4 In general the LXC project follows the Linux kernel coding style. There are
5 however are a few differences, these are outlined in this document.
7 The Linux kernel coding style guide can be found within the kernel tree:
9 Documentation/process/coding-style.rst
11 It can be accessed online too:
13 https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/latest/process/coding-style.html
17 - The coding style guide refers to new code. But legacy code can be cleaned up
18 and we are happy to take those patches.
19 - Just because there is still code in LXC that doesn't adhere to the coding
20 standards outlined here does not license not adhering to the coding style. In
21 other words: please stick to the coding style.
22 - Maintainers are free to ignore rules specified here when merging pull
23 requests. This guideline might seem a little weird but it exits to ease new
24 developers into the code base and to prevent unnecessary bikeshedding. If
25 a maintainer feels hat enforcing a specific rule in a given commit would do
26 more harm than good they should always feel free to ignore the rule.
28 Furthermore, when merging pull requests that do not adhere to our coding
29 style maintainers should feel free to grab the commit, adapt it to our coding
30 style and add their Signed-off-by line to it. This is especially helpful to
31 make it easier for first-time contributors and to prevent having pull
32 requests being stuck in the merge queue because of minor details.
33 - We currently do not provide automatic coding style checks but if a suitable
34 tool is found we are happy to integrate it into our test suite. It is
35 possible and recommended to use the `clang-format` binary to check your code.
36 The following options are an approximation of the coding style used here.
37 Simply create a file called `.clang-format` in your home directory with the
40 cat << EOF > "${HOME}"/.clang-format
41 AlignEscapedNewlines: Left
42 BreakBeforeBraces: Attach
43 AlwaysBreakBeforeMultilineStrings: false
44 BreakBeforeBinaryOperators: None
45 MaxEmptyLinesToKeep: 1
46 PenaltyBreakBeforeFirstCallParameter: 1000000
47 BinPackArguments: true
48 BinPackParameters: true
49 AllowAllParametersOfDeclarationOnNextLine: false
50 AlignAfterOpenBracket: true
51 SpacesInSquareBrackets: false
52 SpacesInCStyleCastParentheses: false
53 SpaceInEmptyParentheses: false
54 SpaceBeforeParens: ControlStatements
55 SpaceAfterCStyleCast: false
57 PenaltyReturnTypeOnItsOwnLine: 10000
58 PenaltyExcessCharacter: 10
60 ForEachMacros: ['lxc_list_for_each', 'lxc_list_for_each_safe']
61 AllowShortLoopsOnASingleLine: false
62 AllowShortIfStatementsOnASingleLine: false
63 AllowShortFunctionsOnASingleLine: None
64 AllowShortCaseLabelsOnASingleLine: false
65 AllowShortBlocksOnASingleLine: false
70 BreakBeforeBraces: Linux
71 AllowShortIfStatementsOnASingleLine: false
72 IndentCaseLabels: false
75 However, it will not handle all cases correctly. For example, most `struct`
76 initializations will not be correct. In such cases please refer to the coding
83 #### Only use `/* */` Style Comments
85 - Any comments that are added must use `/* */`.
86 - All comments should start on the same line as the opening `/*`.
87 - Single-line comments should simply be placed between `/* */`. For example:
89 /* Define pivot_root() if missing from the C library */
91 - Multi-line comments should end with the closing `*/` on a separate line. For
94 /* At this point the old-root is mounted on top of our new-root
95 * To unmounted it we must not be chdir()ed into it, so escape back
100 #### Try To Wrap At 80chars
102 - This is not strictly enforced. It is perfectly valid to sometimes
103 overflow this limit if it helps clarity. Nonetheless, try to stick to it
104 and use common sense to decide when not to.
108 - Error messages must start with a capital letter and must **not** end with a
110 - They should be descriptive, without being needlessly long. It is best to just
111 use already existing error messages as examples.
112 - Examples of acceptable error messages are:
114 SYSERROR("Failed to create directory \"%s\"", path);
115 WARN("\"/dev\" directory does not exist. Proceeding without autodev being set up");
118 #### Return Error Codes
120 - When writing a function that can fail in a non-binary way try to return
121 meaningful negative error codes (e.g. `return -EINVAL;`).
