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diff --git a/Documentation/arch/riscv/uabi.rst b/Documentation/arch/riscv/uabi.rst new file mode 100644 index 000000000000..54d199dce78b --- /dev/null +++ b/Documentation/arch/riscv/uabi.rst @@ -0,0 +1,68 @@ +.. SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0 + +RISC-V Linux User ABI +===================== + +ISA string ordering in /proc/cpuinfo +------------------------------------ + +The canonical order of ISA extension names in the ISA string is defined in +chapter 27 of the unprivileged specification. +The specification uses vague wording, such as should, when it comes to ordering, +so for our purposes the following rules apply: + +#. Single-letter extensions come first, in canonical order. + The canonical order is "IMAFDQLCBKJTPVH". + +#. All multi-letter extensions will be separated from other extensions by an + underscore. + +#. Additional standard extensions (starting with 'Z') will be sorted after + single-letter extensions and before any higher-privileged extensions. + +#. For additional standard extensions, the first letter following the 'Z' + conventionally indicates the most closely related alphabetical + extension category. If multiple 'Z' extensions are named, they will be + ordered first by category, in canonical order, as listed above, then + alphabetically within a category. + +#. Standard supervisor-level extensions (starting with 'S') will be listed + after standard unprivileged extensions. If multiple supervisor-level + extensions are listed, they will be ordered alphabetically. + +#. Standard machine-level extensions (starting with 'Zxm') will be listed + after any lower-privileged, standard extensions. If multiple machine-level + extensions are listed, they will be ordered alphabetically. + +#. Non-standard extensions (starting with 'X') will be listed after all standard + extensions. If multiple non-standard extensions are listed, they will be + ordered alphabetically. + +An example string following the order is:: + + rv64imadc_zifoo_zigoo_zafoo_sbar_scar_zxmbaz_xqux_xrux + +"isa" and "hart isa" lines in /proc/cpuinfo +------------------------------------------- + +The "isa" line in /proc/cpuinfo describes the lowest common denominator of +RISC-V ISA extensions recognized by the kernel and implemented on all harts. The +"hart isa" line, in contrast, describes the set of extensions recognized by the +kernel on the particular hart being described, even if those extensions may not +be present on all harts in the system. + +In both lines, the presence of an extension guarantees only that the hardware +has the described capability. Additional kernel support or policy changes may be +required before an extension's capability is fully usable by userspace programs. +Similarly, for S-mode extensions, presence in one of these lines does not +guarantee that the kernel is taking advantage of the extension, or that the +feature will be visible in guest VMs managed by this kernel. + +Inversely, the absence of an extension in these lines does not necessarily mean +the hardware does not support that feature. The running kernel may not recognize +the extension, or may have deliberately removed it from the listing. + +Misaligned accesses +------------------- + +Misaligned accesses are supported in userspace, but they may perform poorly. |