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@tabrisnet tabrisnet commented Dec 27, 2025

Description

@rpardini found an edge case in opts_m vs opts_y handling, where if the kernel's defconfig had =y, that took precedence over our config/kernel/linux-${BOARD}-$BRANCH.config
The specific case was BOARD=rock-5b BRANCH=vendor & CONFIG_DUMMY. our config/kernel had =m, but defconfig had =y so rewrite-kernel-config was changing config/kernel/ to =y.
Note: this is especially interesting, not from an armbian POV but just generically, if it's built-in you can only have one dummy network interface, but a module allows multiple.

along the way I also removed duplicate logging messages as kernel_config_set_foo already logs what it's doing.

How Has This Been Tested?

Please describe the tests that you ran to verify your changes. Please also note any relevant details for your test configuration.

  • ./compile.sh rewrite-kernel-config BOARD=rock-5b BRANCH=vendor DEBUG=yes

Checklist:

Please delete options that are not relevant.

  • My code follows the style guidelines of this project
  • I have performed a self-review of my own code
  • I have commented my code, particularly in hard-to-understand areas
  • My changes generate no new warnings

Summary by CodeRabbit

  • Refactor
    • Removed noisy debug alerts during kernel option processing to present clearer output to users.
    • Consolidated and simplified kernel option application so options are determined once and applied consistently.
    • Tightened detection logic distinguishing module vs built-in options for more reliable behavior.

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@tabrisnet tabrisnet requested a review from a team as a code owner December 27, 2025 20:02
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coderabbitai bot commented Dec 27, 2025

📝 Walkthrough

Walkthrough

Removed debug display_alert calls and consolidated opt_m handling in lib/functions/compilation/armbian-kernel.sh: detect actual m/y via kernel_config_source_filename and apply the chosen setter with a single dynamic call; opt_n/opt_y/opt_val behavior retained without prior alerts. (≈35 words)

Changes

Cohort / File(s) Change Summary
Kernel option processing cleanup
lib/functions/compilation/armbian-kernel.sh
Removed debug display_alert calls around opt_n/opt_y/opt_val/opt_m. Consolidated opt_m logic: tightened detection (use kernel_config_source_filename only), determine actual_opt_value and call kernel_config_set_${actual_opt_value} once. Preserved final application to kernel config and hash updates.

Estimated code review effort

🎯 2 (Simple) | ⏱️ ~10 minutes

Possibly related PRs

Suggested reviewers

  • rpardini
  • igorpecovnik
  • chraac
  • teknoid
  • leggewie

Poem

🐇 I hopped through configs, quiet and spry,

No more alerts to catch your eye,
One setter chosen, tidy and small,
Kernel options answered my call,
Hooray — modules and built-ins stand tall.

Pre-merge checks and finishing touches

✅ Passed checks (3 passed)
Check name Status Explanation
Description Check ✅ Passed Check skipped - CodeRabbit’s high-level summary is enabled.
Title check ✅ Passed The title clearly and specifically describes the main change: ensuring the project's config/kernel takes precedence over the kernel tree's defconfig in armbian-kernel.sh.
Docstring Coverage ✅ Passed Docstring coverage is 100.00% which is sufficient. The required threshold is 80.00%.
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  • Post copyable unit tests in a comment

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📥 Commits

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📒 Files selected for processing (1)
  • lib/functions/compilation/armbian-kernel.sh
🚧 Files skipped from review as they are similar to previous changes (1)
  • lib/functions/compilation/armbian-kernel.sh

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@github-actions github-actions bot added 02 Milestone: First quarter release size/small PR with less then 50 lines labels Dec 27, 2025
@tabrisnet tabrisnet added size/small PR with less then 50 lines and removed size/small PR with less then 50 lines labels Dec 27, 2025
@github-actions github-actions bot added Needs review Seeking for review Framework Framework components labels Dec 27, 2025
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Actionable comments posted: 1

📜 Review details

Configuration used: Path: .coderabbit.yaml

Review profile: CHILL

Plan: Pro

Disabled knowledge base sources:

  • Jira integration is disabled by default for public repositories

You can enable these sources in your CodeRabbit configuration.

