Discover Tyr, a new Rust-written Linux kernel DRM driver for Arm Mali GPUs, designed to replace Panthor. Learn about its CSF firmware support, Collabora’s development roadmap, and how it leverages Rust’s memory safety for modern graphics hardware.
A Surprising Leap in GPU Driver Development
In an unexpected Friday announcement, Collabora introduced Tyr, a brand-new Linux Direct Rendering Manager (DRM) driver written in Rust. This marks a significant shift in GPU kernel driver development, as Rust’s memory safety features could reduce vulnerabilities in graphics drivers.
But why the obscure name? Tyr—named after the Norse god—continues Arm Mali’s tradition of mythological codenames (Bifrost, Midgard). However, unlike "mali-tyr", the standalone name might not immediately signal its purpose.
What Is the Tyr DRM Driver?
Tyr is an open-source DRM driver targeting modern Arm Mali GPUs with Command Stream Frontend (CSF) firmware support—specifically Mali Gen10 and newer architectures.
Key Features of Tyr:
✔ Rust-based implementation – Leveraging memory safety and concurrency advantages
✔ Panthor compatibility – Mirrors Panthor’s user-space API for seamless transition
✔ Incremental development – Will evolve alongside Rust DRM bindings
✔ Joint effort – Developed by Collabora, Arm, and Google
Why Rust for GPU Drivers?
The shift to Rust in kernel development is gaining momentum due to:
Memory safety – Prevents common C vulnerabilities (buffer overflows, null pointers)
Concurrency control – Safer multi-threaded operations
Modern tooling – Better compile-time checks
Tyr’s skeleton is based on NOVA, another Rust-based DRM driver (for NVIDIA GPUs), showcasing Rust’s growing role in Linux graphics.
Current Limitations & Future Roadmap
Daniel Almeida of Collabora outlined Tyr’s early-stage constraints:
"This first version only implements a subset of Panthor’s features, as many depend on GPUVM abstraction (still in progress). We cannot yet boot the MCU, but this release validates key Rust abstractions."
Planned Enhancements:
VM_BIND support (pending GPUVM discussions)
Expanded hardware compatibility (currently only tested on rk3588)
Full feature parity with Panthor
Industry Implications: A Step Toward Safer GPU Drivers
Tyr represents a broader trend:
🔹 Rust adoption in Linux kernel (e.g., Android, Microsoft Azure)
🔹 Collaboration between major players (Google, Arm, Collabora)
🔹 Potential long-term replacement for C-based drivers
FAQs About the Tyr Driver
1. Will Tyr replace Panthor entirely?
A: Yes, but incrementally. Tyr will evolve until it matches Panthor’s functionality before becoming the default.
2. Which Mali GPUs are supported?
A: Only Gen10+ Mali GPUs with CSF firmware (e.g., newer Arm SoCs).
3. Why use Rust instead of C?
A: Rust reduces memory-related bugs, a common issue in C-based kernel drivers.
4. Where can I test Tyr?
A: An IGT branch is available, though only rk3588 is currently supported.
Conclusion: A Promising Shift in GPU Driver Development
Tyr is more than just another driver—it’s a proof-of-concept for Rust in critical kernel components. While still early-stage, its development signals a future where memory-safe, high-performance GPU drivers become the norm.
🔗 Follow Tyr’s progress on the Linux Kernel Mailing List (LKML).
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