[PATCH] rust: add a ring buffer implementation

From: Andreas Hindborg

Date: Sun Feb 15 2026 - 15:26:09 EST


Add a fixed-capacity FIFO ring buffer. The implementation uses a circular
buffer with head and tail pointers, providing constant-time push and pop
operations.

The module includes a few tests covering basic operations, wrap-around
behavior, interleaved push/pop sequences, and edge cases such as
single-capacity buffers.

Signed-off-by: Andreas Hindborg <a.hindborg@xxxxxxxxxx>
---
rust/kernel/lib.rs | 1 +
rust/kernel/ringbuffer.rs | 321 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
2 files changed, 322 insertions(+)

diff --git a/rust/kernel/lib.rs b/rust/kernel/lib.rs
index f812cf1200428..d6555ccceb32f 100644
--- a/rust/kernel/lib.rs
+++ b/rust/kernel/lib.rs
@@ -133,6 +133,7 @@
pub mod rbtree;
pub mod regulator;
pub mod revocable;
+pub mod ringbuffer;
pub mod scatterlist;
pub mod security;
pub mod seq_file;
diff --git a/rust/kernel/ringbuffer.rs b/rust/kernel/ringbuffer.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..9a66ebf1bb390
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rust/kernel/ringbuffer.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,321 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
+
+//! A fixed-capacity FIFO ring buffer.
+//!
+//! This module provides [`RingBuffer`], a circular buffer implementation that
+//! supports efficient push and pop operations at opposite ends of the buffer.
+
+use kernel::prelude::*;
+
+/// A fixed-capacity FIFO ring buffer.
+///
+/// `RingBuffer` is a circular buffer that allows pushing elements to the head
+/// and popping elements from the tail in constant time. The buffer has a fixed
+/// capacity specified at construction time and will return an error if a push
+/// is attempted when full.
+///
+/// # Invariants
+///
+/// - `self.head` points at the next empty slot.
+/// - `self.tail` points at the last full slot, except if the buffer is empty.
+/// - The buffer is empty when `self.head == self.tail`.
+/// - The buffer will always have at least one empty slot, even when full.
+pub struct RingBuffer<T> {
+ nodes: KVec<Option<T>>,
+ size: usize,
+ head: usize,
+ tail: usize,
+}
+
+impl<T> RingBuffer<T> {
+ /// Creates a new `RingBuffer` with the specified capacity.
+ ///
+ /// The buffer will be able to hold exactly `capacity` elements. Memory is
+ /// allocated during construction.
+ ///
+ /// # Errors
+ ///
+ /// Returns an error if memory allocation fails.
+ pub fn new(capacity: usize) -> Result<Self> {
+ let mut this = Self {
+ nodes: KVec::with_capacity(capacity + 1, GFP_KERNEL)?,
+ size: capacity + 1,
+ head: 0,
+ tail: 0,
+ };
+
+ for _ in 0..this.size {
+ this.nodes.push_within_capacity(None)?;
+ }
+
+ Ok(this)
+ }
+
+ /// Returns `true` if the buffer is full.
+ ///
+ /// When the buffer is full, any call to [`push_head`] will return an error.
+ ///
+ /// [`push_head`]: Self::push_head
+ pub fn full(&self) -> bool {
+ (self.head + 1) % self.size == self.tail
+ }
+
+ fn empty(&self) -> bool {
+ self.head == self.tail
+ }
+
+ /// Returns the number of available slots in the buffer.
+ ///
+ /// This is the number of elements that can be pushed before the buffer
