Issue in Kernel docs / Admin Guide / SysRq
From: Anselm Schüler
Date: Fri Oct 03 2025 - 08:33:11 EST
I’m writing here because I don’t know where to find Kernel docs
(https://docs.kernel.org/) sources and submit patches.
The page “Linux Magic System Request Key Hacks”
(https://docs.kernel.org/admin-guide/sysrq.html) says this:
“Write a single character to /proc/sysrq-trigger. Only the first
character is processed, the rest of the string is ignored. However, it
is not recommended to write any extra characters as the behavior is
undefined and might change in the future versions. E.g.:
echo t > /proc/sysrq-trigger”
I interpret the command as a suggestion of how to properly use
/proc/sysrq-trigger, and not as an example of what not to do, and I
believe many will share this interpretation. The command as listed will
write TWO characters to /proc/sysrq-trigger.
Either the behaviour of ignoring \n should be codified and explicitly
supported or this section should be changed.