Re: [PATCH v3 0/6] bootconfig: embed kernel.* cmdline at build time
From: Google
Date: Mon Jun 08 2026 - 21:46:48 EST
On Mon, 08 Jun 2026 09:23:57 -0700
Breno Leitao <leitao@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> The userspace pieces (xbc_snprint_cmdline() in lib/, tools/bootconfig -C)
> already landed; this series wires the rendered cmdline into the kernel.
>
> Motivation: today the embedded bootconfig is parsed at runtime, after
> parse_early_param() has already run, so early_param() handlers can't
> see embedded values. Folding the kernel.* subtree into the cmdline at
> build time gives a CONFIG_CMDLINE-equivalent for embedded-bootconfig
> users without forcing them to maintain two cmdline sources.
>
> Behaviorally, the "kernel" subtree is rendered to a flat string at
> build time and stashed in .init.rodata. setup_arch() prepends it to
> boot_command_line before parse_early_param() runs. Overflow is a soft
> error: the helper logs and leaves boot_command_line untouched rather
> than panicking, so an oversized embedded bconf cannot brick a boot.
>
Sashiko still leaves some comments.
https://sashiko.dev/#/patchset/20260608-bootconfig_using_tools-v3-0-4ddd079a0696%40debian.org
BTW, can you also update the document (Documentation/admin-guide/bootconfig.rst)
about what is the expected behavior of this feature (kconfigs, examples)?
Thank you,
> Signed-off-by: Breno Leitao <leitao@xxxxxxxxxx>
> ---
> Changes in v3:
> - Patch 3: Move HOSTCC override to the kernel-side rule; tool keeps
> $(CC) for standalone/cross builds.
> - Patch 6: Drop the false fail-safe wording; document the
> BOOT_CONFIG_FORCE=y default interaction.
> - Link to v2:
> https://lore.kernel.org/r/20260605-bootconfig_using_tools-v2-0-d309f544b5f7@xxxxxxxxxx
>
> Changes in v2 (addressing review of v1):
> - Split out a standalone fix for the NULL-pointer arithmetic in
> xbc_snprint_cmdline() so the build-time render cannot trip host
> UBSan/FORTIFY_SOURCE.
> - Rework the leaf-root handling: instead of returning early, skip @root
> inside the loop so a root carrying both a value and subkeys
> (kernel = x together with kernel.foo = bar) still renders its
> descendant keys.
> - Build tools/bootconfig with $(HOSTCC) so cross-compiled (ARCH=...)
> builds render the cmdline on the build host instead of failing with
> "Exec format error".
> - Mark the embedded cmdline section read-only (drop the "w" flag from
> .init.rodata).
> - Add a make-clean hook so tools/bootconfig artifacts are removed by
> make clean.
> - Gate the x86 prepend on "bootconfig" being present on the command
> line (or CONFIG_BOOT_CONFIG_FORCE), matching the init.* opt-in
> semantics documented in bootconfig.rst and preserving fail-safe
> recovery: dropping "bootconfig" from the bootloader cmdline now also
> disables the embedded kernel.* keys.
> - Link to v1: https://patch.msgid.link/20260527-bootconfig_using_tools-v1-0-b6906a86e7d5@xxxxxxxxxx
>
> ---
> Breno Leitao (6):
> bootconfig: fix NULL-pointer arithmetic in xbc_snprint_cmdline()
> bootconfig: render descendant keys when xbc_snprint_cmdline() root has a value
> bootconfig: render embedded bootconfig as a kernel cmdline at build time
> bootconfig: clean build-time tools/bootconfig from make clean
> bootconfig: add xbc_prepend_embedded_cmdline() helper
> x86/setup: prepend embedded bootconfig cmdline before parse_early_param
>
> MAINTAINERS | 1 +
> Makefile | 24 +++++++++-
> arch/x86/Kconfig | 1 +
> arch/x86/kernel/setup.c | 16 +++++++
> include/linux/bootconfig.h | 9 ++++
> init/Kconfig | 36 +++++++++++++++
> init/main.c | 25 ++++++++--
> lib/Makefile | 16 +++++++
> lib/bootconfig.c | 112 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++---
> lib/embedded-cmdline.S | 16 +++++++
> tools/bootconfig/Makefile | 4 +-
> 11 files changed, 247 insertions(+), 13 deletions(-)
> ---
> base-commit: e7e28506af98ce4e1059e5ec59334b335c00a246
> change-id: 20260508-bootconfig_using_tools-cfa7aa9d6a5a
>
> Best regards,
> --
> Breno Leitao <leitao@xxxxxxxxxx>
>
--
Masami Hiramatsu (Google) <mhiramat@xxxxxxxxxx>