Linus Torvalds Clearly Lays Out Linux Maintainer Roles – Or Not – Around Rust Code
The Linux kernel mailing list drama around the Rust programming language use within the kernel continues… Linus Torvalds has largely refrained from the ongoing LKML discussions around a Rust policy for the Linux kernel and in-fighting between kernel developers and maintainers with differing views over Rust. This evening (February 20, 2025) though Linus Torvalds did decide to chime in on the conversation.
While there was the commentary a few days ago that Linus Torvalds reportedly said he would merge Rust kernel code over maintainer objections, in responding to Christoph Hellwig he further clarified his position. Hellwig with his DMA maintainer hat on has been against the Rust code with DMA areas of the kernel. Linus Torvalds responded tonight clarifying that maintainers can either choose to take an active role with Rust bindings for areas of the kernel they oversee and become involved or have a hands-off approach where it’s more complementary to their code. But kernel maintainers can’t object to new Rust code as effective “users” of their C code. Linux kernel maintainers can either engage with any proposed Rust code or choose not to and let it live complementary within the kernel, but that they can’t arbitrarily block it as being a user of their code.
