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Linux kernel Rust work is documented in two places: narrative guides explain setup and workflow, while generated rustdoc pages let you browse the Rust API and its source. Testing also has three distinct routes: documentation examples and Rust unit tests can run through KUnit, while Rust kselftests run on a system booted into the matching kernel.
Where Linux kernel Rust documentation lives
Start with the kernel’s Rust documentation overview. It links to the Quick Start, General Information, Coding Guidelines, Architecture Support, and Testing guides. These narrative pages explain how to configure a kernel tree, work with Rust code, and choose a test workflow.
The generated API reference serves a different purpose: it lets you browse documented Rust items and their source. The overview describes it as HTML that the kernel may generate with rustdoc for a given kernel configuration, and points to the pregenerated reference at rust.docs.kernel.org. The observed generated site version was Linux Kernel v7.3-rc6; the reference may track a different version from the kernel tree you are using, so verify that its APIs match your branch.
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Use the Quick Start for prerequisites that match your kernel branch and development environment. Rather than relying on an old distribution-specific package recipe, begin by checking whether the build system recognizes the required tools:
#1 Best Overall
make LLVM=1 rustavailableThe kernel needs Rust standard-library source because it cross-compiles core. It also needs libclang for bindgen to understand kernel C code; bindgen generates Rust bindings to that C code during the build. When a suitable toolchain and the other requirements are met, CONFIG_RUST becomes available.
The Quick Start identifies a complete LLVM toolchain, used with make LLVM=1, as the best-supported setup. GCC works for some configurations, but the guide describes that path as experimental in this context. Exact package names and versions vary by distribution and kernel branch, so use the Quick Start for the tree you intend to build.
Build tools and developer tools are not the same thing
Rust support also involves tools used during development, but they do not all serve as build prerequisites:
rustfmtformats Rust kernel code and generated C bindings.- Clippy provides additional lint warnings.
rustdocgenerates HTML documentation and tests examples embedded in documented code.
The Quick Start describes distribution packages, rustup, and kernel.org’s prebuilt LLVM+Rust toolchains as ways to obtain dependencies. Choose versions for the target branch rather than assuming a package command from another distribution will apply.
Rank #3
- Used Book in Good Condition
Choose the test route that matches your code
The kernel’s Rust testing guide separates documentation tests, Rust #[test] suites, and Rust kselftests. The key distinction is where the test runs and what it is meant to validate.
| Test route | What it checks | Where it runs |
|---|---|---|
| KUnit documentation tests | Examples in Rust documentation, transformed into KUnit tests | As Rust kernel objects against a built kernel |
Rust #[test] tests |
Explicit Rust test suites | Through KUnit in the kernel, or with the documented host-side rusttest target |
| Rust kselftests | Rust selftests under tools/testing/selftests/rust |
On a system running the matching kernel |
Test examples in documentation with KUnit
Documentation examples are transformed into KUnit tests and compiled as Rust kernel objects. This route helps check that examples remain aligned with kernel code and can exercise kernel APIs through KUnit. The guide demonstrates this command for an x86_64 build:
./tools/testing/kunit/kunit.py run --make_options LLVM=1 --arch x86_64 --kconfig_add CONFIG_RUST=yThe relevant configuration options include CONFIG_KUNIT and CONFIG_RUST_KERNEL_DOCTESTS. Check the testing guide for the exact configuration and command details for your tree.
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Rust #[test] tests are also mapped to KUnit. Each suite should be guarded by a Kconfig option in rust/kernel/Kconfig.test. For host-side tests, the guide documents:
make LLVM=1 rusttestThis target requires the kernel’s .config. The Quick Start notes that rusttest uses rustdoc’s example-testing feature, so it is a host-side route distinct from running KUnit tests as part of a kernel build.
Run Rust kselftests on the matching kernel
Rust kselftests are located in tools/testing/selftests/rust. The guide points to tools/testing/selftests/rust/config for required kernel options. Merge that configuration before building, then run the test target from a system booted into the matching kernel:
make TARGETS="rust" kselftestThis is the route to use when you need to exercise the selftests in the context of a running kernel, rather than test documentation examples or host-side Rust tests.
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What Rust support means for kernel versions
Rust support was merged into mainline in Linux v6.1 to evaluate whether Rust was suitable for kernel development. The official v6.17 overview describes support as experimental, particularly for some configurations, and says there are no in-tree Rust drivers or modules suitable or intended for production use. That is a version-specific statement, not a timeless description: check the documentation for the kernel version you plan to use before drawing conclusions about its maturity or available code.
For everyday work, use the narrative guides for setup and workflow, the generated reference for API browsing, and the testing guide to select a test path. Confirm options and commands against the target kernel tree, since toolchain requirements and test configuration can change across branches.
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