Linux 5.6 Kernel Adds New System Call For "openat2" - More Extensible openat() | Linux Today

Linux 5.6 Kernel Adds New System Call For “openat2” – More Extensible openat()

Written By
ML
Michael Larabel
Jan 30, 2020

A new system call added to the very feature rich Linux 5.6 kernel is openat2() for more extensible behavior compared to the existing openat() functionality.

The openat() system call has long existed as similar to open() but allowing relative paths to the directory stipulated by the passed file descriptor. With time trying to extend openat() has led to headaches for developers that is now made more extensible with openat2().

ML

Michael Larabel

Linux Today Logo

LinuxToday is a trusted, contributor-driven news resource supporting all types of Linux users. Our thriving international community engages with us through social media and frequent content contributions aimed at solving problems ranging from personal computing to enterprise-level IT operations. LinuxToday serves as a home for a community that struggles to find comparable information elsewhere on the web.

Property of TechnologyAdvice. © 2026 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.