get_init_cpio and gen_initramfs.sh are part of kbuild and required for
all kernel builds. Move it to scripts/ to be more clear about their
importance.
Link: https://lore.kernel.org/all/aSdrCFkUQup3qb-q@derry.ads.avm.de/
Signed-off-by: Nicolas Schier <nsc@kernel.org>
---
Nathan, could this go through kbuild-fixes even though it is not really
a fix? Introducing a top-level Makefile target 'usr_gen_init_cpio'
in v7.0 and renaming it to 'scripts/gen_init_cpio` in v7.1 doesn't sound
good to me.
---
MAINTAINERS | 1 +
Makefile | 10 +++++-----
scripts/.gitignore | 1 +
scripts/Makefile | 2 ++
{usr => scripts}/gen_init_cpio.c | 0
{usr => scripts}/gen_initramfs.sh | 2 +-
scripts/remove-stale-files | 2 ++
usr/.gitignore | 4 +++-
usr/Makefile | 4 +---
9 files changed, 16 insertions(+), 10 deletions(-)
diff --git a/MAINTAINERS b/MAINTAINERS
index 55af015174a5..0e374c92941f 100644
--- a/MAINTAINERS
+++ b/MAINTAINERS
@@ -13833,6 +13833,7 @@ F: scripts/basic/
F: scripts/clang-tools/
F: scripts/container
F: scripts/dummy-tools/
+F: scripts/gen_init*
F: scripts/include/
F: scripts/install.sh
F: scripts/mk*
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 0e788ce45457..7798863002ac 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ no-dot-config-targets := $(clean-targets) \
$(version_h) headers headers_% archheaders archscripts \
%asm-generic kernelversion %src-pkg dt_binding_check \
outputmakefile rustavailable rustfmt rustfmtcheck \
- usr_gen_init_cpio \
+ scripts/gen_init_cpio \
run-command
no-sync-config-targets := $(no-dot-config-targets) %install modules_sign kernelrelease \
image_name
@@ -1437,9 +1437,9 @@ ifdef CONFIG_HEADERS_INSTALL
prepare: headers
endif
-PHONY += usr_gen_init_cpio
-usr_gen_init_cpio: scripts_basic
- $(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=usr usr/gen_init_cpio
+PHONY += scripts/gen_init_cpio
+scripts/gen_init_cpio: scripts_basic
+ $(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=scripts scripts/gen_init_cpio
PHONY += scripts_unifdef
scripts_unifdef: scripts_basic
@@ -1709,7 +1709,7 @@ distclean: mrproper
# Packaging of the kernel to various formats
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-modules-cpio-pkg: usr_gen_init_cpio
+modules-cpio-pkg: scripts/gen_init_cpio
%src-pkg: FORCE
$(Q)$(MAKE) -f $(srctree)/scripts/Makefile.package $@
diff --git a/scripts/.gitignore b/scripts/.gitignore
index 4215c2208f7e..700456543910 100644
--- a/scripts/.gitignore
+++ b/scripts/.gitignore
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
# SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-only
/asn1_compiler
+/gen_init_cpio
/gen_packed_field_checks
/generate_rust_target
/insert-sys-cert
diff --git a/scripts/Makefile b/scripts/Makefile
index 0941e5ce7b57..039863cd064e 100644
--- a/scripts/Makefile
+++ b/scripts/Makefile
@@ -52,6 +52,8 @@ ifdef CONFIG_BUILDTIME_MCOUNT_SORT
HOSTCFLAGS_sorttable.o += -DMCOUNT_SORT_ENABLED
endif
+hostprogs-always-y += gen_init_cpio
+
# The following programs are only built on demand
hostprogs += unifdef gen_packed_field_checks
diff --git a/usr/gen_init_cpio.c b/scripts/gen_init_cpio.c
similarity index 100%
rename from usr/gen_init_cpio.c
rename to scripts/gen_init_cpio.c
diff --git a/usr/gen_initramfs.sh b/scripts/gen_initramfs.sh
similarity index 99%
rename from usr/gen_initramfs.sh
rename to scripts/gen_initramfs.sh
index 7eba2fddf0ef..27ac1fd48001 100755
