[PATCH v3 4/4] ntfs: document named streams

From: Namjae Jeon

Date: Sun Oct 11 2026 - 18:20:31 EST


Document the streams_interface=windows mount option and named-stream
pathname semantics, including supported forms and stream lifetime.

Describe the named-stream ioctl operations, request structure, and name
encoding.

Signed-off-by: Namjae Jeon <linkinjeon@xxxxxxxxxx>
---
Documentation/filesystems/ntfs.rst | 34 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
1 file changed, 34 insertions(+)

diff --git a/Documentation/filesystems/ntfs.rst b/Documentation/filesystems/ntfs.rst
index 4bfa392daec6..ec329bb142a0 100644
--- a/Documentation/filesystems/ntfs.rst
+++ b/Documentation/filesystems/ntfs.rst
@@ -169,4 +169,38 @@ symlink=wsl|native Configure how symbolic links are created. Under
Linux) compatible symlinks are created. Under
"native", Windows native symbolic links are
created.
+
+streams_interface= Select the named-stream pathname interface:
+ "none" (default) treats ':' as an ordinary filename
+ character, while "windows" interprets the final
+ component of a path such as "file:stream" as a named
+ $DATA stream. In "windows" mode, filenames containing
+ ':' are hidden from directory listings and cannot be
+ addressed through the pathname interface. Only the
+ file:stream form is recognized. Typed forms such
+ as file::$DATA and file:stream:$DATA are not
+ supported. The ioctl interface is available in both
+ modes. The base file or directory must already exist
+ before a pathname stream can be created. Creating
+ file:stream does not create file. Removing a stream
+ while it is open fails with -EBUSY. Removing the base
+ file while a stream is open detaches the stream from
+ the namespace; NTFS has no orphan-stream list, so a
+ crash can leave that stream's data unreachable on
+ disk.
======================= ====================================================
+
+Named-stream ioctls
+===================
+
+The named-stream ioctl interface is available regardless of
+streams_interface. Open the base regular file or directory and use
+NTFS_IOC_STREAM_READ and NTFS_IOC_STREAM_WRITE with a
+struct ntfs_stream request. The request contains the stream name,
+byte offset, and transfer length. Write requests create the stream when it
+does not exist. A failed write can leave a newly created empty stream; use
+NTFS_IOC_STREAM_REMOVE to remove it. This ioctl removes streams, and
+NTFS_IOC_LIST_STREAMS enumerates streams. Stream names are encoded with
+the mounted NLS by default. Set NTFS_STREAM_FL_UTF16 to pass or receive
+raw UTF-16LE names. These ioctls transfer stream data directly and do not
+return a separate stream file descriptor.
--
2.25.1