LINUX ALLOCATED DEVICES (2.6+ version)
Maintained by Torben Mathiasen <device@lanana.org>
Last revised: 29 November 2006
This list is the Linux Device List, the official registry of allocated
device numbers and /dev directory nodes for the Linux operating
system.
The latest version of this list is available from
http://www.lanana.org/docs/device-list/ or
ftp://ftp.kernel.org/pub/linux/docs/device-list/. This version may be
newer than the one distributed with the Linux kernel.
The LaTeX version of this document is no longer maintained.
This document is included by reference into the Filesystem Hierarchy
Standard (FHS). The FHS is available from http://www.pathname.com/fhs/.
Allocations marked (68k/Amiga) apply to Linux/68k on the Amiga
platform only. Allocations marked (68k/Atari) apply to Linux/68k on
the Atari platform only.
The symbol {2.6} means the allocation is obsolete and scheduled for
removal once kernel version 2.6 (or equivalent) is released. Some of these
allocations have already been removed.
This document is in the public domain. The author requests, however,
that semantically altered versions are not distributed without
permission of the author, assuming the author can be contacted without
an unreasonable effort.
In particular, please don't sent patches for this list to Linus, at
least not without contacting me first.
I do not have any information about these devices beyond what appears
on this list. Any such information requests will be deleted without
reply.
**** DEVICE DRIVERS AUTHORS PLEASE READ THIS ****
To have a major number allocated, or a minor number in situations
where that applies (e.g. busmice), please contact me with the
appropriate device information. Also, if you have additional
information regarding any of the devices listed below, or if I have
made a mistake, I would greatly appreciate a note.
I do, however, make a few requests about the nature of your report.
This is necessary for me to be able to keep this list up to date and
correct in a timely manner. First of all, *please* send it to the
correct address... <device@lanana.org>. I receive hundreds of email
messages a day, so mail sent to other addresses may very well get lost
in the avalanche. Please put in a descriptive subject, so I can find
your mail again should I need to. Too many people send me email
saying just "device number request" in the subject.
Second, please include a description of the device *in the same format
as this list*. The reason for this is that it is the only way I have
found to ensure I have all the requisite information to publish your
device and avoid conflicts.
Third, please don't assume that the distributed version of the list is
up to date. Due to the number of registrations I have to maintain it
in "batch mode", so there is likely additional registrations that
haven't been listed yet.
Finally, sometimes I have to play "namespace police." Please don't be
offended. I often get submissions for /dev names that would be bound
to cause conflicts down the road. I am trying to avoid getting in a
situation where we would have to suffer an incompatible forward
change. Therefore, please consult with me *before* you make your
device names and numbers in any way public, at least to the point
where it would be at all difficult to get them changed.
Your cooperation is appreciated.
0 Unnamed devices (e.g. non-device mounts)
0 = reserved as null device number
See block major 144, 145, 146 for expansion areas.
1 char Memory devices
1 = /dev/mem Physical memory access
2 = /dev/kmem Kernel virtual memory access
3 = /dev/null Null device
4 = /dev/port I/O port access
5 = /dev/zero Null byte source
6 = /dev/core OBSOLETE - replaced by /proc/kcore
7 = /dev/full Returns ENOSPC on write
8 = /dev/random Nondeterministic random number gen.
9 = /dev/urandom Faster, less secure random number gen.
10 = /dev/aio Asynchronous I/O notification interface
11 = /dev/kmsg Writes to this come out as printk's
