')
121 end = end_re.match(self.line)
123 raise NoSyscallCommandFound
124 self.line = self.reader.readline()
125 return capture.group(1)
127 def parse_proto(self):
128 # Argument can be of shape:
132 # - Same as above, with "const" and/or "struct" in front of type
133 # - "..." (undefined number of arguments, for bpf_trace_printk())
134 # There is at least one term ("void"), and at most five arguments.
135 p = re.compile(' \* ?((.+) \**\w+\((((const )?(struct )?(\w+|\.\.\.)( \**\w+)?)(, )?){1,5}\))$')
136 capture = p.match(self.line)
139 self.line = self.reader.readline()
140 return capture.group(1)
142 def parse_desc(self, proto):
143 p = re.compile(' \* ?(?:\t| {5,8})Description$')
144 capture = p.match(self.line)
146 raise Exception("No description section found for " + proto)
147 # Description can be several lines, some of them possibly empty, and it
148 # stops when another subsection title is met.
152 self.line = self.reader.readline()
153 if self.line == ' *\n':
156 p = re.compile(' \* ?(?:\t| {5,8})(?:\t| {8})(.*)')
157 capture = p.match(self.line)
160 desc += capture.group(1) + '\n'
165 raise Exception("No description found for " + proto)
168 def parse_ret(self, proto):
169 p = re.compile(' \* ?(?:\t| {5,8})Return$')
170 capture = p.match(self.line)
172 raise Exception("No return section found for " + proto)
173 # Return value description can be several lines, some of them possibly
174 # empty, and it stops when another subsection title is met.
178 self.line = self.reader.readline()
179 if self.line == ' *\n':
182 p = re.compile(' \* ?(?:\t| {5,8})(?:\t| {8})(.*)')
183 capture = p.match(self.line)
186 ret += capture.group(1) + '\n'
191 raise Exception("No return found for " + proto)
194 def seek_to(self, target, help_message, discard_lines = 1):
196 offset = self.reader.read().find(target)
198 raise Exception(help_message)
199 self.reader.seek(offset)
200 self.reader.readline()
201 for _ in range(discard_lines):
202 self.reader.readline()
203 self.line = self.reader.readline()
205 def parse_desc_syscall(self):
206 self.seek_to('* DOC: eBPF Syscall Commands',
207 'Could not find start of eBPF syscall descriptions list')
210 command = self.parse_element()
211 self.commands.append(command)
212 self.desc_syscalls.append(command.proto)
214 except NoSyscallCommandFound:
217 def parse_enum_syscall(self):
218 self.seek_to('enum bpf_cmd {',
219 'Could not find start of bpf_cmd enum', 0)
220 # Searches for either one or more BPF\w+ enums
221 bpf_p = re.compile('\s*(BPF\w+)+')
222 # Searches for an enum entry assigned to another entry,
223 # for e.g. BPF_PROG_RUN = BPF_PROG_TEST_RUN, which is
224 # not documented hence should be skipped in check to
225 # determine if the right number of syscalls are documented
226 assign_p = re.compile('\s*(BPF\w+)\s*=\s*(BPF\w+)')
229 capture = assign_p.match(self.line)
231 # Skip line if an enum entry is assigned to another entry
232 self.line = self.reader.readline()
234 capture = bpf_p.match(self.line)
236 bpf_cmd_str += self.line
239 self.line = self.reader.readline()
240 # Find the number of occurences of BPF\w+
241 self.enum_syscalls = re.findall('(BPF\w+)+', bpf_cmd_str)
243 def parse_desc_helpers(self):
244 self.seek_to(helpersDocStart,
245 'Could not find start of eBPF helper descriptions list')
248 helper = self.parse_helper()
249 self.helpers.append(helper)
250 proto = helper.proto_break_down()
251 self.desc_unique_helpers.add(proto['name'])
252 except NoHelperFound:
255 def parse_define_helpers(self):
256 # Parse FN(...) in #define ___BPF_FUNC_MAPPER to compare later with the
257 # number of unique function names present in description and use the
258 # correct enumeration value.
