Re: [v4,net-next,01/11] net/nebula-matrix: add minimum nbl build framework

From: Jakub Kicinski

Date: Fri Feb 06 2026 - 21:25:04 EST


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---
net/nebula-matrix: add minimum nbl build framework

This commit adds the minimal build infrastructure for the Nebula-Matrix
M18100-NIC family driver, including Kconfig, Makefiles, documentation,
and stub PCI driver functions.

> diff --git a/Documentation/networking/device_drivers/ethernet/index.rst b/Documentation/networking/device_drivers/ethernet/index.rst
> --- a/Documentation/networking/device_drivers/ethernet/index.rst
> +++ b/Documentation/networking/device_drivers/ethernet/index.rst
> @@ -48,6 +48,7 @@
> meta/fbnic
> microsoft/netvsc
> mucse/rnpgbe
> + nebula-matrix/nbl
> netronome/nfp

The documentation index references 'nebula-matrix/nbl' but the actual file
created is 'nebula-matrix/m18100.rst'. This will cause 'make htmldocs' to fail
with a broken reference.

Simon Horman flagged this in v3 review:
https://lore.kernel.org/netdev/aXj_f3hsMmvKxC26@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/

Should this be 'nebula-matrix/m18100' instead?

> diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/nebula-matrix/Kconfig b/drivers/net/ethernet/nebula-matrix/Kconfig
> --- /dev/null
> +++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/nebula-matrix/Kconfig

[ ... ]

> +config NBL_CORE
> + tristate "Nebula-matrix Ethernet Controller m18100 Family support"

Andrew Lunn raised concerns about the NBL_CORE naming in multiple versions of
this patch series. The "_CORE" suffix is typically reserved for libraries shared
by multiple drivers that use 'select' rather than having a tristate prompt.

If this module provides Ethernet functionality directly, the naming convention
would be to call it an Ethernet driver rather than "core".

See v1 and v3 review comments:
https://lore.kernel.org/netdev/88c7e349-f941-4216-89ca-70a49e82b378@xxxxxxx/

Is there a reason to keep the _CORE suffix, or could this follow standard driver
naming conventions?