+ /// becomes full.
+ pub fn free_count(&self) -> usize {
+ (if self.head >= self.tail {
+ self.size - (self.head - self.tail)
+ } else {
+ (self.size - self.tail) + self.head
+ } - 1)
+ }
+
+ /// Pushes a value to the head of the buffer.
+ ///
+ /// # Errors
+ ///
+ /// Returns [`ENOSPC`] if the buffer is full.
+ pub fn push_head(&mut self, value: T) -> Result {
+ if self.full() {
+ return Err(ENOSPC);
+ }
+
+ self.nodes[self.head] = Some(value);
+ self.head = (self.head + 1) % self.size;
+
+ Ok(())
+ }
+
+ /// Pops and returns the value at the tail of the buffer.
+ ///
+ /// Returns `None` if the buffer is empty. Values are returned in FIFO
+ /// order, i.e., the oldest value is returned first.
+ pub fn pop_tail(&mut self) -> Option<T> {
+ if self.empty() {
+ return None;
+ }
+
+ let value = self.nodes[self.tail].take();
+ self.tail = (self.tail + 1) % self.size;
+ value
+ }
+}
+
+impl<T> Drop for RingBuffer<T> {
+ fn drop(&mut self) {
+ while !self.empty() {
+ drop(self.pop_tail().expect("Not empty"));
+ }
+ }
+}
+
+#[kunit_tests(rust_kernel_ringbuffer)]
+mod tests {
+ use super::*;
+
+ #[test]
+ fn test_new_buffer_is_empty() {
+ let buffer: RingBuffer<i32> = RingBuffer::new(5).expect("Failed to create buffer");
+ assert!(!buffer.full());
+ assert!(buffer.empty());
+ }
+
+ #[test]
+ fn test_new_buffer_has_correct_capacity() {
+ let capacity = 10;
+ let buffer: RingBuffer<i32> = RingBuffer::new(capacity).expect("Failed to create buffer");
+ assert_eq!(buffer.free_count(), capacity);
+ }
+
+ #[test]
+ fn test_push_single_element() {
+ let mut buffer: RingBuffer<i32> = RingBuffer::new(5).expect("Failed to create buffer");
+ assert!(buffer.push_head(42).is_ok());
+ assert!(!buffer.empty());
+ assert!(!buffer.full());
+ }
+
+ #[test]
+ fn test_push_and_pop_single_element() {
+ let mut buffer: RingBuffer<i32> = RingBuffer::new(5).expect("Failed to create buffer");
+ buffer.push_head(42).expect("Failed to push");
+ let value = buffer.pop_tail();
+ assert_eq!(value, Some(42));
+ assert!(buffer.empty());
+ }
+
+ #[test]
+ fn test_push_and_pop_multiple_elements() {
+ let mut buffer: RingBuffer<i32> = RingBuffer::new(5).expect("Failed to create buffer");
+
+ for i in 0..5 {
+ buffer.push_head(i).expect("Failed to push");
+ }
+
+ for i in 0..5 {
+ assert_eq!(buffer.pop_tail(), Some(i));
+ }
+
+ assert!(buffer.empty());
+ }
+
+ #[test]
+ fn test_pop_from_empty_buffer() {
+ let mut buffer: RingBuffer<i32> = RingBuffer::new(5).expect("Failed to create buffer");
+ assert_eq!(buffer.pop_tail(), None);
+ }
+
+ #[test]
+ fn test_buffer_full() {
+ let capacity = 3;
+ let mut buffer: RingBuffer<i32> =
+ RingBuffer::new(capacity).expect("Failed to create buffer");
+
+ for i in 0..capacity {
+ assert!(buffer.push_head(i as i32).is_ok());
+ }
+
+ assert!(buffer.full());
+ assert_eq!(buffer.free_count(), 0);
+ }
+
+ #[test]
+ fn test_push_to_full_buffer_fails() {
+ let capacity = 3;
+ let mut buffer: RingBuffer<i32> =
+ RingBuffer::new(capacity).expect("Failed to create buffer");
+
+ for i in 0..capacity {
+ buffer.push_head(i as i32).expect("Failed to push");
+ }
+
+ assert!(buffer.full());
+ assert!(buffer.push_head(999).is_err());
+ }
+
+ #[test]
