[PATCH v4 1/3] Workqueue: add system_percpu_wq and system_dfl_wq
From: Marco Crivellari
Date: Thu Jun 12 2025 - 09:42:13 EST
Currently if a user enqueue a work item using schedule_delayed_work() the
used wq is "system_wq" (per-cpu wq) while queue_delayed_work() use
WORK_CPU_UNBOUND (used when a cpu is not specified). The same applies to
schedule_work() that is using system_wq and queue_work(), that makes use
again of WORK_CPU_UNBOUND.
This lack of consistentcy cannot be addressed without refactoring the API.
system_wq is a per-CPU worqueue, yet nothing in its name tells about that
CPU affinity constraint, which is very often not required by users. Make
it clear by adding a system_percpu_wq.
system_unbound_wq should be the default workqueue so as not to enforce
locality constraints for random work whenever it's not required.
Adding system_dfl_wq to encourage its use when unbound work should be used.
Suggested-by: Tejun Heo <tj@xxxxxxxxxx>
Signed-off-by: Marco Crivellari <marco.crivellari@xxxxxxxx>
---
include/linux/workqueue.h | 8 +++++---
kernel/workqueue.c | 4 ++++
2 files changed, 9 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)
diff --git a/include/linux/workqueue.h b/include/linux/workqueue.h
index 6e30f275da77..502ec4a5e32c 100644
--- a/include/linux/workqueue.h
+++ b/include/linux/workqueue.h
@@ -427,7 +427,7 @@ enum wq_consts {
/*
* System-wide workqueues which are always present.
*
- * system_wq is the one used by schedule[_delayed]_work[_on]().
+ * system_percpu_wq is the one used by schedule[_delayed]_work[_on]().
* Multi-CPU multi-threaded. There are users which expect relatively
* short queue flush time. Don't queue works which can run for too
* long.
@@ -438,7 +438,7 @@ enum wq_consts {
* system_long_wq is similar to system_wq but may host long running
* works. Queue flushing might take relatively long.
*
- * system_unbound_wq is unbound workqueue. Workers are not bound to
+ * system_dfl_wq is unbound workqueue. Workers are not bound to
* any specific CPU, not concurrency managed, and all queued works are
* executed immediately as long as max_active limit is not reached and
* resources are available.
@@ -455,10 +455,12 @@ enum wq_consts {
* system_bh[_highpri]_wq are convenience interface to softirq. BH work items
* are executed in the queueing CPU's BH context in the queueing order.
*/
-extern struct workqueue_struct *system_wq;
+extern struct workqueue_struct *system_wq; /* use system_percpu_wq, this will be removed */
+extern struct workqueue_struct *system_percpu_wq;
extern struct workqueue_struct *system_highpri_wq;
extern struct workqueue_struct *system_long_wq;
extern struct workqueue_struct *system_unbound_wq;
+extern struct workqueue_struct *system_dfl_wq;
extern struct workqueue_struct *system_freezable_wq;
extern struct workqueue_struct *system_power_efficient_wq;
extern struct workqueue_struct *system_freezable_power_efficient_wq;
diff --git a/kernel/workqueue.c b/kernel/workqueue.c
index 97f37b5bae66..7a3f53a9841e 100644
--- a/kernel/workqueue.c
+++ b/kernel/workqueue.c
@@ -505,12 +505,16 @@ static struct kthread_worker *pwq_release_worker __ro_after_init;
struct workqueue_struct *system_wq __ro_after_init;
EXPORT_SYMBOL(system_wq);
+struct workqueue_struct *system_percpu_wq __ro_after_init;
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(system_percpu_wq);
struct workqueue_struct *system_highpri_wq __ro_after_init;
EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(system_highpri_wq);
struct workqueue_struct *system_long_wq __ro_after_init;
EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(system_long_wq);
struct workqueue_struct *system_unbound_wq __ro_after_init;
EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(system_unbound_wq);
+struct workqueue_struct *system_dfl_wq __ro_after_init;
+EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(system_dfl_wq);
struct workqueue_struct *system_freezable_wq __ro_after_init;
EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(system_freezable_wq);
struct workqueue_struct *system_power_efficient_wq __ro_after_init;
--
2.49.0