259 # Note: seek_to(..) discards the first line below the target search text,
260 # resulting in FN(unspec, 0, ##ctx) being skipped and not added to
261 # self.define_unique_helpers.
262 self.seek_to('#define ___BPF_FUNC_MAPPER(FN, ctx...)',
263 'Could not find start of eBPF helper definition list')
264 # Searches for one FN(\w+) define or a backslash for newline
265 p = re.compile('\s*FN\((\w+), (\d+), ##ctx\)|\\\\')
268 capture = p.match(self.line)
270 fn_defines_str += self.line
271 self.helper_enum_vals[capture.expand(r'bpf_\1')] = int(capture[2])
274 self.line = self.reader.readline()
275 # Find the number of occurences of FN(\w+)
276 self.define_unique_helpers = re.findall('FN\(\w+, \d+, ##ctx\)', fn_defines_str)
278 def assign_helper_values(self):
280 for helper in self.helpers:
281 proto = helper.proto_break_down()
284 enum_val = self.helper_enum_vals[name]
286 raise Exception("Helper %s is missing from enum bpf_func_id" % name)
288 # Enforce current practice of having the descriptions ordered
290 seen_helpers.add(name)
291 desc_val = len(seen_helpers)
292 if desc_val != enum_val:
293 raise Exception("Helper %s comment order (#%d) must be aligned with its position (#%d) in enum bpf_func_id" % (name, desc_val, enum_val))
295 helper.enum_val = enum_val
298 self.parse_desc_syscall()
299 self.parse_enum_syscall()
300 self.parse_desc_helpers()
301 self.parse_define_helpers()
302 self.assign_helper_values()
305 ###############################################################################
307 class Printer(object):
309 A generic class for printers. Printers should be created with an array of
310 Helper objects, and implement a way to print them in the desired fashion.
311 @parser: A HeaderParser with objects to print to standard output
313 def __init__(self, parser):
317 def print_header(self):
320 def print_footer(self):
323 def print_one(self, helper):
328 for elem in self.elements:
332 def elem_number_check(self, desc_unique_elem, define_unique_elem, type, instance):
334 Checks the number of helpers/syscalls documented within the header file
335 description with those defined as part of enum/macro and raise an
336 Exception if they don't match.
338 nr_desc_unique_elem = len(desc_unique_elem)
339 nr_define_unique_elem = len(define_unique_elem)
340 if nr_desc_unique_elem != nr_define_unique_elem:
342 The number of unique %s in description (%d) doesn\'t match the number of unique %s defined in %s (%d)
343 ''' % (type, nr_desc_unique_elem, type, instance, nr_define_unique_elem)
344 if nr_desc_unique_elem < nr_define_unique_elem:
345 # Function description is parsed until no helper is found (which can be due to
346 # misformatting). Hence, only print the first missing/misformatted helper/enum.
348 The description for %s is not present or formatted correctly.
349 ''' % (define_unique_elem[nr_desc_unique_elem])
350 raise Exception(exception_msg)
352 class PrinterRST(Printer):
354 A generic class for printers that print ReStructured Text. Printers should
355 be created with a HeaderParser object, and implement a way to print API
356 elements in the desired fashion.
357 @parser: A HeaderParser with objects to print to standard output
359 def __init__(self, parser):
362 def print_license(self):
364 .. Copyright (C) All BPF authors and contributors from 2014 to present.
365 .. See git log include/uapi/linux/bpf.h in kernel tree for details.
367 .. SPDX-License-Identifier: Linux-man-pages-copyleft
369 .. Please do not edit this file. It was generated from the documentation
370 .. located in file include/uapi/linux/bpf.h of the Linux kernel sources
371 .. (helpers description), and from scripts/bpf_doc.py in the same
372 .. repository (header and footer).
376 def print_elem(self, elem):
378 print('\tDescription')
379 # Do not strip all newline characters: formatted code at the end of
380 # a section must be followed by a blank line.
