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syscalls(2) System Calls Manual syscalls(2)
syscalls - Linux system calls
Linux system calls.
The system call is the fundamental interface between an
application and the Linux kernel.
System calls and library wrapper functions
System calls are generally not invoked directly, but rather via
wrapper functions in glibc (or perhaps some other library). For
details of direct invocation of a system call, see intro(2).
Often, but not always, the name of the wrapper function is the
same as the name of the system call that it invokes. For
example, glibc contains a function chdir() which invokes the
underlying "chdir" system call.
Often the glibc wrapper function is quite thin, doing little work
other than copying arguments to the right registers before
invoking the system call, and then setting errno appropriately
after the system call has returned. (These are the same steps
that are performed by syscall(2), which can be used to invoke
system calls for which no wrapper function is provided.) Note:
system calls indicate a failure by returning a negative error
number to the caller on architectures without a separate error
register/flag, as noted in syscall(2); when this happens, the
wrapper function negates the returned error number (to make it
positive), copies it to errno, and returns -1 to the caller of
the wrapper.
Sometimes, however, the wrapper function does some extra work
before invoking the system call. For example, nowadays there are
(for reasons described below) two related system calls,
truncate(2) and truncate64(2), and the glibc truncate() wrapper
function checks which of those system calls are provided by the
kernel and determines which should be employed.
System call list
Below is a list of the Linux system calls. In the list, the
Kernel column indicates the kernel version for those system calls
that were new in Linux 2.2, or have appeared since that kernel
version. Note the following points:
• Where no kernel version is indicated, the system call appeared
in Linux 1.0 or earlier.
• Where a system call is marked "1.2" this means the system call
probably appeared in a Linux 1.1.x kernel version, and first
appeared in a stable kernel with 1.2. (Development of the
Linux 1.2 kernel was initiated from a branch of Linux 1.0.6
via the Linux 1.1.x unstable kernel series.)
• Where a system call is marked "2.0" this means the system call
probably appeared in a Linux 1.3.x kernel version, and first
appeared in a stable kernel with Linux 2.0. (Development of
the Linux 2.0 kernel was initiated from a branch of Linux
1.2.x, somewhere around Linux 1.2.10, via the Linux 1.3.x
unstable kernel series.)
• Where a system call is marked "2.2" this means the system call
probably appeared in a Linux 2.1.x kernel version, and first
appeared in a stable kernel with Linux 2.2.0. (Development of
the Linux 2.2 kernel was initiated from a branch of Linux
2.0.21 via the Linux 2.1.x unstable kernel series.)
• Where a system call is marked "2.4" this means the system call
probably appeared in a Linux 2.3.x kernel version, and first
appeared in a stable kernel with Linux 2.4.0. (Development of
the Linux 2.4 kernel was initiated from a branch of Linux
2.2.8 via the Linux 2.3.x unstable kernel series.)
• Where a system call is marked "2.6" this means the system call
probably appeared in a Linux 2.5.x kernel version, and first
appeared in a stable kernel with Linux 2.6.0. (Development of
Linux 2.6 was initiated from a branch of Linux 2.4.15 via the
Linux 2.5.x unstable kernel series.)
• Starting with Linux 2.6.0, the development model changed, and
new system calls may appear in each Linux 2.6.x release. In
this case, the exact version number where the system call
appeared is shown. This convention continues with the Linux
3.x kernel series, which followed on from Linux 2.6.39; and
the Linux 4.x kernel series, which followed on from Linux
3.19; and the Linux 5.x kernel series, which followed on from
Linux 4.20; and the Linux 6.x kernel series, which followed on
from Linux 5.19.
• In some cases, a system call was added to a stable kernel
series after it branched from the previous stable kernel
series, and then backported into the earlier stable kernel
series. For example some system calls that appeared in Linux
2.6.x were also backported into a Linux 2.4.x release after
Linux 2.4.15. When this is so, the version where the system
call appeared in both of the major kernel series is listed.
