cgroups(7): documenting cgroup.stat

From: Michael Kerrisk (man-pages)
Date: Tue Jan 02 2018 - 13:22:46 EST


Hello Roman,

I wish to add documentation to cgroups(7) for the cgroup.stat file
that you added in Linux 4.14. I wrote some text based on your text
added to the cgroup-v2.txt file, but added some pieces, and also have
a question (see below). The plain-text version for (easy review)
is shown below. Could you please review this text? (Please note
the FIXME!)

The branch containing the pending cgroups(7) changes can be found at :
https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/docs/man-pages/man-pages.git/log/?h=draft_cgroup_updates

[[
Cgroups v2 cgroup.stat file
Each cgroup in the v2 hierarchy contains a read-only
cgroup.stat file (first introduced in Linux 4.14) that consists
of lines containing key-value pairs. The following keys curâ
rently appear in this file:

nr_descendants
This is the total number of visible (i.e., living)
descendant cgroups underneath this cgroup.

âââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââ
âFIXME â
âââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââ
âFor the following text on nr_dying_descendants, it â
âwould I think be helpful to describe a condrete â
âexample of when one might see nr_dying_descendants a â
ânonzero value for this key. Ideally, the example â
âwould be one that the reader could easily reproduce. â
âIs there such an example? â
âââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââ

nr_dying_descendants
This is the total number of dying descendant cgroups
underneath this cgroup. A cgroup enters the dying state
after being deleted. It remains in that state for an
undefined period (which will depend on system load)
before being destroyed.

A process can't be made a member of a dying cgroup, and
a dying cgroup can't be brought back to life.
]]

Cheers,

Michael

--
Michael Kerrisk
Linux man-pages maintainer; http://www.kernel.org/doc/man-pages/
Linux/UNIX System Programming Training: http://man7.org/training/