123 #### All Unexported Functions Must Be Declared `static`
125 - Functions which are only used in the current file and are not exported
126 within the codebase need to be declared with the `static` attribute.
128 #### All Exported Functions Must Be Declared `extern` In A Header File
130 - Functions which are used in different files in the library should be declared
131 in a suitable `*.c` file and exposed in a suitable `*.h` file. When defining
132 the function in the `*.c` file the function signature should not be preceded
133 by the `extern` keyword. When declaring the function signature in the `*.h`
134 file it must be preceded by the `extern` keyword. For example:
136 /* Valid function definition in a *.c file */
137 ssize_t lxc_write_nointr(int fd, const void* buf, size_t count)
141 ret = write(fd, buf, count);
142 if (ret < 0 && errno == EINTR)
147 /* Valid function declaration in a *.h file */
148 extern ssize_t lxc_write_nointr(int fd, const void* buf, size_t count);
151 #### All Names Must Be In lower_case
153 - All functions and variable names must use lower case.
155 #### Declaring Variables
157 - variables should be declared at the top of the function or at the beginning
158 of a new scope but **never** in the middle of a scope
159 1. uninitialized variables
160 - put base types before complex types
161 - put standard types defined by libc before types defined by LXC
162 - put multiple declarations of the same type on the same line
163 2. initialized variables
164 - put base types before complex types
165 - put standard types defined by libc before types defined by LXC
166 - put multiple declarations of the same type on the same line
167 - Examples of good declarations can be seen in the following function:
169 int lxc_clear_procs(struct lxc_conf *c, const char *key)
171 struct lxc_list *it, *next;
173 const char *k = NULL;
175 if (strcmp(key, "lxc.proc") == 0)
177 else if (strncmp(key, "lxc.proc.", sizeof("lxc.proc.") - 1) == 0)
178 k = key + sizeof("lxc.proc.") - 1;
182 lxc_list_for_each_safe(it, &c->procs, next) {
183 struct lxc_proc *proc = it->elem;
185 if (!all && strcmp(proc->filename, k) != 0)
188 free(proc->filename);
198 #### Single-line `if` blocks should not be enclosed in `{}`
200 - This also affects `if-else` ladders if and only if all constituting
202 single-line conditions. If there is at least one non-single-line
203 condition `{}` must be used.
206 /* no brackets needed */
210 /* The else branch has more than one-line and so needs {}. This entails that
211 * the if branch also needs to have {}.
213 if ( errno == EROFS ) {
214 WARN("Warning: Read Only file system while creating %s", path);
216 SYSERROR("Error creating %s", path);
221 for (i = 0; list[i]; i++)
222 if (strcmp(list[i], entry) == 0)
227 WARN("Failed to set FD_CLOEXEC flag on slave fd %d of "
228 "pty device \"%s\": %s", pty_info->slave,
229 pty_info->name, strerror(errno));
233 for (i = 0; i < sizeof(limit_opt)/sizeof(limit_opt[0]); ++i) {
234 if (strcmp(res, limit_opt[i].name) == 0)
235 return limit_opt[i].value;
239 #### Functions Not Returning Booleans Must Assign Return Value Before Performing Checks
241 - When checking whether a function not returning booleans was successful or not
242 the returned value must be assigned before it is checked (`str{n}cmp()`
243 functions being one notable exception). For example:
245 /* assign value to "ret" first */
246 ret = mount(sourcepath, cgpath, "cgroup", remount_flags, NULL);
247 /* check whether function was successful */
249 SYSERROR("Failed to remount \"%s\" ro", cgpath);
254 Functions returning booleans can be checked directly. For example:
256 extern bool lxc_string_in_array(const char *needle, const char **haystack);
258 /* check right away */
259 if (lxc_string_in_array("ns", (const char **)h->subsystems))
263 #### Non-Boolean Functions That Behave Like Boolean Functions Must Explicitly Check Against A Value
265 - This rule mainly exists for `str{n}cmp()` type functions. In most cases they
266 are used like a boolean function to check whether a string matches or not.