381 for line in re.sub('\n$', '', elem.desc, count=1).split('\n'):
382 print('{}{}'.format('\t\t' if line else '', line))
386 for line in elem.ret.rstrip().split('\n'):
387 print('{}{}'.format('\t\t' if line else '', line))
391 def get_kernel_version(self):
393 version = subprocess.run(['git', 'describe'], cwd=linuxRoot,
394 capture_output=True, check=True)
395 version = version.stdout.decode().rstrip()
398 version = subprocess.run(['make', 'kernelversion'], cwd=linuxRoot,
399 capture_output=True, check=True)
400 version = version.stdout.decode().rstrip()
403 return 'Linux {version}'.format(version=version)
405 def get_last_doc_update(self, delimiter):
407 cmd = ['git', 'log', '-1', '--pretty=format:%cs', '--no-patch',
409 '/{}/,/\*\//:include/uapi/linux/bpf.h'.format(delimiter)]
410 date = subprocess.run(cmd, cwd=linuxRoot,
411 capture_output=True, check=True)
412 return date.stdout.decode().rstrip()
416 class PrinterHelpersRST(PrinterRST):
418 A printer for dumping collected information about helpers as a ReStructured
419 Text page compatible with the rst2man program, which can be used to
420 generate a manual page for the helpers.
421 @parser: A HeaderParser with Helper objects to print to standard output
423 def __init__(self, parser):
424 self.elements = parser.helpers
425 self.elem_number_check(parser.desc_unique_helpers, parser.define_unique_helpers, 'helper', '___BPF_FUNC_MAPPER')
427 def print_header(self):
432 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
433 list of eBPF helper functions
434 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
443 The extended Berkeley Packet Filter (eBPF) subsystem consists in programs
444 written in a pseudo-assembly language, then attached to one of the several
445 kernel hooks and run in reaction of specific events. This framework differs
446 from the older, "classic" BPF (or "cBPF") in several aspects, one of them being
447 the ability to call special functions (or "helpers") from within a program.
448 These functions are restricted to a white-list of helpers defined in the
451 These helpers are used by eBPF programs to interact with the system, or with
452 the context in which they work. For instance, they can be used to print
453 debugging messages, to get the time since the system was booted, to interact
454 with eBPF maps, or to manipulate network packets. Since there are several eBPF
455 program types, and that they do not run in the same context, each program type
456 can only call a subset of those helpers.
458 Due to eBPF conventions, a helper can not have more than five arguments.
460 Internally, eBPF programs call directly into the compiled helper functions
461 without requiring any foreign-function interface. As a result, calling helpers
462 introduces no overhead, thus offering excellent performance.
464 This document is an attempt to list and document the helpers available to eBPF
465 developers. They are sorted by chronological order (the oldest helpers in the
471 kernelVersion = self.get_kernel_version()
472 lastUpdate = self.get_last_doc_update(helpersDocStart)
474 PrinterRST.print_license(self)
475 print(header.format(version=kernelVersion,
476 date_field = ':Date: ' if lastUpdate else '',
479 def print_footer(self):
484 Example usage for most of the eBPF helpers listed in this manual page are
485 available within the Linux kernel sources, at the following locations:
488 * *tools/testing/selftests/bpf/*
493 eBPF programs can have an associated license, passed along with the bytecode
494 instructions to the kernel when the programs are loaded. The format for that
495 string is identical to the one in use for kernel modules (Dual licenses, such
496 as "Dual BSD/GPL", may be used). Some helper functions are only accessible to
497 programs that are compatible with the GNU Privacy License (GPL).
499 In order to use such helpers, the eBPF program must be loaded with the correct
500 license string passed (via **attr**) to the **bpf**\ () system call, and this
501 generally translates into the C source code of the program containing a line
502 similar to the following:
506 char ____license[] __attribute__((section("license"), used)) = "GPL";
511 This manual page is an effort to document the existing eBPF helper functions.
512 But as of this writing, the BPF sub-system is under heavy development. New eBPF
513 program or map types are added, along with new helper functions. Some helpers
514 are occasionally made available for additional program types. So in spite of
515 the efforts of the community, this page might not be up-to-date. If you want to
516 check by yourself what helper functions exist in your kernel, or what types of
517 programs they can support, here are some files among the kernel tree that you
518 may be interested in:
520 * *include/uapi/linux/bpf.h* is the main BPF header. It contains the full list
521 of all helper functions, as well as many other BPF definitions including most
522 of the flags, structs or constants used by the helpers.
