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Message-ID: <CAOQ4uxgbv8as-m7P9Az41nZiOBPLN0znW4xu1HSqpuCN1=Tp4Q@mail.gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2025 11:44:59 +0200
From: Amir Goldstein <amir73il@...il.com>
To: NeilBrown <neil@...wn.name>
Cc: Alexander Viro <viro@...iv.linux.org.uk>, Christian Brauner <brauner@...nel.org>, Jan Kara <jack@...e.cz>, 
	linux-fsdevel@...r.kernel.org, linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org
Subject: Re: [PATCH v2 15/16] VFS: introduce start_removing_dentry()

On Fri, Aug 22, 2025 at 2:11 AM NeilBrown <neil@...wn.name> wrote:
>
> start_removing_dentry() is similar to start_removing() but instead of
> providing a name for lookup, the target dentry is given.
>
> start_removing_dentry() checks that the dentry is still hashed and in
> the parent, and if so it locks and increases the refcount so that
> end_dirop() can be used to finish the operation.
>
> This is used in cachefiles, overlayfs, smb/server and apparmor.
>
> There will be other users including ecryptfs.
>
> Signed-off-by: NeilBrown <neil@...wn.name>
> ---
>  fs/cachefiles/interface.c      | 14 +++++++++-----
>  fs/cachefiles/namei.c          | 22 ++++++++++++----------
>  fs/cachefiles/volume.c         | 10 +++++++---
>  fs/namei.c                     | 29 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>  fs/overlayfs/dir.c             | 10 ++++------
>  fs/overlayfs/readdir.c         |  8 ++++----
>  fs/smb/server/vfs.c            | 27 ++++-----------------------
>  include/linux/namei.h          |  2 ++
>  security/apparmor/apparmorfs.c |  8 ++++----
>  9 files changed, 75 insertions(+), 55 deletions(-)
>
> diff --git a/fs/cachefiles/interface.c b/fs/cachefiles/interface.c
> index 3e63cfe15874..763d7d55b1f9 100644
> --- a/fs/cachefiles/interface.c
> +++ b/fs/cachefiles/interface.c
> @@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
>  #include <linux/mount.h>
>  #include <linux/xattr.h>
>  #include <linux/file.h>
> +#include <linux/namei.h>
>  #include <linux/falloc.h>
>  #include <trace/events/fscache.h>
>  #include "internal.h"
> @@ -428,11 +429,14 @@ static bool cachefiles_invalidate_cookie(struct fscache_cookie *cookie)
>                 if (!old_tmpfile) {
>                         struct cachefiles_volume *volume = object->volume;
>                         struct dentry *fan = volume->fanout[(u8)cookie->key_hash];
> -
> -                       inode_lock_nested(d_inode(fan), I_MUTEX_PARENT);
> -                       cachefiles_bury_object(volume->cache, object, fan,
> -                                              old_file->f_path.dentry,
> -                                              FSCACHE_OBJECT_INVALIDATED);
> +                       struct dentry *obj;
> +
> +                       obj = start_removing_dentry(fan, old_file->f_path.dentry);
> +                       if (!IS_ERR(obj))
> +                               cachefiles_bury_object(volume->cache, object,
> +                                                      fan, obj,
> +                                                      FSCACHE_OBJECT_INVALIDATED);
> +                       end_dirop(obj);
>                 }
>                 fput(old_file);
>         }
> diff --git a/fs/cachefiles/namei.c b/fs/cachefiles/namei.c
> index ddced50afb66..cc6dccd606ea 100644
> --- a/fs/cachefiles/namei.c
> +++ b/fs/cachefiles/namei.c
> @@ -424,13 +424,12 @@ int cachefiles_delete_object(struct cachefiles_object *object,
>
>         _enter(",OBJ%x{%pD}", object->debug_id, object->file);
>
> -       /* Stop the dentry being negated if it's only pinned by a file struct. */
> -       dget(dentry);
> -
> -       inode_lock_nested(d_backing_inode(fan), I_MUTEX_PARENT);
> -       ret = cachefiles_unlink(volume->cache, object, fan, dentry, why);
> -       inode_unlock(d_backing_inode(fan));
> -       dput(dentry);
> +       dentry = start_removing_dentry(fan, dentry);
> +       if (IS_ERR(dentry))
> +               ret = PTR_ERR(dentry);
> +       else
> +               ret = cachefiles_unlink(volume->cache, object, fan, dentry, why);
> +       end_dirop(dentry);
>         return ret;
>  }
>
> @@ -643,9 +642,12 @@ bool cachefiles_look_up_object(struct cachefiles_object *object)
>
>         if (!d_is_reg(dentry)) {
>                 pr_err("%pd is not a file\n", dentry);
> -               inode_lock_nested(d_inode(fan), I_MUTEX_PARENT);
> -               ret = cachefiles_bury_object(volume->cache, object, fan, dentry,
> -                                            FSCACHE_OBJECT_IS_WEIRD);
> +               struct dentry *de = start_removing_dentry(fan, dentry);
> +               if (!IS_ERR(de))
> +                       ret = cachefiles_bury_object(volume->cache, object,
> +                                                    fan, de,
> +                                                    FSCACHE_OBJECT_IS_WEIRD);
> +               end_dirop(de);
>                 dput(dentry);
>                 if (ret < 0)
>                         return false;
> diff --git a/fs/cachefiles/volume.c b/fs/cachefiles/volume.c
> index 781aac4ef274..8c29f3db3fae 100644
> --- a/fs/cachefiles/volume.c
> +++ b/fs/cachefiles/volume.c
> @@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
>
>  #include <linux/fs.h>
>  #include <linux/slab.h>