📥 Commits

Reviewing files that changed from the base of the PR and between 1e7ef9d and 6f0a6f2.

📒 Files selected for processing (1)
  • lib/functions/compilation/armbian-kernel.sh
🧰 Additional context used
🧠 Learnings (12)
📓 Common learnings
Learnt from: igorpecovnik
Repo: armbian/build PR: 8849
File: config/boards/radxa-e54c.csc:14-28
Timestamp: 2025-11-02T20:49:56.719Z
Learning: In Armbian board configuration files (config/boards/*.conf, *.csc, etc.), do not use kernel_config_set, kernel_config_set_m, kernel_config_set_y, or custom_kernel_config__* functions to modify kernel configuration. Kernel configuration is associated with LINUXFAMILY/BOARDFAMILY, not individual BOARD. Board-specific kernel modifications cause inconsistency in kernel packages published to the apt repository because boards within a family share the same kernel packages. Kernel configuration changes must be made in the appropriate kernel config file (e.g., config/kernel/linux-*-*.config) or in family configuration files (config/sources/families/*.conf, *.inc) instead.
Learnt from: EvilOlaf
Repo: armbian/build PR: 8428
File: config/boards/lckfb-taishanpi.csc:5-9
Timestamp: 2025-07-25T03:51:50.830Z
Learning: When reviewing PRs in the Armbian build system, U-Boot defconfig files and patches may be added as part of the PR changes but might not be visible in the current repository clone state during review. It's important to check the actual PR file changes directly via GitHub or the PR API to get the complete picture of what files are being added or modified.
Learnt from: igorpecovnik
Repo: armbian/build PR: 8705
File: .github/workflows/rewrite-kernel-configs.yml:96-169
Timestamp: 2025-10-03T11:42:46.660Z
Learning: In the Armbian build repository's kernel config rewrite workflow (.github/workflows/rewrite-kernel-configs.yml), deletion of kernel config files does not need to be handled. The workflow intentionally only captures ACMR (added/copied/modified/renamed) changes and does not need to propagate deletions to the aggregator.
Learnt from: tabrisnet
Repo: armbian/build PR: 8678
File: config/kernel/linux-sunxi64-current.config:94-94
Timestamp: 2025-09-27T21:50:15.915Z
Learning: When kernel config files are generated through Armbian's automated process (previous config → armbian-kernel.sh changes → make oldconfig → Armbian machinery processing), manual config file edits are not appropriate since they would be overwritten. Deprecated option handling should be implemented in the automated tooling instead.
Learnt from: tabrisnet
Repo: armbian/build PR: 8661
File: lib/functions/compilation/armbian-kernel.sh:194-201
Timestamp: 2025-09-22T21:52:01.225Z
Learning: The kernel_config_set_m function in lib/functions/compilation/armbian-kernel.sh preserves existing 'y' (built-in) settings and only sets options to 'm' (module) when they are not already built-in, achieving "prefer modules but allow built-ins" behavior.
Learnt from: tabrisnet
Repo: armbian/build PR: 8661
File: lib/functions/compilation/armbian-kernel.sh:194-201
Timestamp: 2025-09-22T21:52:01.225Z
Learning: The kernel_config_set_m function in lib/functions/compilation/armbian-kernel.sh preserves existing 'y' (built-in) settings and only sets options to 'm' (module) when they are not already built-in, achieving "prefer modules but allow built-ins" behavior.
Learnt from: EvilOlaf
Repo: armbian/build PR: 8968
File: patch/u-boot/u-boot-sunxi/arm64-dts-sun50i-h6-orangepi.dtsi-Rollback-r_rsb-to-r_i2c.patch:36-36
Timestamp: 2025-11-20T18:20:11.985Z
Learning: The rewrite-patches tool (REWRITE_PATCHES=yes) in the Armbian build system can inadvertently introduce semantic changes when the u-boot/kernel git base revision differs from expected state. The tool applies patches, commits them, and re-exports them using git format-patch, which can cause the re-exported patch to reflect the base revision's state rather than preserving the original patch intent. This is particularly problematic for device tree changes like interrupt specifications. The tool currently lacks validation mechanisms to detect such semantic drift, and affected patches must be manually corrected after rewriting.
Learnt from: EvilOlaf
Repo: armbian/build PR: 8428
File: config/boards/lckfb-taishanpi.csc:5-9
Timestamp: 2025-07-25T03:51:50.830Z
Learning: When reviewing PRs in the Armbian build system, U-Boot defconfig files and patches may be added as part of the PR changes but might not be visible in the current repository clone state during review. It's important to check the actual PR file changes directly via GitHub API (https://api.github.com/repos/armbian/build/pulls/{pr_number}/files) to get the complete picture of what files are being added or modified, especially for U-Boot patches that will be applied during the build process.
Learnt from: igorpecovnik
Repo: armbian/build PR: 8705
File: .github/workflows/rewrite-kernel-configs.yml:217-220
Timestamp: 2025-10-04T17:59:19.369Z