523 * *net/core/filter.c* contains the definition of most network-related helper
524 functions, and the list of program types from which they can be used.
525 * *kernel/trace/bpf_trace.c* is the equivalent for most tracing program-related
527 * *kernel/bpf/verifier.c* contains the functions used to check that valid types
528 of eBPF maps are used with a given helper function.
529 * *kernel/bpf/* directory contains other files in which additional helpers are
530 defined (for cgroups, sockmaps, etc.).
531 * The bpftool utility can be used to probe the availability of helper functions
532 on the system (as well as supported program and map types, and a number of
533 other parameters). To do so, run **bpftool feature probe** (see
534 **bpftool-feature**\ (8) for details). Add the **unprivileged** keyword to
535 list features available to unprivileged users.
537 Compatibility between helper functions and program types can generally be found
538 in the files where helper functions are defined. Look for the **struct
539 bpf_func_proto** objects and for functions returning them: these functions
540 contain a list of helpers that a given program type can call. Note that the
541 **default:** label of the **switch ... case** used to filter helpers can call
542 other functions, themselves allowing access to additional helpers. The
543 requirement for GPL license is also in those **struct bpf_func_proto**.
545 Compatibility between helper functions and map types can be found in the
546 **check_map_func_compatibility**\ () function in file *kernel/bpf/verifier.c*.
548 Helper functions that invalidate the checks on **data** and **data_end**
549 pointers for network processing are listed in function
550 **bpf_helper_changes_pkt_data**\ () in file *net/core/filter.c*.
559 **perf_event_open**\ (2),
565 def print_proto(self, helper):
567 Format function protocol with bold and italics markers. This makes RST
568 file less readable, but gives nice results in the manual page.
570 proto = helper.proto_break_down()
572 print('**%s %s%s(' % (proto['ret_type'],
573 proto['ret_star'].replace('*', '\\*'),
578 for a in proto['args']:
579 one_arg = '{}{}'.format(comma, a['type'])
582 one_arg += ' {}**\ '.format(a['star'].replace('*', '\\*'))
585 one_arg += '*{}*\\ **'.format(a['name'])
587 print(one_arg, end='')
591 def print_one(self, helper):
592 self.print_proto(helper)
593 self.print_elem(helper)
596 class PrinterSyscallRST(PrinterRST):
598 A printer for dumping collected information about the syscall API as a
599 ReStructured Text page compatible with the rst2man program, which can be
600 used to generate a manual page for the syscall.
601 @parser: A HeaderParser with APIElement objects to print to standard
604 def __init__(self, parser):
605 self.elements = parser.commands
606 self.elem_number_check(parser.desc_syscalls, parser.enum_syscalls, 'syscall', 'bpf_cmd')
608 def print_header(self):
613 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
614 Perform a command on an extended BPF object
615 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
622 PrinterRST.print_license(self)
625 def print_one(self, command):
626 print('**%s**' % (command.proto))
627 self.print_elem(command)
630 class PrinterHelpers(Printer):
632 A printer for dumping collected information about helpers as C header to
633 be included from BPF program.