267 But they return an integer. It is perfectly fine to check `str{n}cmp()`
268 functions directly but you must compare explicitly against a value. That is
269 to say, while they are conceptually boolean functions they shouldn't be
270 treated as such since they don't really behave like boolean functions. So
271 `if (!str{n}cmp())` and `if (str{n}cmp())` checks must not be used. Good
272 examples are found in the following functions:
274 static int set_config_hooks(const char *key, const char *value,
275 struct lxc_conf *lxc_conf, void *data)
279 if (lxc_config_value_empty(value))
280 return lxc_clear_hooks(lxc_conf, key);
282 if (strcmp(key + 4, "hook") == 0) {
283 ERROR("lxc.hook must not have a value");
287 copy = strdup(value);
291 if (strcmp(key + 9, "pre-start") == 0)
292 return add_hook(lxc_conf, LXCHOOK_PRESTART, copy);
293 else if (strcmp(key + 9, "start-host") == 0)
294 return add_hook(lxc_conf, LXCHOOK_START_HOST, copy);
295 else if (strcmp(key + 9, "pre-mount") == 0)
296 return add_hook(lxc_conf, LXCHOOK_PREMOUNT, copy);
297 else if (strcmp(key + 9, "autodev") == 0)
298 return add_hook(lxc_conf, LXCHOOK_AUTODEV, copy);
299 else if (strcmp(key + 9, "mount") == 0)
300 return add_hook(lxc_conf, LXCHOOK_MOUNT, copy);
301 else if (strcmp(key + 9, "start") == 0)
302 return add_hook(lxc_conf, LXCHOOK_START, copy);
303 else if (strcmp(key + 9, "stop") == 0)
304 return add_hook(lxc_conf, LXCHOOK_STOP, copy);
305 else if (strcmp(key + 9, "post-stop") == 0)
306 return add_hook(lxc_conf, LXCHOOK_POSTSTOP, copy);
307 else if (strcmp(key + 9, "clone") == 0)
308 return add_hook(lxc_conf, LXCHOOK_CLONE, copy);
309 else if (strcmp(key + 9, "destroy") == 0)
310 return add_hook(lxc_conf, LXCHOOK_DESTROY, copy);
317 #### Do Not Use C99 Variable Length Arrays (VLA)
319 - They are made optional and there is no guarantee that future C standards
322 #### Use Standard libc Macros When Exiting
324 - libc provides `EXIT_FAILURE` and `EXIT_SUCCESS`. Use them whenever possible
325 in the child of `fork()`ed process or when exiting from a `main()` function.
329 `goto`s are an essential language construct of C and are perfect to perform
330 cleanup operations or simplify the logic of functions. However, here are the
332 - use descriptive `goto` labels.
333 For example, if you know that this label is only used as an error path you
334 should use something like `on_error` instead of `out` as label name.
335 - **only** jump downwards unless you are handling `EAGAIN` errors and want to
336 avoid `do-while` constructs.