The list of system calls that are available as at Linux 5.14 (or
in a few cases only on older kernels) is as follows:
System call Kernel Notes
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
_llseek(2) 1.2
_newselect(2) 2.0
_sysctl(2) 2.0 Removed in 5.5
accept(2) 2.0 See notes on socketcall(2)
accept4(2) 2.6.28
access(2) 1.0
acct(2) 1.0
add_key(2) 2.6.10
adjtimex(2) 1.0
alarm(2) 1.0
alloc_hugepages(2) 2.5.36 Removed in 2.5.44
arc_gettls(2) 3.9 ARC only
arc_settls(2) 3.9 ARC only
arc_usr_cmpxchg(2) 4.9 ARC only
arch_prctl(2) 2.6 x86_64, x86 since 4.12
atomic_barrier(2) 2.6.34 m68k only
atomic_cmpxchg_32(2) 2.6.34 m68k only
bdflush(2) 1.2 Deprecated (does nothing)
since 2.6
bind(2) 2.0 See notes on socketcall(2)
bpf(2) 3.18
brk(2) 1.0
breakpoint(2) 2.2 ARM OABI only, defined with
__ARM_NR prefix
cacheflush(2) 1.2 Not on x86
capget(2) 2.2
capset(2) 2.2
chdir(2) 1.0
chmod(2) 1.0
chown(2) 2.2 See chown(2) for version
details
chown32(2) 2.4
chroot(2) 1.0
clock_adjtime(2) 2.6.39
clock_getres(2) 2.6
clock_gettime(2) 2.6
clock_nanosleep(2) 2.6
clock_settime(2) 2.6
clone2(2) 2.4 IA-64 only
clone(2) 1.0
clone3(2) 5.3
close(2) 1.0
close_range(2) 5.9
connect(2) 2.0 See notes on socketcall(2)
copy_file_range(2) 4.5
creat(2) 1.0
create_module(2) 1.0 Removed in 2.6
delete_module(2) 1.0
dup(2) 1.0
dup2(2) 1.0
dup3(2) 2.6.27
epoll_create(2) 2.6
epoll_create1(2) 2.6.27
epoll_ctl(2) 2.6
epoll_pwait(2) 2.6.19
epoll_pwait2(2) 5.11
epoll_wait(2) 2.6
eventfd(2) 2.6.22
eventfd2(2) 2.6.27
execv(2) 2.0 SPARC/SPARC64 only, for
compatibility with SunOS
execve(2) 1.0
execveat(2) 3.19
exit(2) 1.0
exit_group(2) 2.6
faccessat(2) 2.6.16
faccessat2(2) 5.8
fadvise64(2) 2.6
fadvise64_64(2) 2.6
fallocate(2) 2.6.23
fanotify_init(2) 2.6.37
fanotify_mark(2) 2.6.37
fchdir(2) 1.0
fchmod(2) 1.0
fchmodat(2) 2.6.16
fchown(2) 1.0
fchown32(2) 2.4
fchownat(2) 2.6.16
fcntl(2) 1.0
fcntl64(2) 2.4
fdatasync(2) 2.0
fgetxattr(2) 2.6; 2.4.18
finit_module(2) 3.8
flistxattr(2) 2.6; 2.4.18
flock(2) 2.0
fork(2) 1.0
free_hugepages(2) 2.5.36 Removed in 2.5.44
fremovexattr(2) 2.6; 2.4.18
fsconfig(2) 5.2
fsetxattr(2) 2.6; 2.4.18
fsmount(2) 5.2
fsopen(2) 5.2
fspick(2) 5.2
fstat(2) 1.0
fstat64(2) 2.4
fstatat64(2) 2.6.16
fstatfs(2) 1.0
fstatfs64(2) 2.6
fsync(2) 1.0
ftruncate(2) 1.0
ftruncate64(2) 2.4
futex(2) 2.6
futimesat(2) 2.6.16
get_kernel_syms(2) 1.0 Removed in 2.6
get_mempolicy(2) 2.6.6
get_robust_list(2) 2.6.17
get_thread_area(2) 2.6
get_tls(2) 4.15 ARM OABI only, has __ARM_NR
prefix
getcpu(2) 2.6.19
getcwd(2) 2.2
getdents(2) 2.0
getdents64(2) 2.4
getdomainname(2) 2.2 SPARC, SPARC64; available
as osf_getdomainname(2) on
Alpha since Linux 2.0
getdtablesize(2) 2.0 SPARC (removed in 2.6.26),
available on Alpha as
osf_getdtablesize(2)
getegid(2) 1.0
getegid32(2) 2.4
geteuid(2) 1.0
geteuid32(2) 2.4
getgid(2) 1.0
getgid32(2) 2.4
getgroups(2) 1.0
getgroups32(2) 2.4
