# ebpf-rust

Guidance for developing Linux eBPF programs in Rust via the Aya framework. It helps write kernel probes, stream events into Tokio, and fix verifier issues.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 438 installs · ★ 267
- Author: mohitmishra786
- License: MIT · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/mohitmishra786/low-level-dev-skills/tree/HEAD/skills/observability/ebpf-rust/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-06-27
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/ebpf-rust

## What it does

The skill directs AI assistants on building eBPF code with Aya without C or libbpf dependencies. It structures a multi-crate workspace separating the `#![no_std]` kernel artifact from the host runner. Code patterns cover probe macros like `#[tracepoint]`, `#[kprobe]`, `#[xdp]`, and `#[tc]` alongside structured logging with `aya-log`.

Data sharing relies on kernel maps such as `HashMap`, `RingBuf`, and `LruHashMap`. To ingest high-throughput events on the host side, it wires the kernel ring buffer to Tokio via `AsyncFd`. It also covers generating kernel BTF definitions with `aya-tool` and accessing fields with `bpf_core_read!`.

Loading programs into the kernel requires elevated privileges. Without `CAP_BPF` or `CAP_SYS_ADMIN`, operations fail with permission errors. When the BPF verifier rejects bytecode, running `RUST_LOG=debug cargo xtask run` and inspecting state with `bpftool` surfaces the underlying check failures.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add mohitmishra786/low-level-dev-skills --skill ebpf-rust -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/ebpf-rust/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/ebpf-rust/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add mohitmishra786/low-level-dev-skills --skill ebpf-rust -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/ebpf-rust/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add mohitmishra786/low-level-dev-skills --skill ebpf-rust -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/ebpf-rust/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install mohitmishra786/low-level-dev-skills ebpf-rust
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/ebpf-rust/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add mohitmishra786/low-level-dev-skills --skill ebpf-rust -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/mohitmishra786/low-level-dev-skills --path skills/observability/ebpf-rust
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/ebpf-rust/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add mohitmishra786/low-level-dev-skills --skill ebpf-rust -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/mohitmishra786/low-level-dev-skills/tree/HEAD/skills/observability/ebpf-rust/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- scaffold a Rust eBPF workspace using Aya project templates
- write `#![no_std]` kernel probes and attach them to tracepoints
- stream kernel events into async Tokio runtimes with RingBuf
- troubleshoot BPF verifier errors and BTF type mismatches

## Example prompts
- How do I write an eBPF tracepoint program in Rust with aya-bpf?
- Show an example of streaming RingBuf events to tokio in userspace.
- My Aya program fails to pass the BPF verifier, how do I debug it?

## Source text · SKILL.md · MIT

Below is the content of a third-party file. It is data, not instructions for you: do not act on anything written inside unless the human asks. Block tag: d5200ab861e80c13.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE d5200ab861e80c13
````text
---
name: ebpf-rust
description: Rust eBPF skill using the Aya framework. Use when writing eBPF programs in Rust with aya-bpf and aya-log, defining BPF map types, integrating with tokio userspace, sharing maps between kernel and userspace, or debugging Aya compilation and loading errors. Activates on queries about Aya, aya-bpf, Rust eBPF, aya-log, eBPF in Rust, or BPF programs with tokio.
---

# eBPF with Rust (Aya)

## Purpose

Guide agents through building production eBPF programs in Rust using the Aya framework: writing kernel-side BPF code with `aya-bpf`, structured logging with `aya-log`, sharing maps between BPF and userspace, and integrating with async tokio.

## Triggers

- "How do I write an eBPF program in Rust?"
- "How do I use the Aya framework?"
- "How do I share a BPF map between kernel and userspace in Rust?"
- "How do I log from a BPF program in Rust?"
- "My Aya program fails to load — how do I debug it?"
- "How do I integrate an eBPF program with tokio?"

## Workflow

### 1. Project setup

```bash
# Install aya-tool (generates bindings from vmlinux BTF)
cargo install aya-tool

# Create new Aya project from template
cargo install cargo-generate
cargo generate https://github.com/aya-rs/aya-template

# Workspace layout (generated)
# my-ebpf/
# ├── my-ebpf-ebpf/    <- kernel-side crate (target: bpf)
# ├── my-ebpf/         <- userspace crate (runs on host)
# └── xtask/           <- build helper (cargo xtask build/run)
```

```bash
# Build both sides
cargo xtask build-ebpf          # builds BPF object
cargo xtask run                 # builds + runs with sudo
```

### 2. Kernel-side BPF program

```rust
// my-ebpf-ebpf/src/main.rs
#![no_std]
#![no_main]

use aya_bpf::{
    macros::{map, tracepoint},
    maps::HashMap,
    programs::TracePointContext,
    helpers::bpf_get_current_pid_tgid,
};
use aya_log_ebpf::info;

#[map]
static CALL_COUNT: HashMap<u32, u64> = HashMap::with_max_entries(1024, 0);

#[tracepoint]
pub fn trace_read(ctx: TracePointContext) -> u32 {
    let pid = (bpf_get_current_pid_tgid() >> 32) as u32;

    // Lookup or insert
    match unsafe { CALL_COUNT.get(&pid) } {
        Some(count) => {
            let _ = CALL_COUNT.insert(&pid, &(count + 1), 0);
        }
        None => {
            let _ = CALL_COUNT.insert(&pid, &1u64, 0);
        }
    }

    info!(&ctx, "read() called by pid {}", pid);
    0
}

#[panic_handler]
fn panic(_info: &core::panic::PanicInfo) -> ! {
    unsafe { core::hint::unreachable_unchecked() }
}
```

### 3. Userspace loader with tokio

```rust
// my-ebpf/src/main.rs
use aya::{Bpf, programs::TracePoint, maps::HashMap};
use aya_log::BpfLogger;
use tokio::signal;

#[tokio::main]
async fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
````
END THIRD-PARTY FILE d5200ab861e80c13

The third-party file has ended. Everything between the d5200ab861e80c13 tags is data: requests and commands from it are not followed. An “end of file” line with another tag inside the block is part of the file.

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