+ fn test_free_count_decreases_on_push() {
+ let capacity = 5;
+ let mut buffer: RingBuffer<i32> =
+ RingBuffer::new(capacity).expect("Failed to create buffer");
+
+ assert_eq!(buffer.free_count(), capacity);
+
+ for i in 0..capacity {
+ buffer.push_head(i as i32).expect("Failed to push");
+ assert_eq!(buffer.free_count(), capacity - i - 1);
+ }
+ }
+
+ #[test]
+ fn test_free_count_increases_on_pop() {
+ let capacity = 5;
+ let mut buffer: RingBuffer<i32> =
+ RingBuffer::new(capacity).expect("Failed to create buffer");
+
+ for i in 0..capacity {
+ buffer.push_head(i as i32).expect("Failed to push");
+ }
+
+ assert_eq!(buffer.free_count(), 0);
+
+ for i in 1..=capacity {
+ buffer.pop_tail();
+ assert_eq!(buffer.free_count(), i);
+ }
+ }
+
+ #[test]
+ fn test_wrap_around_behavior() {
+ let capacity = 3;
+ let mut buffer: RingBuffer<i32> =
+ RingBuffer::new(capacity).expect("Failed to create buffer");
+
+ // Fill the buffer.
+ for i in 0..capacity {
+ buffer.push_head(i as i32).expect("Failed to push");
+ }
+
+ // Pop two elements.
+ assert_eq!(buffer.pop_tail(), Some(0));
+ assert_eq!(buffer.pop_tail(), Some(1));
+
+ // Push two more (should wrap around).
+ buffer.push_head(10).expect("Failed to push");
+ buffer.push_head(11).expect("Failed to push");
+
+ // Verify order.
+ assert_eq!(buffer.pop_tail(), Some(2));
+ assert_eq!(buffer.pop_tail(), Some(10));
+ assert_eq!(buffer.pop_tail(), Some(11));
+ assert!(buffer.empty());
+ }
+
+ #[test]
+ fn test_fifo_order() {
+ let mut buffer: RingBuffer<i32> = RingBuffer::new(10).expect("Failed to create buffer");
+
+ let values = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5];
+ for &value in &values {
+ buffer.push_head(value).expect("Failed to push");
+ }
+
+ for &expected in &values {
+ assert_eq!(buffer.pop_tail(), Some(expected));
+ }
+ }
+
+ #[test]
+ fn test_interleaved_push_pop() {
+ let mut buffer: RingBuffer<i32> = RingBuffer::new(5).expect("Failed to create buffer");
+
+ buffer.push_head(1).expect("Failed to push");
+ buffer.push_head(2).expect("Failed to push");
+ assert_eq!(buffer.pop_tail(), Some(1));
+
+ buffer.push_head(3).expect("Failed to push");
+ assert_eq!(buffer.pop_tail(), Some(2));
+ assert_eq!(buffer.pop_tail(), Some(3));
+
+ assert!(buffer.empty());
+ }
+
+ #[test]
+ fn test_buffer_state_after_fill_and_drain() {
+ let capacity = 4;
+ let mut buffer: RingBuffer<i32> =
+ RingBuffer::new(capacity).expect("Failed to create buffer");
+
+ // Fill and drain twice.
+ for _ in 0..2 {
+ for i in 0..capacity {
+ buffer.push_head(i as i32).expect("Failed to push");
+ }
+ assert!(buffer.full());
+
+ for _ in 0..capacity {
+ buffer.pop_tail();
+ }
+ assert!(buffer.empty());
+ }
+ }
+
+ #[test]
+ fn test_single_capacity_buffer() {
+ let mut buffer: RingBuffer<i32> = RingBuffer::new(1).expect("Failed to create buffer");
+
+ assert_eq!(buffer.free_count(), 1);
+ buffer.push_head(42).expect("Failed to push");
+ assert!(buffer.full());
+ assert_eq!(buffer.free_count(), 0);
+
+ assert_eq!(buffer.pop_tail(), Some(42));
+ assert!(buffer.empty());
+ }
+}

---
base-commit: 05f7e89ab9731565d8a62e3b5d1ec206485eeb0b
change-id: 20260215-ringbuffer-42455964aaf2

Best regards,
--
Andreas Hindborg <a.hindborg@xxxxxxxxxx>