gethostname(2) 2.0 Alpha, was available on
SPARC up to Linux 2.6.26
getitimer(2) 1.0
getpeername(2) 2.0 See notes on socketcall(2)
getpagesize(2) 2.0 Alpha, SPARC/SPARC64 only
getpgid(2) 1.0
getpgrp(2) 1.0
getpid(2) 1.0
getppid(2) 1.0
getpriority(2) 1.0
getrandom(2) 3.17
getresgid(2) 2.2
getresgid32(2) 2.4
getresuid(2) 2.2
getresuid32(2) 2.4
getrlimit(2) 1.0
getrusage(2) 1.0
getsid(2) 2.0
getsockname(2) 2.0 See notes on socketcall(2)
getsockopt(2) 2.0 See notes on socketcall(2)
gettid(2) 2.4.11
gettimeofday(2) 1.0
getuid(2) 1.0
getuid32(2) 2.4
getunwind(2) 2.4.8 IA-64 only; deprecated
getxattr(2) 2.6; 2.4.18
getxgid(2) 2.0 Alpha only; see NOTES
getxpid(2) 2.0 Alpha only; see NOTES
getxuid(2) 2.0 Alpha only; see NOTES
init_module(2) 1.0
inotify_add_watch(2) 2.6.13
inotify_init(2) 2.6.13
inotify_init1(2) 2.6.27
inotify_rm_watch(2) 2.6.13
io_cancel(2) 2.6
io_destroy(2) 2.6
io_getevents(2) 2.6
io_pgetevents(2) 4.18
io_setup(2) 2.6
io_submit(2) 2.6
io_uring_enter(2) 5.1
io_uring_register(2) 5.1
io_uring_setup(2) 5.1
ioctl(2) 1.0
ioperm(2) 1.0
iopl(2) 1.0
ioprio_get(2) 2.6.13
ioprio_set(2) 2.6.13
ipc(2) 1.0
kcmp(2) 3.5
kern_features(2) 3.7 SPARC64 only
kexec_file_load(2) 3.17
kexec_load(2) 2.6.13
keyctl(2) 2.6.10
kill(2) 1.0
landlock_add_rule(2) 5.13
landlock_create_ruleset(2) 5.13
landlock_restrict_self(2) 5.13
lchown(2) 1.0 See chown(2) for version
details
lchown32(2) 2.4
lgetxattr(2) 2.6; 2.4.18
link(2) 1.0
linkat(2) 2.6.16
listen(2) 2.0 See notes on socketcall(2)
listxattr(2) 2.6; 2.4.18
llistxattr(2) 2.6; 2.4.18
lookup_dcookie(2) 2.6
lremovexattr(2) 2.6; 2.4.18
lseek(2) 1.0
lsetxattr(2) 2.6; 2.4.18
lstat(2) 1.0
lstat64(2) 2.4
madvise(2) 2.4
mbind(2) 2.6.6
memory_ordering(2) 2.2 SPARC64 only
membarrier(2) 3.17
memfd_create(2) 3.17
memfd_secret(2) 5.14
migrate_pages(2) 2.6.16
mincore(2) 2.4
mkdir(2) 1.0
mkdirat(2) 2.6.16
mknod(2) 1.0
mknodat(2) 2.6.16
mlock(2) 2.0
mlock2(2) 4.4
mlockall(2) 2.0
mmap(2) 1.0
mmap2(2) 2.4
modify_ldt(2) 1.0
mount(2) 1.0
move_mount(2) 5.2
move_pages(2) 2.6.18
mprotect(2) 1.0
mq_getsetattr(2) 2.6.6
mq_notify(2) 2.6.6
mq_open(2) 2.6.6
mq_timedreceive(2) 2.6.6
mq_timedsend(2) 2.6.6
mq_unlink(2) 2.6.6
mremap(2) 2.0
msgctl(2) 2.0 See notes on ipc(2)
msgget(2) 2.0 See notes on ipc(2)
msgrcv(2) 2.0 See notes on ipc(2)
msgsnd(2) 2.0 See notes on ipc(2)
msync(2) 2.0
munlock(2) 2.0
munlockall(2) 2.0
munmap(2) 1.0
name_to_handle_at(2) 2.6.39
nanosleep(2) 2.0
newfstatat(2) 2.6.16 See stat(2)
nfsservctl(2) 2.2 Removed in 3.1
nice(2) 1.0
old_adjtimex(2) 2.0 Alpha only; see NOTES
old_getrlimit(2) 2.4 Old variant of getrlimit(2)
that used a different value
for RLIM_INFINITY
oldfstat(2) 1.0
oldlstat(2) 1.0
oldolduname(2) 1.0
oldstat(2) 1.0
oldumount(2) 2.4.116 Name of the old umount(2)
syscall on Alpha
olduname(2) 1.0
open(2) 1.0
open_by_handle_at(2) 2.6.39
open_tree(2) 5.2
openat(2) 2.6.16
openat2(2) 5.6
or1k_atomic(2) 3.1 OpenRISC 1000 only