Learning: In the Armbian build repository's kernel config rewrite workflow (.github/workflows/rewrite-kernel-configs.yml), the workflow is designed to rewrite existing kernel configs only. New/untracked files can be safely ignored, so using `git diff --quiet` (which ignores untracked files) is the correct approach for detecting changes rather than `git status --porcelain`.
Learnt from: EvilOlaf
Repo: armbian/build PR: 0
File: :0-0
Timestamp: 2025-12-19T13:56:45.124Z
Learning: When reviewing kernel or u-boot version bump PRs in the Armbian build system, check if patches existed in previous kernel version directories (e.g., sunxi-6.12, sunxi-6.13) before describing them as new features. If a patch and the majority of its contents existed previously with no major functionality changes, focus the review on the actual changes: the version bump itself and patch compatibility adjustments. Don't describe existing patches being ported/maintained across versions as new features or drivers—this is misleading. The patches are existing code being re-aligned to work with the new upstream version.
Learnt from: tabrisnet
Repo: armbian/build PR: 8661
File: lib/functions/compilation/armbian-kernel.sh:194-201
Timestamp: 2025-09-22T21:52:01.225Z
Learning: In lib/functions/compilation/armbian-kernel.sh, the kernel_config_modifying_hashes array is not universally required for all kernel configuration functions - some functions like armbian_kernel_config__netkit() operate without it, and adding entries with '=m' would be incorrect when the actual result might be '=y' for options already built-in.
Learnt from: tabrisnet
Repo: armbian/build PR: 8661
File: lib/functions/compilation/armbian-kernel.sh:194-201
Timestamp: 2025-09-22T21:52:01.225Z
Learning: In lib/functions/compilation/armbian-kernel.sh, the kernel_config_modifying_hashes array is not universally required for all kernel configuration functions - some functions like armbian_kernel_config__netkit() operate without it, and adding entries with '=m' would be incorrect when the actual result might be '=y' for options already built-in.
Learnt from: rpardini
Repo: armbian/build PR: 8820
File: config/sources/families/include/meson64_common.inc:51-53
Timestamp: 2025-10-26T12:56:29.185Z
Learning: In the Armbian build framework, scripts/config correctly handles kernel configuration option names both with and without the CONFIG_ prefix, so opts_m+=("CONFIG_RTL8822CS") and opts_m+=("RTL8822CS") are both valid and will work correctly.
Learnt from: igorpecovnik
Repo: armbian/build PR: 8789
File: config/kernel/linux-sunxi64-edge.config:839-839
Timestamp: 2025-10-22T07:56:19.424Z
Learning: In Linux kernel configuration, some `=y` (builtin) options are infrastructure or feature flags that enable subsystems or features for modular drivers, rather than directly compiling code into the kernel. For example, in Armbian wireless configs, options like CONFIG_SPARD_WLAN_SUPPORT=y, CONFIG_SC23XX=y, CONFIG_WCN_BSP_DRIVER_BUILDIN=y, CONFIG_UNISOC_WIFI_PS=y are module infrastructure/feature enablers, while the actual drivers (CONFIG_WLAN_UWE5621=m, CONFIG_WLAN_UWE5622=m) remain as loadable modules. These infrastructure options don't cause kernel bloat.
Learnt from: EvilOlaf
Repo: armbian/build PR: 0
File: :0-0
Timestamp: 2025-08-02T05:46:10.664Z
Learning: In the Armbian build system, the modern recommended approach for kernel configuration is to use the kernel-config command via "./compile.sh BOARD=boardname BRANCH=branchname kernel-config" instead of the deprecated KERNEL_CONFIGURE=yes flag. This provides a two-step workflow: configure using menuconfig, then build, with better transparency and control over configuration changes.
Learnt from: tabrisnet
Repo: armbian/build PR: 0
File: :0-0
Timestamp: 2025-08-30T06:48:09.091Z
Learning: In lib/functions/compilation/armbian-kernel.sh, the user prefers flexible grep patterns over anchored ones for BTRFS configuration checks, but agrees to use quiet grep (-q) to avoid polluting build logs.
Learnt from: tabrisnet
Repo: armbian/build PR: 8678
File: config/kernel/linux-sm8250-current.config:78-80
Timestamp: 2025-09-27T21:49:55.796Z
Learning: In the Armbian build system, kernel configuration files are generated through an automated process: taking previous config → applying scripted changes from armbian-kernel.sh → running kernel's `make oldconfig` → processing by Armbian machinery back into config files. This automated process properly handles kernel configuration dependencies and reduces the likelihood of manual configuration errors.
📚 Learning: 2025-09-22T21:52:01.225Z
Learnt from: tabrisnet
Repo: armbian/build PR: 8661
File: lib/functions/compilation/armbian-kernel.sh:194-201
Timestamp: 2025-09-22T21:52:01.225Z
Learning: In lib/functions/compilation/armbian-kernel.sh, the kernel_config_modifying_hashes array is not universally required for all kernel configuration functions - some functions like armbian_kernel_config__netkit() operate without it, and adding entries with '=m' would be incorrect when the actual result might be '=y' for options already built-in.