337 - An example of a good usage of `goto` is:
339 static int set_config_idmaps(const char *key, const char *value,
340 struct lxc_conf *lxc_conf, void *data)
342 unsigned long hostid, nsid, range;
345 struct lxc_list *idmaplist = NULL;
346 struct id_map *idmap = NULL;
348 if (lxc_config_value_empty(value))
349 return lxc_clear_idmaps(lxc_conf);
351 idmaplist = malloc(sizeof(*idmaplist));
355 idmap = malloc(sizeof(*idmap));
358 memset(idmap, 0, sizeof(*idmap));
360 ret = parse_idmaps(value, &type, &nsid, &hostid, &range);
362 ERROR("Failed to parse id mappings");
366 INFO("Read uid map: type %c nsid %lu hostid %lu range %lu", type, nsid, hostid, range);
368 idmap->idtype = ID_TYPE_UID;
369 else if (type == 'g')
370 idmap->idtype = ID_TYPE_GID;
374 idmap->hostid = hostid;
376 idmap->range = range;
377 idmaplist->elem = idmap;
378 lxc_list_add_tail(&lxc_conf->id_map, idmaplist);
380 if (!lxc_conf->root_nsuid_map && idmap->idtype == ID_TYPE_UID)
381 if (idmap->nsid == 0)
382 lxc_conf->root_nsuid_map = idmap;
385 if (!lxc_conf->root_nsgid_map && idmap->idtype == ID_TYPE_GID)
386 if (idmap->nsid == 0)
387 lxc_conf->root_nsgid_map = idmap;
401 #### Use Booleans instead of integers
403 - When something can be conceptualized in a binary way use a boolean not
406 #### Cleanup Functions Must Handle The Object's Null Type And Being Passed Already Cleaned Up Objects
408 - If you implement a custom cleanup function to e.g. free a complex type
409 you declared you must ensure that the object's null type is handled and
410 treated as a NOOP. For example:
412 void lxc_free_array(void **array, lxc_free_fn element_free_fn)
415 for (p = array; p && *p; p++)
420 - Cleanup functions should also expect to be passed already cleaned up objects.
421 One way to handle this cleanly is to initialize the cleaned up variable to
422 a special value that signals the function that the element has already been
423 freed on the next call. For example, the following function cleans up file
424 descriptors and sets the already closed file descriptors to `-EBADF`. On the
425 next call it can simply check whether the file descriptor is positive and
428 static void lxc_put_attach_clone_payload(struct attach_clone_payload *p)
430 if (p->ipc_socket >= 0) {
431 shutdown(p->ipc_socket, SHUT_RDWR);
432 close(p->ipc_socket);
433 p->ipc_socket = -EBADF;
436 if (p->pty_fd >= 0) {
442 lxc_proc_put_context_info(p->init_ctx);
448 ### Cast to `(void)` When Intentionally Ignoring Return Values
450 - There are cases where you do not care about the return value of a function.
451 Please cast the return value to `(void)` when doing so.
452 - Standard library functions or functions which are known to be ignored by
453 default do not need to be cast to `(void)`. Classical candidates are
454 `close()` and `fclose()`.
457 for (i = 0; hierarchies[i]; i++) {
459 char *path = hierarchies[i]->fullcgpath;
461 ret = chowmod(path, destuid, nsgid, 0755);
465 /* failures to chown() these are inconvenient but not
466 * detrimental we leave these owned by the container launcher,
467 * so that container root can write to the files to attach. we
468 * chmod() them 664 so that container systemd can write to the
469 * files (which systemd in wily insists on doing).
472 if (hierarchies[i]->version == cgroup_super_magic) {
473 fullpath = must_make_path(path, "tasks", null);
474 (void)chowmod(fullpath, destuid, nsgid, 0664);
478 fullpath = must_make_path(path, "cgroup.procs", null);
479 (void)chowmod(fullpath, destuid, 0, 0664);
482 if (hierarchies[i]->version != cgroup2_super_magic)
485 fullpath = must_make_path(path, "cgroup.subtree_control", null);
486 (void)chowmod(fullpath, destuid, nsgid, 0664);
489 fullpath = must_make_path(path, "cgroup.threads", null);
490 (void)chowmod(fullpath, destuid, nsgid, 0664);
495 #### Use `for (;;)` instead of `while (1)` or `while (true)`
497 - Let's be honest, it is really the only sensible way to do this.
499 #### Use The Set Of Supported DCO Statements
501 - Signed-off-by: Random J Developer <random@developer.org>
502 - You did write this code or have the right to contribute it to LXC.
503 - Acked-by: Random J Developer <random@developer.org>
504 - You did read the code and think it is correct. This is usually only used by
505 maintainers or developers that have made significant contributions and can
506 vouch for the correctness of someone else's code.
507 - Reviewed-by: Random J Developer <random@developer.org>
508 - You did review the code and vouch for its correctness, i.e. you'd be
509 prepared to fix bugs it might cause. This is usually only used by
510 maintainers or developers that have made significant contributions and can
511 vouch for the correctness of someone else's code.