pause(2) 1.0
pciconfig_iobase(2) 2.2.15; 2.4 Not on x86
pciconfig_read(2) 2.0.26; 2.2 Not on x86
pciconfig_write(2) 2.0.26; 2.2 Not on x86
perf_event_open(2) 2.6.31 Was perf_counter_open() in
2.6.31; renamed in 2.6.32
personality(2) 1.2
perfctr(2) 2.2 SPARC only; removed in
2.6.34
perfmonctl(2) 2.4 IA-64 only; removed in 5.10
pidfd_getfd(2) 5.6
pidfd_send_signal(2) 5.1
pidfd_open(2) 5.3
pipe(2) 1.0
pipe2(2) 2.6.27
pivot_root(2) 2.4
pkey_alloc(2) 4.8
pkey_free(2) 4.8
pkey_mprotect(2) 4.8
poll(2) 2.0.36; 2.2
ppoll(2) 2.6.16
prctl(2) 2.2
pread64(2) Added as "pread" in 2.2;
renamed "pread64" in 2.6
preadv(2) 2.6.30
preadv2(2) 4.6
prlimit64(2) 2.6.36
process_madvise(2) 5.10
process_vm_readv(2) 3.2
process_vm_writev(2) 3.2
pselect6(2) 2.6.16
ptrace(2) 1.0
pwrite64(2) Added as "pwrite" in 2.2;
renamed "pwrite64" in 2.6
pwritev(2) 2.6.30
pwritev2(2) 4.6
query_module(2) 2.2 Removed in 2.6
quotactl(2) 1.0
quotactl_fd(2) 5.14
read(2) 1.0
readahead(2) 2.4.13
readdir(2) 1.0
readlink(2) 1.0
readlinkat(2) 2.6.16
readv(2) 2.0
reboot(2) 1.0
recv(2) 2.0 See notes on socketcall(2)
recvfrom(2) 2.0 See notes on socketcall(2)
recvmsg(2) 2.0 See notes on socketcall(2)
recvmmsg(2) 2.6.33
remap_file_pages(2) 2.6 Deprecated since 3.16
removexattr(2) 2.6; 2.4.18
rename(2) 1.0
renameat(2) 2.6.16
renameat2(2) 3.15
request_key(2) 2.6.10
restart_syscall(2) 2.6
riscv_flush_icache(2) 4.15 RISC-V only
rmdir(2) 1.0
rseq(2) 4.18
rt_sigaction(2) 2.2
rt_sigpending(2) 2.2
rt_sigprocmask(2) 2.2
rt_sigqueueinfo(2) 2.2
rt_sigreturn(2) 2.2
rt_sigsuspend(2) 2.2
rt_sigtimedwait(2) 2.2
rt_tgsigqueueinfo(2) 2.6.31
rtas(2) 2.6.2 PowerPC/PowerPC64 only
s390_runtime_instr(2) 3.7 s390 only
s390_pci_mmio_read(2) 3.19 s390 only
s390_pci_mmio_write(2) 3.19 s390 only
s390_sthyi(2) 4.15 s390 only
s390_guarded_storage(2) 4.12 s390 only
sched_get_affinity(2) 2.6 Name of
sched_getaffinity(2) on
SPARC and SPARC64
sched_get_priority_max(2) 2.0
sched_get_priority_min(2) 2.0
sched_getaffinity(2) 2.6
sched_getattr(2) 3.14
sched_getparam(2) 2.0
sched_getscheduler(2) 2.0
sched_rr_get_interval(2) 2.0
sched_set_affinity(2) 2.6 Name of
sched_setaffinity(2) on
SPARC and SPARC64
sched_setaffinity(2) 2.6
sched_setattr(2) 3.14
sched_setparam(2) 2.0
sched_setscheduler(2) 2.0
sched_yield(2) 2.0
seccomp(2) 3.17
select(2) 1.0
semctl(2) 2.0 See notes on ipc(2)
semget(2) 2.0 See notes on ipc(2)
semop(2) 2.0 See notes on ipc(2)
semtimedop(2) 2.6; 2.4.22
send(2) 2.0 See notes on socketcall(2)
sendfile(2) 2.2
sendfile64(2) 2.6; 2.4.19
sendmmsg(2) 3.0
sendmsg(2) 2.0 See notes on socketcall(2)
sendto(2) 2.0 See notes on socketcall(2)
set_mempolicy(2) 2.6.6
set_robust_list(2) 2.6.17
set_thread_area(2) 2.6
set_tid_address(2) 2.6
set_tls(2) 2.6.11 ARM OABI/EABI only
(constant has __ARM_NR
prefix)
setdomainname(2) 1.0
setfsgid(2) 1.2
setfsgid32(2) 2.4
setfsuid(2) 1.2
setfsuid32(2) 2.4
setgid(2) 1.0