Applied to files:

  • lib/functions/compilation/armbian-kernel.sh
📚 Learning: 2025-09-22T21:52:01.225Z
Learnt from: tabrisnet
Repo: armbian/build PR: 8661
File: lib/functions/compilation/armbian-kernel.sh:194-201
Timestamp: 2025-09-22T21:52:01.225Z
Learning: The kernel_config_set_m function in lib/functions/compilation/armbian-kernel.sh preserves existing 'y' (built-in) settings and only sets options to 'm' (module) when they are not already built-in, achieving "prefer modules but allow built-ins" behavior.

Applied to files:

  • lib/functions/compilation/armbian-kernel.sh
📚 Learning: 2025-09-27T21:50:15.915Z
Learnt from: tabrisnet
Repo: armbian/build PR: 8678
File: config/kernel/linux-sunxi64-current.config:94-94
Timestamp: 2025-09-27T21:50:15.915Z
Learning: When kernel config files are generated through Armbian's automated process (previous config → armbian-kernel.sh changes → make oldconfig → Armbian machinery processing), manual config file edits are not appropriate since they would be overwritten. Deprecated option handling should be implemented in the automated tooling instead.

Applied to files:

  • lib/functions/compilation/armbian-kernel.sh
📚 Learning: 2025-09-22T21:59:36.334Z
Learnt from: tabrisnet
Repo: armbian/build PR: 8661
File: lib/functions/compilation/armbian-kernel.sh:200-200
Timestamp: 2025-09-22T21:59:36.334Z
Learning: Functions named with the pattern `armbian_kernel_config__*` in lib/functions/compilation/armbian-kernel.sh are automatically discovered and invoked by Armbian's extension system via metaprogramming using `compgen -A function`, without requiring explicit registration or calls.

Applied to files:

  • lib/functions/compilation/armbian-kernel.sh
📚 Learning: 2025-09-27T21:50:04.845Z
Learnt from: tabrisnet
Repo: armbian/build PR: 8678
File: config/kernel/linux-sm8250-edge.config:80-82
Timestamp: 2025-09-27T21:50:04.845Z
Learning: In the Armbian build system, kernel configuration files are generated through this automated process: taking previous config → applying scripted changes from armbian-kernel.sh → running kernel's `make oldconfig` → processing by Armbian machinery back into config files. This automated process properly handles kernel configuration dependencies and reduces the likelihood of manual configuration errors.