634 @parser: A HeaderParser with Helper objects to print to standard output
636 def __init__(self, parser):
637 self.elements = parser.helpers
638 self.elem_number_check(parser.desc_unique_helpers, parser.define_unique_helpers, 'helper', '___BPF_FUNC_MAPPER')
641 'struct bpf_fib_lookup',
642 'struct bpf_sk_lookup',
643 'struct bpf_perf_event_data',
644 'struct bpf_perf_event_value',
645 'struct bpf_pidns_info',
646 'struct bpf_redir_neigh',
648 'struct bpf_sock_addr',
649 'struct bpf_sock_ops',
650 'struct bpf_sock_tuple',
651 'struct bpf_spin_lock',
653 'struct bpf_tcp_sock',
654 'struct bpf_tunnel_key',
655 'struct bpf_xfrm_state',
656 'struct linux_binprm',
658 'struct sk_reuseport_md',
664 'struct tcp_timewait_sock',
665 'struct tcp_request_sock',
668 'struct task_struct',
698 'struct bpf_fib_lookup',
699 'struct bpf_perf_event_data',
700 'struct bpf_perf_event_value',
701 'struct bpf_pidns_info',
702 'struct bpf_redir_neigh',
703 'struct bpf_sk_lookup',
705 'struct bpf_sock_addr',
706 'struct bpf_sock_ops',
707 'struct bpf_sock_tuple',
708 'struct bpf_spin_lock',
710 'struct bpf_tcp_sock',
711 'struct bpf_tunnel_key',
712 'struct bpf_xfrm_state',
713 'struct linux_binprm',
715 'struct sk_reuseport_md',
721 'struct tcp_timewait_sock',
722 'struct tcp_request_sock',
725 'struct task_struct',
746 'size_t': 'unsigned long',
747 'struct bpf_map': 'void',
748 'struct sk_buff': 'struct __sk_buff',
749 'const struct sk_buff': 'const struct __sk_buff',
750 'struct sk_msg_buff': 'struct sk_msg_md',
751 'struct xdp_buff': 'struct xdp_md',
753 # Helpers overloaded for different context types.
754 overloaded_helpers = [
755 'bpf_get_socket_cookie',
759 def print_header(self):
761 /* This is auto-generated file. See bpf_doc.py for details. */
763 /* Forward declarations of BPF structs */'''
766 for fwd in self.type_fwds:
770 def print_footer(self):
774 def map_type(self, t):
775 if t in self.known_types:
777 if t in self.mapped_types:
778 return self.mapped_types[t]
779 print("Unrecognized type '%s', please add it to known types!" % t,
785 def print_one(self, helper):
786 proto = helper.proto_break_down()
788 if proto['name'] in self.seen_helpers:
790 self.seen_helpers.add(proto['name'])
793 print(" * %s" % proto['name'])
796 # Do not strip all newline characters: formatted code at the end of
797 # a section must be followed by a blank line.
798 for line in re.sub('\n$', '', helper.desc, count=1).split('\n'):
799 print(' *{}{}'.format(' \t' if line else '', line))
804 for line in helper.ret.rstrip().split('\n'):
805 print(' *{}{}'.format(' \t' if line else '', line))
808 print('static %s %s(*%s)(' % (self.map_type(proto['ret_type']),
809 proto['ret_star'], proto['name']), end='')
811 for i, a in enumerate(proto['args']):
814 if proto['name'] in self.overloaded_helpers and i == 0:
817 one_arg = '{}{}'.format(comma, self.map_type(t))
820 one_arg += ' {}'.format(a['star'])
823 one_arg += '{}'.format(n)
825 print(one_arg, end='')
827 print(') = (void *) %d;' % helper.enum_val)
830 ###############################################################################
832 # If script is launched from scripts/ from kernel tree and can access
833 # ../include/uapi/linux/bpf.h, use it as a default name for the file to parse,
834 # otherwise the --filename argument will be required from the command line.
835 script = os.path.abspath(sys.argv[0])
836 linuxRoot = os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(script))
837 bpfh = os.path.join(linuxRoot, 'include/uapi/linux/bpf.h')
840 'helpers': PrinterHelpersRST,
841 'syscall': PrinterSyscallRST,
844 argParser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="""
845 Parse eBPF header file and generate documentation for the eBPF API.
846 The RST-formatted output produced can be turned into a manual page with the
849 argParser.add_argument('--header', action='store_true',
850 help='generate C header file')
851 if (os.path.isfile(bpfh)):
852 argParser.add_argument('--filename', help='path to include/uapi/linux/bpf.h',
855 argParser.add_argument('--filename', help='path to include/uapi/linux/bpf.h')
856 argParser.add_argument('target', nargs='?', default='helpers',
857 choices=printers.keys(), help='eBPF API target')
858 args = argParser.parse_args()
861 headerParser = HeaderParser(args.filename)
864 # Print formatted output to standard output.
866 if args.target != 'helpers':
867 raise NotImplementedError('Only helpers header generation is supported')
868 printer = PrinterHelpers(headerParser)
870 printer = printers[args.target](headerParser)