--- a/usr/gen_initramfs.sh
+++ b/scripts/gen_initramfs.sh
@@ -247,4 +247,4 @@ done
# If output_file is set we will generate cpio archive
# we are careful to delete tmp files
-usr/gen_init_cpio $output $timestamp $cpio_list
+scripts/gen_init_cpio $output $timestamp $cpio_list
diff --git a/scripts/remove-stale-files b/scripts/remove-stale-files
index 6e39fa8540df..e46337e4bfb8 100755
--- a/scripts/remove-stale-files
+++ b/scripts/remove-stale-files
@@ -26,3 +26,5 @@ rm -f scripts/selinux/genheaders/genheaders
rm -f *.spec
rm -f lib/test_fortify.log
+
+rm -f usr/gen_init_cpio
diff --git a/usr/.gitignore b/usr/.gitignore
index 8996e7a88902..13bf7a38355c 100644
--- a/usr/.gitignore
+++ b/usr/.gitignore
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
# SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-only
-/gen_init_cpio
/initramfs_data.cpio
/initramfs_inc_data
+
+# Keep around until cleanup in scripts/remove-stale-files
+/gen_init_cpio
diff --git a/usr/Makefile b/usr/Makefile
index e8f42478a0b7..5b97ee66c00a 100644
--- a/usr/Makefile
+++ b/usr/Makefile
@@ -16,8 +16,6 @@ obj-$(CONFIG_BLK_DEV_INITRD) := initramfs_data.o
$(obj)/initramfs_data.o: $(obj)/initramfs_inc_data
-hostprogs := gen_init_cpio
-
ramfs-input := $(CONFIG_INITRAMFS_SOURCE)
cpio-data :=
@@ -72,7 +70,7 @@ quiet_cmd_initfs = GEN $@
# 2) There are changes in which files are included (added or deleted)
# 3) If gen_init_cpio are newer than initramfs_data.cpio
# 4) Arguments to gen_initramfs.sh changes
-$(obj)/initramfs_data.cpio: $(src)/gen_initramfs.sh $(obj)/gen_init_cpio $(deps_initramfs) FORCE
+$(obj)/initramfs_data.cpio: $(srctree)/scripts/gen_initramfs.sh scripts/gen_init_cpio $(deps_initramfs) FORCE
$(call if_changed,initfs)
endif
--
2.51.0Nicolas Schier <nsc@kernel.org>: > +# Keep around until cleanup in scripts/remove-stale-files Linus said here https://lore.kernel.org/all/CAHk-=wiHK5_oBUdUiNAaevmN9f-ORe+QBqbRefAZaw-RbgEn3w@mail.gmail.com/ that he doesn't like scripts/remove-stale-files (this is my interpretation). -- Askar Safin
On Tue, Mar 10, 2026 at 04:49:12AM +0300, Askar Safin wrote: > Nicolas Schier <nsc@kernel.org>: > > +# Keep around until cleanup in scripts/remove-stale-files > > Linus said here https://lore.kernel.org/all/CAHk-=wiHK5_oBUdUiNAaevmN9f-ORe+QBqbRefAZaw-RbgEn3w@mail.gmail.com/ > that he doesn't like scripts/remove-stale-files (this is my interpretation). thanks for the pointer! Yes, remove-stale-files is suboptimal, but not adding entries there doesn't make anything better. And yes, entries in remove-stale-files should have a life-time of years rather than months; and removing entries from .gitignore before the remove-stale-files cleanup should be prevented. Therefore I chose to add the comment to usr/.gitignore to prevent accidental removal of the '/gen_init_cpio' before the time has come. Does that match for you? Kind regards, Nicolas
On Tue, Mar 10, 2026 at 10:15 AM Nicolas Schier <nsc@kernel.org> wrote: > Therefore I chose to add the comment to usr/.gitignore to prevent > accidental removal of the '/gen_init_cpio' before the time has come. > > Does that match for you? Yes -- Askar Safin
On Mon, Mar 09, 2026 at 08:56:30AM +0100, Nicolas Schier wrote:
> get_init_cpio and gen_initramfs.sh are part of kbuild and required for
"gen_init_cpio"
> all kernel builds. Move it to scripts/ to be more clear about their
> importance.