512 - Co-developed-by: Random J Developer <random@developer.org>
513 - The code can not be reasonably attributed to a single developer, i.e.
514 you worked on this together.
515 - Tested-by: Random J Developer <random@developer.org>
516 - You verified that the code fixes a given bug or is behaving as advertised.
517 - Reported-by: Random J Developer <random@developer.org>
518 - You found and reported the bug.
519 - Suggested-by: Random J Developer <random@developer.org>
520 - You wrote the code but someone contributed the idea. This line is usually
521 overlooked but it is a sign of good etiquette and coding ethics: if someone
522 helped you solve a problem or had a clever idea do not silently claim it by
523 slapping your Signed-off-by underneath. Be honest and add a Suggested-by.
525 #### Commit Message Outline
527 - You **must** stick to the 80chars limit especially in the title of the commit
529 - Please use English commit messages only.
530 - use meaningful commit messages.
531 - Use correct spelling and grammar.
532 If you are not a native speaker and/or feel yourself struggling with this it
533 is perfectly fine to point this out and there's no need to apologize. Usually
534 developers will be happy to pull your branch and adopt the commit message.
535 - Please always use the affected file (without the file type suffix) or module
536 as a prefix in the commit message.
537 - Examples of good commit messages are:
539 commit b87243830e3b5e95fa31a17cf1bfebe55353bf13
540 Author: Felix Abecassis <fabecassis@nvidia.com>
541 Date: Fri Feb 2 06:19:13 2018 -0800
543 hooks: change the semantic of NVIDIA_VISIBLE_DEVICES=""
545 With LXC, you can override the value of an environment variable to
546 null, but you can't unset an existing variable.
548 The NVIDIA hook was previously activated when NVIDIA_VISIBLE_DEVICES
549 was set to null. As a result, it was not possible to disable the hook
550 by overriding the environment variable in the configuration.
552 The hook can now be disabled by setting NVIDIA_VISIBLE_DEVICES to
553 null or to the new special value "void".
555 Signed-off-by: Felix Abecassis <fabecassis@nvidia.com>
558 commit d6337a5f9dc7311af168aa3d586fdf239f5a10d3
559 Author: Christian Brauner <christian.brauner@ubuntu.com>
560 Date: Wed Jan 31 16:25:11 2018 +0100
562 cgroups: get controllers on the unified hierarchy
564 Signed-off-by: Christian Brauner <christian.brauner@ubuntu.com>
567 #### Use `_exit()` To Terminate `fork()`ed Child Processes
569 - When `fork()`ing off a child process use `_exit()` to terminate it instead of
570 `exit()`. The `exit()` function is not thread-safe and thus not suited for
571 the shared library which must ensure that it is thread-safe.
573 #### Keep Arrays of `struct`s Aligned Horizontally When Initializing
575 - Arrays of `struct`s are:
583 struct foo_struct new_instance[] = {
589 - Leave a single space after the opening `{` and before closing `}` of the
590 largest member of the last column.
591 - Always leave a single space between the largest member of the current column
592 and the member in the next column.
600 static const struct signame signames[] = {
633 { SIGSTKFLT, "STKFLT" },
648 { SIGVTALRM, "VTALRM" },
654 { SIGWINCH, "WINCH" },
672 { SIGUNUSED, "UNUSED" },
680 #### Use `strlcpy()` instead of `strncpy()`
682 When copying strings always use `strlcpy()` instead of `strncpy()`. The
683 advantage of `strlcpy()` is that it will always append a `\0` byte to the
686 Unless you have a valid reason to accept truncation you must check whether
687 truncation has occurred, treat it as an error, and handle the error
690 #### Use `strlcat()` instead of `strncat()`
692 When concatenating strings always use `strlcat()` instead of `strncat()`. The
693 advantage of `strlcat()` is that it will always append a `\0` byte to the
696 Unless you have a valid reason to accept truncation you must check whether
697 truncation has occurred, treat it as an error, and handle the error