News › linux
By Zayden R., June 20, 2026
Kumar Kartikeya Dwivedi is working on enabling BPF programs to suspend and resume using coroutines, potentially transforming how long-running tasks are managed in the kernel.
In a move that could significantly enhance the flexibility of BPF (Berkeley Packet Filter) programs, Kumar Kartikeya Dwivedi is pioneering efforts to allow these programs to suspend and resume, transforming them into coroutines. This development, discussed at the 2026 Linux Storage, Filesystem, Memory-Management, and BPF Summit, addresses a longstanding limitation where BPF programs must execute to completion within the same context they start.
BPF has long been a powerful tool for extending various aspects of the Linux kernel, from network traffic filtering to performance monitoring. However, its requirement to run uninterrupted has been a thorn in the side of developers dealing with tasks that could benefit from pausing and resuming operations. Dwivedi's work on coroutines aims to relax this constraint, opening up new possibilities for writing more complex and efficient BPF programs.
While the feature is still in its experimental stages, the promise it holds is substantial. By allowing BPF programs to be expressed as coroutines, developers can write long-running tasks that handle events in a more natural and efficient manner. This is particularly beneficial in scenarios where tasks may need to wait for external events or data without blocking the entire program.
The technical implementation of this feature involves significant changes to the BPF infrastructure within the kernel. The experimental patches, though not yet merged, have sparked interest within the community, as they could lead to more sophisticated uses of BPF in areas like real-time data processing and dynamic system monitoring.
For sysadmins and developers alike, this potential improvement is a welcome development. It simplifies the process of creating BPF programs for complex systems, reducing the need for workarounds that have historically been necessary to manage longer tasks. As this work progresses, it's shaping up to be a solid improvement to the BPF ecosystem.
The Linux Camp teaches these topics as hands-on labs on real virtual machines, verified as you type.