[PATCH 28/33] docs: rust: quick-start: remove GDB/Binutils mention

Miguel Ojeda posted 33 patches 8 hours ago
[PATCH 28/33] docs: rust: quick-start: remove GDB/Binutils mention
Posted by Miguel Ojeda 8 hours ago
The versions provided nowadays by even a distribution like Debian Stable
(and Debian Old Stable) are newer than those mentioned [1].

Thus remove the workaround.

Note that the minimum binutils version in the kernel is still 2.30, so
one could argue part of the note is still relevant, but it is unlikely
a kernel developer using such an old binutils is enabling Rust on a
modern kernel, especially when using distribution toolchains, e.g. the
Rust minimum version is not satisfied by Debian Old Stable.

So we are at the point where keeping the docs short and relevant for
essentially everyone is probably the better trade-off.

Link: https://packages.debian.org/search?suite=all&searchon=names&keywords=binutils [1]
Link: https://lore.kernel.org/all/CANiq72mCpc9=2TN_zC4NeDMpFQtPXAFvyiP+gRApg2vzspPWmw@mail.gmail.com/
Signed-off-by: Miguel Ojeda <ojeda@kernel.org>
---
 Documentation/rust/quick-start.rst | 9 ---------
 1 file changed, 9 deletions(-)

diff --git a/Documentation/rust/quick-start.rst b/Documentation/rust/quick-start.rst
index 5bbe059a8fa3..a6ec3fa94d33 100644
--- a/Documentation/rust/quick-start.rst
+++ b/Documentation/rust/quick-start.rst
@@ -352,12 +352,3 @@ Hacking
 To dive deeper, take a look at the source code of the samples
 at ``samples/rust/``, the Rust support code under ``rust/`` and
 the ``Rust hacking`` menu under ``Kernel hacking``.
-
-If GDB/Binutils is used and Rust symbols are not getting demangled, the reason
-is the toolchain does not support Rust's new v0 mangling scheme yet.
-There are a few ways out:
-
-- Install a newer release (GDB >= 10.2, Binutils >= 2.36).
-
-- Some versions of GDB (e.g. vanilla GDB 10.1) are able to use
-  the pre-demangled names embedded in the debug info (``CONFIG_DEBUG_INFO``).
-- 
2.53.0
Re: [PATCH 28/33] docs: rust: quick-start: remove GDB/Binutils mention
Posted by Gary Guo 5 hours ago
On Wed Apr 1, 2026 at 12:45 PM BST, Miguel Ojeda wrote:
> The versions provided nowadays by even a distribution like Debian Stable
> (and Debian Old Stable) are newer than those mentioned [1].
>
> Thus remove the workaround.
>
> Note that the minimum binutils version in the kernel is still 2.30, so
> one could argue part of the note is still relevant, but it is unlikely
> a kernel developer using such an old binutils is enabling Rust on a
> modern kernel, especially when using distribution toolchains, e.g. the
> Rust minimum version is not satisfied by Debian Old Stable.

I suppose people could have been using an old LTS distro + rustup and run into
this issue. Albeit it's probably quite unlikely.

Reviewed-by: Gary Guo <gary@garyguo.net>

>
> So we are at the point where keeping the docs short and relevant for
> essentially everyone is probably the better trade-off.
>
> Link: https://packages.debian.org/search?suite=all&searchon=names&keywords=binutils [1]
> Link: https://lore.kernel.org/all/CANiq72mCpc9=2TN_zC4NeDMpFQtPXAFvyiP+gRApg2vzspPWmw@mail.gmail.com/
> Signed-off-by: Miguel Ojeda <ojeda@kernel.org>
> ---
>  Documentation/rust/quick-start.rst | 9 ---------
>  1 file changed, 9 deletions(-)
>
> diff --git a/Documentation/rust/quick-start.rst b/Documentation/rust/quick-start.rst
> index 5bbe059a8fa3..a6ec3fa94d33 100644
> --- a/Documentation/rust/quick-start.rst
> +++ b/Documentation/rust/quick-start.rst
> @@ -352,12 +352,3 @@ Hacking
>  To dive deeper, take a look at the source code of the samples
>  at ``samples/rust/``, the Rust support code under ``rust/`` and
>  the ``Rust hacking`` menu under ``Kernel hacking``.
> -
> -If GDB/Binutils is used and Rust symbols are not getting demangled, the reason
> -is the toolchain does not support Rust's new v0 mangling scheme yet.
> -There are a few ways out:
> -
> -- Install a newer release (GDB >= 10.2, Binutils >= 2.36).
> -
> -- Some versions of GDB (e.g. vanilla GDB 10.1) are able to use
> -  the pre-demangled names embedded in the debug info (``CONFIG_DEBUG_INFO``).