[tptacek]

If you're doing this kind of "optimistic" reliability story, where developers who stay on the happy path are unlikely to cause any real problems, I don't get what the value of something like this is over just doing a normal Rust LKM that isn't locked into a specific set of helpers.

[eptcyka]

You can extend the kernel functionality without having to develop a whole kernel module? Just because your module has no memory errors does not mean that it is working as intended.

Further, if you want to hook into specific parts of the kernel, you might well end up writing far more boilerplate instead of just intercepting the one call you're actually interested in and adding some metadata or doing some access control.

I personally am all for a kernel that can do more things for more people with less bespoke kernel modules or patches.

[tptacek]

I guess my point is that the delta between a "whole kernel module" and a "Rex extension" is pretty small.

[zem]

if nothing else, rex makes a good central place to evolve a set of helper code for doing ebpf-like stuff in a rust kernel module. wouldn't be too surprised if it eventually becomes closer to an embedded dsl.

[loeg]

Sure! Can't disagree with that.