As far as I can see, gen_init_cpio is currently only built and used if
CONFIG_BLK_DEV_INITRD is enabled. So "required for all kernel builds"
sounds wrong.
This on-demand build can probably be preserved like this:
hostprogs += gen_init_cpio
always-$(CONFIG_BLK_DEV_INITRD) += gen_init_cpio
> Link: https://lore.kernel.org/all/aSdrCFkUQup3qb-q@derry.ads.avm.de/
> Signed-off-by: Nicolas Schier <nsc@kernel.org>
> ---
>
> Nathan, could this go through kbuild-fixes even though it is not really
> a fix? Introducing a top-level Makefile target 'usr_gen_init_cpio'
> in v7.0 and renaming it to 'scripts/gen_init_cpio` in v7.1 doesn't sound
> good to me.
> ---
> MAINTAINERS | 1 +
> Makefile | 10 +++++-----
> scripts/.gitignore | 1 +
> scripts/Makefile | 2 ++
> {usr => scripts}/gen_init_cpio.c | 0
> {usr => scripts}/gen_initramfs.sh | 2 +-
> scripts/remove-stale-files | 2 ++
> usr/.gitignore | 4 +++-
> usr/Makefile | 4 +---
> 9 files changed, 16 insertions(+), 10 deletions(-)
>
> diff --git a/MAINTAINERS b/MAINTAINERS
> index 55af015174a5..0e374c92941f 100644
> --- a/MAINTAINERS
> +++ b/MAINTAINERS
> @@ -13833,6 +13833,7 @@ F: scripts/basic/
> F: scripts/clang-tools/
> F: scripts/container
> F: scripts/dummy-tools/
> +F: scripts/gen_init*
> F: scripts/include/
> F: scripts/install.sh
> F: scripts/mk*
> diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
> index 0e788ce45457..7798863002ac 100644
> --- a/Makefile
> +++ b/Makefile
> @@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ no-dot-config-targets := $(clean-targets) \
> $(version_h) headers headers_% archheaders archscripts \
> %asm-generic kernelversion %src-pkg dt_binding_check \
> outputmakefile rustavailable rustfmt rustfmtcheck \
> - usr_gen_init_cpio \
> + scripts/gen_init_cpio \
> run-command
> no-sync-config-targets := $(no-dot-config-targets) %install modules_sign kernelrelease \
> image_name
> @@ -1437,9 +1437,9 @@ ifdef CONFIG_HEADERS_INSTALL
> prepare: headers
> endif
>
> -PHONY += usr_gen_init_cpio
> -usr_gen_init_cpio: scripts_basic
> - $(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=usr usr/gen_init_cpio
> +PHONY += scripts/gen_init_cpio
> +scripts/gen_init_cpio: scripts_basic
> + $(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=scripts scripts/gen_init_cpio
The other proxy targets for scripts/ use the 'scripts_' prefix.
Why is this one different?
(...)
> diff --git a/scripts/Makefile b/scripts/Makefile
> index 0941e5ce7b57..039863cd064e 100644
> --- a/scripts/Makefile
> +++ b/scripts/Makefile
> @@ -52,6 +52,8 @@ ifdef CONFIG_BUILDTIME_MCOUNT_SORT
> HOSTCFLAGS_sorttable.o += -DMCOUNT_SORT_ENABLED
> endif
>
> +hostprogs-always-y += gen_init_cpio
> +
> # The following programs are only built on demand
> hostprogs += unifdef gen_packed_field_checks
(...)
