[PATCH v2] rust: transmute: add `as_bytes` method for `AsBytes` trait

From: Alexandre Courbot
Date: Fri Jul 25 2025 - 09:08:30 EST


Every type that implements `AsBytes` should be able to provide its byte
representation. Introduce the `as_bytes` method that returns the
implementer as a stream of bytes, and provide a default implementation
that should be suitable for any type that satisfies `AsBytes`'s safety
requirements.

Signed-off-by: Alexandre Courbot <acourbot@xxxxxxxxxx>
---
This is the sister patch of [1], providing an `as_bytes` method for
`AsBytes`.

It is going to be used in Nova, but should also be universally useful -
if anything, it felt a bit strange that `AsBytes` did not provide this
method so far.

[1] https://lore.kernel.org/rust-for-linux/20250624042802.105623-1-christiansantoslima21@xxxxxxxxx/
---
Changes in v2:
- Use `size_of_val` to provide a default implementation for both `Sized`
and non-`Sized` types, and remove `AsBytesSized`. (thanks Alice!)
- Link to v1: https://lore.kernel.org/r/20250725-as_bytes-v1-1-6f06a3744f69@xxxxxxxxxx
---
rust/kernel/transmute.rs | 11 ++++++++++-
1 file changed, 10 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/rust/kernel/transmute.rs b/rust/kernel/transmute.rs
index 1c7d43771a37b90150de86699f114a2ffb84db91..d4036986a3d7fb97e5da3e121e9590ad23b784e9 100644
--- a/rust/kernel/transmute.rs
+++ b/rust/kernel/transmute.rs
@@ -47,7 +47,16 @@ macro_rules! impl_frombytes {
///
/// Values of this type may not contain any uninitialized bytes. This type must not have interior
/// mutability.
-pub unsafe trait AsBytes {}
+pub unsafe trait AsBytes {
+ /// Returns `self` as a slice of bytes.
+ fn as_bytes(&self) -> &[u8] {
+ let data = (self as *const Self).cast::<u8>();
+ let len = size_of_val(self);
+
+ // SAFETY: `data` is non-null and valid for `len * sizeof::<u8>()` bytes.
+ unsafe { core::slice::from_raw_parts(data, len) }
+ }
+}

macro_rules! impl_asbytes {
($($({$($generics:tt)*})? $t:ty, )*) => {

---
base-commit: 14ae91a81ec8fa0bc23170d4aa16dd2a20d54105
change-id: 20250725-as_bytes-6cbc11f2e8c3

Best regards,
--
Alexandre Courbot <acourbot@xxxxxxxxxx>