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diff --git a/Documentation/kbuild/gcc-plugins.rst b/Documentation/kbuild/gcc-plugins.rst new file mode 100644 index 000000000000..4b1c10f88e30 --- /dev/null +++ b/Documentation/kbuild/gcc-plugins.rst @@ -0,0 +1,97 @@ +========================= +GCC plugin infrastructure +========================= + + +Introduction +============ + +GCC plugins are loadable modules that provide extra features to the +compiler [1]_. They are useful for runtime instrumentation and static analysis. +We can analyse, change and add further code during compilation via +callbacks [2]_, GIMPLE [3]_, IPA [4]_ and RTL passes [5]_. + +The GCC plugin infrastructure of the kernel supports all gcc versions from +4.5 to 6.0, building out-of-tree modules, cross-compilation and building in a +separate directory. +Plugin source files have to be compilable by both a C and a C++ compiler as well +because gcc versions 4.5 and 4.6 are compiled by a C compiler, +gcc-4.7 can be compiled by a C or a C++ compiler, +and versions 4.8+ can only be compiled by a C++ compiler. + +Currently the GCC plugin infrastructure supports only the x86, arm, arm64 and +powerpc architectures. + +This infrastructure was ported from grsecurity [6]_ and PaX [7]_. + +-- + +.. [1] https://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gccint/Plugins.html +.. [2] https://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gccint/Plugin-API.html#Plugin-API +.. [3] https://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gccint/GIMPLE.html +.. [4] https://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gccint/IPA.html +.. [5] https://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gccint/RTL.html +.. [6] https://grsecurity.net/ +.. [7] https://pax.grsecurity.net/ + + +Files +===== + +**$(src)/scripts/gcc-plugins** + + This is the directory of the GCC plugins. + +**$(src)/scripts/gcc-plugins/gcc-common.h** + + This is a compatibility header for GCC plugins. + It should be always included instead of individual gcc headers. + +**$(src)/scripts/gcc-plugin.sh** + + This script checks the availability of the included headers in + gcc-common.h and chooses the proper host compiler to build the plugins + (gcc-4.7 can be built by either gcc or g++). + +**$(src)/scripts/gcc-plugins/gcc-generate-gimple-pass.h, +$(src)/scripts/gcc-plugins/gcc-generate-ipa-pass.h, +$(src)/scripts/gcc-plugins/gcc-generate-simple_ipa-pass.h, +$(src)/scripts/gcc-plugins/gcc-generate-rtl-pass.h** + + These headers automatically generate the registration structures for + GIMPLE, SIMPLE_IPA, IPA and RTL passes. They support all gcc versions + from 4.5 to 6.0. + They should be preferred to creating the structures by hand. + + +Usage +===== + +You must install the gcc plugin headers for your gcc version, +e.g., on Ubuntu for gcc-4.9:: + + apt-get install gcc-4.9-plugin-dev + +Or on Fedora:: + + dnf install gcc-plugin-devel + +Enable a GCC plugin based feature in the kernel config:: + + CONFIG_GCC_PLUGIN_CYC_COMPLEXITY = y + +To compile only the plugin(s):: + + make gcc-plugins + +or just run the kernel make and compile the whole kernel with +the cyclomatic complexity GCC plugin. + + +4. How to add a new GCC plugin +============================== + +The GCC plugins are in $(src)/scripts/gcc-plugins/. You can use a file or a directory +here. It must be added to $(src)/scripts/gcc-plugins/Makefile, +$(src)/scripts/Makefile.gcc-plugins and $(src)/arch/Kconfig. +See the cyc_complexity_plugin.c (CONFIG_GCC_PLUGIN_CYC_COMPLEXITY) GCC plugin. |