On Mon, Mar 09, 2026 at 02:41:53PM +0100, Thomas Weißschuh wrote:
> On Mon, Mar 09, 2026 at 08:56:30AM +0100, Nicolas Schier wrote:
> > get_init_cpio and gen_initramfs.sh are part of kbuild and required for
>
> "gen_init_cpio"
thanks!
> > all kernel builds. Move it to scripts/ to be more clear about their
> > importance.
>
> As far as I can see, gen_init_cpio is currently only built and used if
> CONFIG_BLK_DEV_INITRD is enabled. So "required for all kernel builds"
> sounds wrong.
>
> This on-demand build can probably be preserved like this:
>
> hostprogs += gen_init_cpio
> always-$(CONFIG_BLK_DEV_INITRD) += gen_init_cpio
Ack, thanks! I'll take your suggestion.
...
> > diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
> > index 0e788ce45457..7798863002ac 100644
> > --- a/Makefile
> > +++ b/Makefile
...
> > @@ -1437,9 +1437,9 @@ ifdef CONFIG_HEADERS_INSTALL
> > prepare: headers
> > endif
> >
> > -PHONY += usr_gen_init_cpio
> > -usr_gen_init_cpio: scripts_basic
> > - $(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=usr usr/gen_init_cpio
> > +PHONY += scripts/gen_init_cpio
> > +scripts/gen_init_cpio: scripts_basic
> > + $(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=scripts scripts/gen_init_cpio
>
> The other proxy targets for scripts/ use the 'scripts_' prefix.
> Why is this one different?
Good question; I was ambiguous about that, but I chose 'scripts/' in
favor of 'scripts_' as
1. The $(obj)/initramfs_data.cpio target in usr/Makefile has to depend
on 'scripts/gen_init_cpio' regardless of how the top-level target is
called, as the sub-make cannot depend on a phony top-level rule.
If possible, I like to have the same name for dependencies as for the
rule that generates them.
2. I cannot see the reason for the 'scripts_' prefix currently used in
top-level Makefile for real targets building a single output file.
It seems to me that commit bdd7714b6f4c ("kbuild: build all
prerequisites of headers_install simultaneously") introduced the
'scripts_' prefix due to the historic origin 'scripts_basic'; which
itself came with commit 952a0ae394f4 ("[PATCH] Fix early parallel
make failures", v2.6.5) [1]. I _guess_ the 'scripts_' prefix was
meant to clearly make a difference from the previous 'scripts'
target, and the name makes clear that it is a phony target building
several things.
Masahiro, if you are around I'd appreciate a comment from you.
[1]: https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/history/history.git/commit/?id=952a0ae394f4
Thomas, does the reasoning make sense to you? Or do you expect troubles
due to the 'scripts/' prefix?
Thanks for the feedback!
Kind regards,
Nicolas
On Tue, Mar 10, 2026 at 08:14:36AM +0100, Nicolas Schier wrote:
> On Mon, Mar 09, 2026 at 02:41:53PM +0100, Thomas Weißschuh wrote:
> > On Mon, Mar 09, 2026 at 08:56:30AM +0100, Nicolas Schier wrote:
(...)
> > > @@ -1437,9 +1437,9 @@ ifdef CONFIG_HEADERS_INSTALL
> > > prepare: headers
> > > endif
> > >
> > > -PHONY += usr_gen_init_cpio
> > > -usr_gen_init_cpio: scripts_basic
> > > - $(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=usr usr/gen_init_cpio
> > > +PHONY += scripts/gen_init_cpio
> > > +scripts/gen_init_cpio: scripts_basic
> > > + $(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=scripts scripts/gen_init_cpio
> >
> > The other proxy targets for scripts/ use the 'scripts_' prefix.
> > Why is this one different?
>
> Good question; I was ambiguous about that, but I chose 'scripts/' in
> favor of 'scripts_' as
>
> 1. The $(obj)/initramfs_data.cpio target in usr/Makefile has to depend
> on 'scripts/gen_init_cpio' regardless of how the top-level target is
> called, as the sub-make cannot depend on a phony top-level rule.