setgid32(2) 2.4
setgroups(2) 1.0
setgroups32(2) 2.4
sethae(2) 2.0 Alpha only; see NOTES
sethostname(2) 1.0
setitimer(2) 1.0
setns(2) 3.0
setpgid(2) 1.0
setpgrp(2) 2.0 Alternative name for
setpgid(2) on Alpha
setpriority(2) 1.0
setregid(2) 1.0
setregid32(2) 2.4
setresgid(2) 2.2
setresgid32(2) 2.4
setresuid(2) 2.2
setresuid32(2) 2.4
setreuid(2) 1.0
setreuid32(2) 2.4
setrlimit(2) 1.0
setsid(2) 1.0
setsockopt(2) 2.0 See notes on socketcall(2)
settimeofday(2) 1.0
setuid(2) 1.0
setuid32(2) 2.4
setup(2) 1.0 Removed in 2.2
setxattr(2) 2.6; 2.4.18
sgetmask(2) 1.0
shmat(2) 2.0 See notes on ipc(2)
shmctl(2) 2.0 See notes on ipc(2)
shmdt(2) 2.0 See notes on ipc(2)
shmget(2) 2.0 See notes on ipc(2)
shutdown(2) 2.0 See notes on socketcall(2)
sigaction(2) 1.0
sigaltstack(2) 2.2
signal(2) 1.0
signalfd(2) 2.6.22
signalfd4(2) 2.6.27
sigpending(2) 1.0
sigprocmask(2) 1.0
sigreturn(2) 1.0
sigsuspend(2) 1.0
socket(2) 2.0 See notes on socketcall(2)
socketcall(2) 1.0
socketpair(2) 2.0 See notes on socketcall(2)
spill(2) 2.6.13 Xtensa only
splice(2) 2.6.17
spu_create(2) 2.6.16 PowerPC/PowerPC64 only
spu_run(2) 2.6.16 PowerPC/PowerPC64 only
ssetmask(2) 1.0
stat(2) 1.0
stat64(2) 2.4
statfs(2) 1.0
statfs64(2) 2.6
statx(2) 4.11
stime(2) 1.0
subpage_prot(2) 2.6.25 PowerPC/PowerPC64 only
swapcontext(2) 2.6.3 PowerPC/PowerPC64 only
switch_endian(2) 4.1 PowerPC64 only
swapoff(2) 1.0
swapon(2) 1.0
symlink(2) 1.0
symlinkat(2) 2.6.16
sync(2) 1.0
sync_file_range(2) 2.6.17
sync_file_range2(2) 2.6.22
syncfs(2) 2.6.39
sys_debug_setcontext(2) 2.6.11 PowerPC only
syscall(2) 1.0 Still available on ARM OABI
and MIPS O32 ABI
sysfs(2) 1.2
sysinfo(2) 1.0
syslog(2) 1.0
sysmips(2) 2.6.0 MIPS only
tee(2) 2.6.17
tgkill(2) 2.6
time(2) 1.0
timer_create(2) 2.6
timer_delete(2) 2.6
timer_getoverrun(2) 2.6
timer_gettime(2) 2.6
timer_settime(2) 2.6
timerfd_create(2) 2.6.25
timerfd_gettime(2) 2.6.25
timerfd_settime(2) 2.6.25
times(2) 1.0
tkill(2) 2.6; 2.4.22
truncate(2) 1.0
truncate64(2) 2.4
ugetrlimit(2) 2.4
umask(2) 1.0
umount(2) 1.0
umount2(2) 2.2
uname(2) 1.0
unlink(2) 1.0
unlinkat(2) 2.6.16
unshare(2) 2.6.16
uselib(2) 1.0
ustat(2) 1.0
userfaultfd(2) 4.3
usr26(2) 2.4.8.1 ARM OABI only
usr32(2) 2.4.8.1 ARM OABI only
utime(2) 1.0
utimensat(2) 2.6.22
utimes(2) 2.2
utrap_install(2) 2.2 SPARC64 only
vfork(2) 2.2
vhangup(2) 1.0
vm86old(2) 1.0 Was "vm86"; renamed in
2.0.28/2.2
vm86(2) 2.0.28; 2.2
vmsplice(2) 2.6.17
wait4(2) 1.0
waitid(2) 2.6.10
waitpid(2) 1.0
write(2) 1.0
writev(2) 2.0
xtensa(2) 2.6.13 Xtensa only
On many platforms, including x86-32, socket calls are all
multiplexed (via glibc wrapper functions) through socketcall(2)
and similarly System V IPC calls are multiplexed through ipc(2).
Although slots are reserved for them in the system call table,
the following system calls are not implemented in the standard
kernel: afs_syscall(2), break(2), ftime(2), getpmsg(2), gtty(2),