Applied to files:

  • lib/functions/compilation/armbian-kernel.sh
📚 Learning: 2025-09-27T21:49:55.796Z
Learnt from: tabrisnet
Repo: armbian/build PR: 8678
File: config/kernel/linux-sm8250-current.config:78-80
Timestamp: 2025-09-27T21:49:55.796Z
Learning: In the Armbian build system, kernel configuration files are generated through an automated process: taking previous config → applying scripted changes from armbian-kernel.sh → running kernel's `make oldconfig` → processing by Armbian machinery back into config files. This automated process properly handles kernel configuration dependencies and reduces the likelihood of manual configuration errors.

Applied to files:

  • lib/functions/compilation/armbian-kernel.sh
📚 Learning: 2025-09-27T21:47:58.020Z
Learnt from: tabrisnet
Repo: armbian/build PR: 8678
File: config/kernel/linux-bcm2711-edge.config:859-861
Timestamp: 2025-09-27T21:47:58.020Z
Learning: In the Armbian build system, kernel configuration files in config/kernel/ are generated through an automated process: taking previous config → applying scripted changes from armbian-kernel.sh → running kernel's `make oldconfig` → processing by Armbian machinery back into config files. This automated process properly handles kernel configuration dependencies and reduces the likelihood of manual configuration errors.

Applied to files:

  • lib/functions/compilation/armbian-kernel.sh
📚 Learning: 2025-11-02T20:49:56.719Z
Learnt from: igorpecovnik
Repo: armbian/build PR: 8849
File: config/boards/radxa-e54c.csc:14-28
Timestamp: 2025-11-02T20:49:56.719Z
Learning: In Armbian board configuration files (config/boards/*.conf, *.csc, etc.), do not use kernel_config_set, kernel_config_set_m, kernel_config_set_y, or custom_kernel_config__* functions to modify kernel configuration. Kernel configuration is associated with LINUXFAMILY/BOARDFAMILY, not individual BOARD. Board-specific kernel modifications cause inconsistency in kernel packages published to the apt repository because boards within a family share the same kernel packages. Kernel configuration changes must be made in the appropriate kernel config file (e.g., config/kernel/linux-*-*.config) or in family configuration files (config/sources/families/*.conf, *.inc) instead.

Applied to files:

  • lib/functions/compilation/armbian-kernel.sh
📚 Learning: 2025-10-26T12:56:29.185Z
Learnt from: rpardini
Repo: armbian/build PR: 8820
File: config/sources/families/include/meson64_common.inc:51-53
Timestamp: 2025-10-26T12:56:29.185Z
Learning: In the Armbian build framework, scripts/config correctly handles kernel configuration option names both with and without the CONFIG_ prefix, so opts_m+=("CONFIG_RTL8822CS") and opts_m+=("RTL8822CS") are both valid and will work correctly.

Applied to files:

  • lib/functions/compilation/armbian-kernel.sh
📚 Learning: 2025-09-27T21:49:27.188Z
Learnt from: tabrisnet
Repo: armbian/build PR: 8678
File: config/kernel/linux-k3-edge.config:97-99
Timestamp: 2025-09-27T21:49:27.188Z
Learning: make oldconfig preserves existing deprecated kernel options and only prompts for new configuration options, unlike make defconfig which would auto-correct by removing deprecated options. This explains why deprecated options like CONFIG_ZSWAP_ZPOOL_DEFAULT_ZBUD might persist through the automated Armbian kernel configuration generation process.

Applied to files:

  • lib/functions/compilation/armbian-kernel.sh
📚 Learning: 2025-12-18T23:40:41.627Z
Learnt from: rpardini
Repo: armbian/build PR: 9101
File: lib/functions/image/compress-checksum.sh:44-48
Timestamp: 2025-12-18T23:40:41.627Z
Learning: In the Armbian build framework, scripts run with set -e, so a non-zero exit status will abort the script. During reviews, assume failures will stop execution unless explicitly handled. Verify that commands that must fail are checked, errors are propagated, and any critical steps have proper error handling (e.g., using pipefail where appropriate, checking exit codes, and not masking failures).

Applied to files:

  • lib/functions/compilation/armbian-kernel.sh

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