Re: [PATCH 4/5] mm: add mm_get_static_huge_zero_folio() routine

[David Hildenbrand]

On 12.06.25 22:54, Pankaj Raghav (Samsung) wrote:
> On Thu, Jun 12, 2025 at 07:09:34AM -0700, Dave Hansen wrote:
> > On 6/12/25 03:50, Pankaj Raghav wrote:
> > > +/*
> > > + * mm_get_static_huge_zero_folio - Get a PMD sized zero folio
> >
> > Isn't that a rather inaccurate function name and comment?
> I agree. I also felt it was not a good name for the function.
>
> > The third line of the function literally returns a non-PMD-sized zero folio.
> >
> > > + * This function will return a PMD sized zero folio if CONFIG_STATIC_PMD_ZERO_PAGE
> > > + * is enabled. Otherwise, a ZERO_PAGE folio is returned.
> > > + *
> > > + * Deduce the size of the folio with folio_size instead of assuming the
> > > + * folio size.
> > > + */
> > > +static inline struct folio *mm_get_static_huge_zero_folio(void)
> > > +{
> > > +	if(IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_STATIC_PMD_ZERO_PAGE))
> > > +		return READ_ONCE(huge_zero_folio);
> > > +	return page_folio(ZERO_PAGE(0));
> > > +}
> >
> > This doesn't tell us very much about when I should use:
> >
> > 	mm_get_static_huge_zero_folio()
> > vs.
> > 	mm_get_huge_zero_folio(mm)
> > vs.
> > 	page_folio(ZERO_PAGE(0))
> >
> > What's with the "mm_" in the name? Usually "mm" means "mm_struct" not
> > Memory Management. It's really weird to prefix something that doesn't
> > take an "mm_struct" with "mm_"
>
> Got it. Actually, I was not aware of this one.
>
> > Isn't the "get_" also a bad idea since mm_get_huge_zero_folio() does its
> > own refcounting but this interface does not?
>
> Agree.
>
> > Shouldn't this be something more along the lines of:
> >
> > /*
> >   * pick_zero_folio() - Pick and return the largest available zero folio
> >   *
> >   * mm_get_huge_zero_folio() is preferred over this function. It is more
> >   * flexible and can provide a larger zero page under wider
> >   * circumstances.
> >   *
> >   * Only use this when there is no mm available.
> >   *
> >   * ... then other comments
> >   */
> > static inline struct folio *pick_zero_folio(void)
> > {
> > 	if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_STATIC_PMD_ZERO_PAGE))
> > 		return READ_ONCE(huge_zero_folio);
> > 	return page_folio(ZERO_PAGE(0));
> > }
> >
> > Or, maybe even name it _just_: zero_folio()
>
> I think zero_folio() sounds like a good and straightforward name. In
> most cases it will return a ZERO_PAGE() folio. If
> CONFIG_STATIC_PMD_ZERO_PAGE is enabled, then we return a PMD page.

"zero_folio" would be confusing I'm afraid.

At least with current "is_zero_folio" etc.

"largest_zero_folio" or sth. like that might make it clearer that the 
size we are getting back might actually differ.

--
Cheers,

David / dhildenb