idle(2), lock(2), madvise1(2), mpx(2), phys(2), prof(2),
profil(2), putpmsg(2), security(2), stty(2), tuxcall(2),
ulimit(2), and vserver(2) (see also unimplemented(2)). However,
ftime(3), profil(3), and ulimit(3) exist as library routines.
The slot for phys(2) is in use since Linux 2.1.116 for umount(2);
phys(2) will never be implemented. The getpmsg(2) and putpmsg(2)
calls are for kernels patched to support STREAMS, and may never
be in the standard kernel.
There was briefly set_zone_reclaim(2), added in Linux 2.6.13, and
removed in Linux 2.6.16; this system call was never available to
user space.
System calls on removed ports
Some system calls only ever existed on Linux architectures that
have since been removed from the kernel:
AVR32 (port removed in Linux 4.12)
• pread(2)
• pwrite(2)
Blackfin (port removed in Linux 4.17)
• bfin_spinlock(2) (added in Linux 2.6.22)
• dma_memcpy(2) (added in Linux 2.6.22)
• pread(2) (added in Linux 2.6.22)
• pwrite(2) (added in Linux 2.6.22)
• sram_alloc(2) (added in Linux 2.6.22)
• sram_free(2) (added in Linux 2.6.22)
Metag (port removed in Linux 4.17)
• metag_get_tls(2) (add in Linux 3.9)
• metag_set_fpu_flags(2) (add in Linux 3.9)
• metag_set_tls(2) (add in Linux 3.9)
• metag_setglobalbit(2) (add in Linux 3.9)
Tile (port removed in Linux 4.17)
• cmpxchg_badaddr(2) (added in Linux 2.6.36)
Roughly speaking, the code belonging to the system call with
number __NR_xxx defined in /usr/include/asm/unistd.h can be found
in the Linux kernel source in the routine sys_xxx(). There are
many exceptions, however, mostly because older system calls were
superseded by newer ones, and this has been treated somewhat
unsystematically. On platforms with proprietary operating-system
emulation, such as sparc, sparc64, and alpha, there are many
additional system calls; mips64 also contains a full set of
32-bit system calls.
Over time, changes to the interfaces of some system calls have
been necessary. One reason for such changes was the need to
increase the size of structures or scalar values passed to the
system call. Because of these changes, certain architectures
(notably, longstanding 32-bit architectures such as i386) now
have various groups of related system calls (e.g., truncate(2)
and truncate64(2)) which perform similar tasks, but which vary in
details such as the size of their arguments. (As noted earlier,
applications are generally unaware of this: the glibc wrapper
functions do some work to ensure that the right system call is
invoked, and that ABI compatibility is preserved for old
binaries.) Examples of system calls that exist in multiple
versions are the following:
• By now there are three different versions of stat(2):
sys_stat() (slot __NR_oldstat), sys_newstat() (slot
__NR_stat), and sys_stat64() (slot __NR_stat64), with the last
being the most current. A similar story applies for lstat(2)
and fstat(2).