> +#include <linux/namei.h>
>  #include "internal.h"
>  #include <trace/events/fscache.h>
>
> @@ -58,9 +59,12 @@ void cachefiles_acquire_volume(struct fscache_volume *vcookie)
>                 if (ret < 0) {
>                         if (ret != -ESTALE)
>                                 goto error_dir;
> -                       inode_lock_nested(d_inode(cache->store), I_MUTEX_PARENT);
> -                       cachefiles_bury_object(cache, NULL, cache->store, vdentry,
> -                                              FSCACHE_VOLUME_IS_WEIRD);
> +                       vdentry = start_removing_dentry(cache->store, vdentry);
> +                       if (!IS_ERR(vdentry))
> +                               cachefiles_bury_object(cache, NULL, cache->store,
> +                                                      vdentry,
> +                                                      FSCACHE_VOLUME_IS_WEIRD);
> +                       end_dirop(vdentry);
>                         cachefiles_put_directory(volume->dentry);
>                         cond_resched();
>                         goto retry;
> diff --git a/fs/namei.c b/fs/namei.c
> index 34895487045e..af56bc39c4d5 100644
> --- a/fs/namei.c
> +++ b/fs/namei.c
> @@ -3261,6 +3261,35 @@ struct dentry *start_removing_noperm(struct dentry *parent,
>  }
>  EXPORT_SYMBOL(start_removing_noperm);
>
> +/**
> + * start_removing_dentry - prepare to remove a given dentry
> + * @parent - directory from which dentry should be removed
> + * @child - the dentry to be removed
> + *
> + * A lock is taken to protect the dentry again other dirops and
> + * the validity of the dentry is checked: correct parent and still hashed.
> + *
> + * If the dentry is valid a reference is taken and returned.  If not
> + * an error is returned.
> + *
> + * end_dirop() should be called when removal is complete, or aborted.
> + *
> + * Returns: the valid dentry, or an error.
> + */
> +struct dentry *start_removing_dentry(struct dentry *parent,
> +                                    struct dentry *child)
> +{
> +       inode_lock_nested(parent->d_inode, I_MUTEX_PARENT);
> +       if (unlikely(IS_DEADDIR(parent->d_inode) ||
> +                    child->d_parent != parent ||
> +                    d_unhashed(child))) {
> +               inode_unlock(parent->d_inode);
> +               return ERR_PTR(-EINVAL);
> +       }
> +       return dget(child);
> +}
> +EXPORT_SYMBOL(start_removing_dentry);
> +
>  #ifdef CONFIG_UNIX98_PTYS
>  int path_pts(struct path *path)
>  {
> diff --git a/fs/overlayfs/dir.c b/fs/overlayfs/dir.c
> index 70b8687dc45e..b8f0d409e841 100644
> --- a/fs/overlayfs/dir.c
> +++ b/fs/overlayfs/dir.c
> @@ -47,14 +47,12 @@ static int ovl_cleanup_locked(struct ovl_fs *ofs, struct inode *wdir,
>  int ovl_cleanup(struct ovl_fs *ofs, struct dentry *workdir,
>                 struct dentry *wdentry)
>  {
> -       int err;
> -
> -       err = ovl_parent_lock(workdir, wdentry);
> -       if (err)
> -               return err;
> +       wdentry = start_removing_dentry(workdir, wdentry);
> +       if (IS_ERR(wdentry))
> +               return PTR_ERR(wdentry);
>
>         ovl_cleanup_locked(ofs, workdir->d_inode, wdentry);
> -       ovl_parent_unlock(workdir);
> +       end_dirop(wdentry);
>
>         return 0;
>  }
> diff --git a/fs/overlayfs/readdir.c b/fs/overlayfs/readdir.c
> index b65cdfce31ce..20348be4b98f 100644
> --- a/fs/overlayfs/readdir.c
> +++ b/fs/overlayfs/readdir.c
> @@ -1158,11 +1158,11 @@ int ovl_workdir_cleanup(struct ovl_fs *ofs, struct dentry *parent,
>         if (!d_is_dir(dentry) || level > 1)
>                 return ovl_cleanup(ofs, parent, dentry);
>
> -       err = ovl_parent_lock(parent, dentry);
> -       if (err)
> -               return err;
> +       dentry = start_removing_dentry(parent, dentry);
> +       if (IS_ERR(dentry))
> +               return PTR_ERR(dentry);
>         err = ovl_do_rmdir(ofs, parent->d_inode, dentry);
> -       ovl_parent_unlock(parent);
> +       end_dirop(dentry);
>         if (err) {
>                 struct path path = { .mnt = mnt, .dentry = dentry };
>

I'm sorry I keep nagging about this semantic point, but when I request
that code remains "balanced", I mean "balanced to a human eye".

If we are going to delegate reviews to LLM, then we can feed LLM
the documentation that says which start_ pairs with which end_
and go on to our retirement plans, but as long as I need to review
code, I need a human readable signal about what pairs with what.

Therefore, IMO it is better to have semantic wrappers
end_removing(), end_creating(), than having to rely on humans
to understand that  start_removing_dentry() pairs with end_dirop().

Alternatively, use start_dirop_remove*, start_dirop_create*,
so it is clear that they can all match end_dirop() (can they???).

And repeating my request again: I will insist for overlayfs patches
but I think it is a good practice for all of your patches -
Please keep the code balance by introducing start_ together
with end_ in the same patch, so that it is clear from context of
a single patch review, that the callers were converted correctly.
Otherwise, the only way to verify that is to review the end result
and that is not the idea of a patch series.

Thanks,
Amir.

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