linux/tools/lib/bpf

.. SPDX-License-Identifier: (LGPL-2.1 OR BSD-2-Clause)

libbpf API naming convention
============================

libbpf API provides access to a few logically separated groups of
functions and types. Every group has its own naming convention
described here. It's recommended to follow these conventions whenever a
new function or type is added to keep libbpf API clean and consistent.

All types and functions provided by libbpf API should have one of the
following prefixes: ``bpf_``, ``btf_``, ``libbpf_``.

System call wrappers
--------------------

System call wrappers are simple wrappers for commands supported by
sys_bpf system call. These wrappers should go to ``bpf.h`` header file
and map one-on-one to corresponding commands.

For example ``bpf_map_lookup_elem`` wraps ``BPF_MAP_LOOKUP_ELEM``
command of sys_bpf, ``bpf_prog_attach`` wraps ``BPF_PROG_ATTACH``, etc.

Objects
-------

Another class of types and functions provided by libbpf API is "objects"
and functions to work with them. Objects are high-level abstractions
such as BPF program or BPF map. They're represented by corresponding
structures such as ``struct bpf_object``, ``struct bpf_program``,
``struct bpf_map``, etc.

Structures are forward declared and access to their fields should be
provided via corresponding getters and setters rather than directly.

These objects are associated with corresponding parts of ELF object that
contains compiled BPF programs.

For example ``struct bpf_object`` represents ELF object itself created
from an ELF file or from a buffer, ``struct bpf_program`` represents a
program in ELF object and ``struct bpf_map`` is a map.

Functions that work with an object have names built from object name,
double underscore and part that describes function purpose.

For example ``bpf_object__open`` consists of the name of corresponding
object, ``bpf_object``, double underscore and ``open`` that defines the
purpose of the function to open ELF file and create ``bpf_object`` from
it.

Another example: ``bpf_program__load`` is named for corresponding
object, ``bpf_program``, that is separated from other part of the name
by double underscore.

All objects and corresponding functions other than BTF related should go
to ``libbpf.h``. BTF types and functions should go to ``btf.h``.

Auxiliary functions
-------------------

Auxiliary functions and types that don't fit well in any of categories
described above should have ``libbpf_`` prefix, e.g.
``libbpf_get_error`` or ``libbpf_prog_type_by_name``.

libbpf ABI
==========

libbpf can be both linked statically or used as DSO. To avoid possible
conflicts with other libraries an application is linked with, all
non-static libbpf symbols should have one of the prefixes mentioned in
API documentation above. See API naming convention to choose the right
name for a new symbol.

Symbol visibility
-----------------

libbpf follow the model when all global symbols have visibility "hidden"
by default and to make a symbol visible it has to be explicitly
attributed with ``LIBBPF_API`` macro. For example:

.. code-block:: c

        LIBBPF_API int bpf_prog_get_fd_by_id(__u32 id);

This prevents from accidentally exporting a symbol, that is not supposed
to be a part of ABI what, in turn, improves both libbpf developer- and
user-experiences.

ABI versionning
---------------

To make future ABI extensions possible libbpf ABI is versioned.
Versioning is implemented by ``libbpf.map`` version script that is
passed to linker.

Version name is ``LIBBPF_`` prefix + three-component numeric version,
starting from ``0.0.1``.

Every time ABI is being changed, e.g. because a new symbol is added or
semantic of existing symbol is changed, ABI version should be bumped.

For example, if current state of ``libbpf.map`` is:

.. code-block::
        LIBBPF_0.0.1 {
        	global:
                        bpf_func_a;
                        bpf_func_b;
        	local:
        		\*;
        };

, and a new symbol ``bpf_func_c`` is being introduced, then
``libbpf.map`` should be changed like this:

.. code-block::
        LIBBPF_0.0.1 {
        	global:
                        bpf_func_a;
                        bpf_func_b;
        	local:
        		\*;
        };
        LIBBPF_0.0.2 {
                global:
                        bpf_func_c;
        } LIBBPF_0.0.1;

, where new version ``LIBBPF_0.0.2`` depends on the previous
``LIBBPF_0.0.1``.

Format of version script and ways to handle ABI changes, including
incompatible ones, described in details in [1].

Stand-alone build
=================

Under https://github.com/libbpf/libbpf there is a (semi-)automated
mirror of the mainline's version of libbpf for a stand-alone build.

However, all changes to libbpf's code base must be upstreamed through
the mainline kernel tree.

License
=======

libbpf is dual-licensed under LGPL 2.1 and BSD 2-Clause.

Links
=====

[1] https://www.akkadia.org/drepper/dsohowto.pdf
    (Chapter 3. Maintaining APIs and ABIs).