• Similarly, the defines __NR_oldolduname, __NR_olduname, and
__NR_uname refer to the routines sys_olduname(), sys_uname(),
and sys_newuname().
• In Linux 2.0, a new version of vm86(2) appeared, with the old
and the new kernel routines being named sys_vm86old() and
sys_vm86().
• In Linux 2.4, a new version of getrlimit(2) appeared, with the
old and the new kernel routines being named
sys_old_getrlimit() (slot __NR_getrlimit) and sys_getrlimit()
(slot __NR_ugetrlimit).
• Linux 2.4 increased the size of user and group IDs from 16 to
32 bits. To support this change, a range of system calls were
added (e.g., chown32(2), getuid32(2), getgroups32(2),
setresuid32(2)), superseding earlier calls of the same name
without the "32" suffix.
• Linux 2.4 added support for applications on 32-bit
architectures to access large files (i.e., files for which the
sizes and file offsets can't be represented in 32 bits.) To
support this change, replacements were required for system
calls that deal with file offsets and sizes. Thus the
following system calls were added: fcntl64(2), getdents64(2),
stat64(2), statfs64(2), truncate64(2), and their analogs that
work with file descriptors or symbolic links. These system
calls supersede the older system calls which, except in the
case of the "stat" calls, have the same name without the "64"
suffix.
On newer platforms that only have 64-bit file access and
32-bit UIDs/GIDs (e.g., alpha, ia64, s390x, x86-64), there is
just a single version of the UID/GID and file access system
calls. On platforms (typically, 32-bit platforms) where the
*64 and *32 calls exist, the other versions are obsolete.
• The rt_sig* calls were added in Linux 2.2 to support the
addition of real-time signals (see signal(7)). These system
calls supersede the older system calls of the same name
without the "rt_" prefix.
• The select(2) and mmap(2) system calls use five or more
arguments, which caused problems in the way argument passing
on the i386 used to be set up. Thus, while other
architectures have sys_select() and sys_mmap() corresponding
to __NR_select and __NR_mmap, on i386 one finds old_select()
and old_mmap() (routines that use a pointer to an argument
block) instead. These days passing five arguments is not a
problem any more, and there is a __NR__newselect that
corresponds directly to sys_select() and similarly __NR_mmap2.
s390x is the only 64-bit architecture that has old_mmap().
Architecture-specific details: Alpha
getxgid(2)
returns a pair of GID and effective GID via registers r0
and r20; it is provided instead of getgid(2) and
getegid(2).
getxpid(2)
returns a pair of PID and parent PID via registers r0 and
r20; it is provided instead of getpid(2) and getppid(2).
old_adjtimex(2)
is a variant of adjtimex(2) that uses struct timeval32,
for compatibility with OSF/1.
getxuid(2)
returns a pair of GID and effective GID via registers r0
and r20; it is provided instead of getuid(2) and
geteuid(2).
sethae(2)
is used for configuring the Host Address Extension
register on low-cost Alphas in order to access address
space beyond first 27 bits.
ausyscall(1), intro(2), syscall(2), unimplemented(2), errno(3),
libc(7), vdso(7)
This page is part of the man-pages (Linux kernel and C library
user-space interface documentation) project. Information about
the project can be found at
⟨https://www.kernel.org/doc/man-pages/⟩. If you have a bug report
for this manual page, see
⟨https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/docs/man-pages/man-pages.git/tree/CONTRIBUTING⟩.
This page was obtained from the tarball man-pages-6.9.1.tar.gz
fetched from
⟨https://mirrors.edge.kernel.org/pub/linux/docs/man-pages/⟩ on
2024-06-26. If you discover any rendering problems in this HTML
version of the page, or you believe there is a better or more up-
to-date source for the page, or you have corrections or
improvements to the information in this COLOPHON (which is not
part of the original manual page), send a mail to
[email protected]
Linux man-pages 6.9.1 2024-05-02 syscalls(2)
Pages that refer to this page: strace(1), intro(2), syscall(2), unimplemented(2), stapprobes(3stap), libc(7), man-pages(7), vdso(7)
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