Rust Drivers Hit a Snag in the Linux Kernel's DMA Subsystem

2025-02-04

The Linux kernel's efforts to integrate Rust for device driver development are encountering resistance within the DMA (Direct Memory Access) subsystem. Rust drivers require interaction with the kernel's DMA mapping layer, necessitating a set of abstractions. However, core maintainer Christoph Hellwig opposes adding Rust code to `kernel/dma`, citing increased maintenance complexity. While Rust developers proposed maintaining these abstractions separately, Hellwig remains unconvinced. This impasse highlights challenges in Rust's kernel integration, with its future hinging on the kernel community's decision and the adaptation of core maintainers to a multi-language environment.

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