> If possible, I like to have the same name for dependencies as for the
> rule that generates them.
>
> 2. I cannot see the reason for the 'scripts_' prefix currently used in
> top-level Makefile for real targets building a single output file.
> It seems to me that commit bdd7714b6f4c ("kbuild: build all
> prerequisites of headers_install simultaneously") introduced the
> 'scripts_' prefix due to the historic origin 'scripts_basic'; which
> itself came with commit 952a0ae394f4 ("[PATCH] Fix early parallel
> make failures", v2.6.5) [1]. I _guess_ the 'scripts_' prefix was
> meant to clearly make a difference from the previous 'scripts'
> target, and the name makes clear that it is a phony target building
> several things.
>
> Masahiro, if you are around I'd appreciate a comment from you.
>
> [1]: https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/history/history.git/commit/?id=952a0ae394f4
>
> Thomas, does the reasoning make sense to you? Or do you expect troubles
> due to the 'scripts/' prefix?
Sounds reasonable. Personally I would still prefer consistency, but that is
subjective of course.
In any case:
Reviewed-by: Thomas Weißschuh <thomas.weissschuh@linutronix.de>
Thomas
On Tue, Mar 10, 2026 at 10:13:29AM +0100, Thomas Weißschuh wrote:
> On Tue, Mar 10, 2026 at 08:14:36AM +0100, Nicolas Schier wrote:
> > On Mon, Mar 09, 2026 at 02:41:53PM +0100, Thomas Weißschuh wrote:
> > > On Mon, Mar 09, 2026 at 08:56:30AM +0100, Nicolas Schier wrote:
>
> (...)
>
> > > > @@ -1437,9 +1437,9 @@ ifdef CONFIG_HEADERS_INSTALL
> > > > prepare: headers
> > > > endif
> > > >
> > > > -PHONY += usr_gen_init_cpio
> > > > -usr_gen_init_cpio: scripts_basic
> > > > - $(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=usr usr/gen_init_cpio
> > > > +PHONY += scripts/gen_init_cpio
> > > > +scripts/gen_init_cpio: scripts_basic
> > > > + $(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=scripts scripts/gen_init_cpio
> > >
> > > The other proxy targets for scripts/ use the 'scripts_' prefix.
> > > Why is this one different?
> >
> > Good question; I was ambiguous about that, but I chose 'scripts/' in
> > favor of 'scripts_' as
> >
> > 1. The $(obj)/initramfs_data.cpio target in usr/Makefile has to depend
> > on 'scripts/gen_init_cpio' regardless of how the top-level target is
> > called, as the sub-make cannot depend on a phony top-level rule.
> > If possible, I like to have the same name for dependencies as for the
> > rule that generates them.
> >
> > 2. I cannot see the reason for the 'scripts_' prefix currently used in
> > top-level Makefile for real targets building a single output file.
> > It seems to me that commit bdd7714b6f4c ("kbuild: build all
> > prerequisites of headers_install simultaneously") introduced the
> > 'scripts_' prefix due to the historic origin 'scripts_basic'; which
> > itself came with commit 952a0ae394f4 ("[PATCH] Fix early parallel
> > make failures", v2.6.5) [1]. I _guess_ the 'scripts_' prefix was
> > meant to clearly make a difference from the previous 'scripts'
> > target, and the name makes clear that it is a phony target building
> > several things.
> >
> > Masahiro, if you are around I'd appreciate a comment from you.
> >
> > [1]: https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/history/history.git/commit/?id=952a0ae394f4
> >
> > Thomas, does the reasoning make sense to you? Or do you expect troubles
> > due to the 'scripts/' prefix?
>
> Sounds reasonable. Personally I would still prefer consistency, but that is
> subjective of course.
I'll be considering that.
> In any case:
> Reviewed-by: Thomas Weißschuh <thomas.weissschuh@linutronix.de>
Thanks!
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