The patch series in the works for a while to provide the necessary kernel abstractions for the Rust programming language to actually implement real device drivers looks like it will finally premiere in the [1]Linux 6.14 kernel cycle.

The Rust abstractions within the Linux kernel have been a long time coming and with each new kernel release new subsystems and functionality are introduced. In the current Linux 6.13 cycle [2]the Rust drivers hit a "tipping point" with more drivers coming on the horizon and indeed it looks like more Rust code will land for Linux 6.14.

Being queued over the weekend within the [3]driver-core.git's driver-core-next branch overseen by Greg Kroah-Hartman is the latest Rust patch series.

The [4]v7 patch series providing the device / driver / PCI platform Rust abstractions is set to be merged for Linux 6.14 if all goes well now that the code has reached driver-core-next.

These patches are needed by the in-development NOVA kernel driver for the open-source NVIDIA GSP-using kernel graphics driver being worked on by Red Hat, the Rust NVMe driver, and other real drivers to come. Plus these patches themselves introduce new sample Rust drivers for demonstrating PCI and platform use too.

So barring any last minute objections that would see the patches being dropped from driver-core-next or rejected by Linus Torvalds, look for this Rust code enabling new PCI and platform drivers to be written in the Rust programming language to be added to the upcoming Linux 6.14 kernel.



[1] https://www.phoronix.com/search/Linux+6.14

[2] https://www.phoronix.com/news/Linux-6.13-char-misc-More-Rust

[3] https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/gregkh/driver-core.git/log/?h=driver-core-next

[4] https://lore.kernel.org/all/20241219170425.12036-1-dakr@kernel.org/