@@ -372,8 +372,22 @@ struct drm_atomic_state {
*
* Allow full modeset. This is used by the ATOMIC IOCTL handler to
* implement the DRM_MODE_ATOMIC_ALLOW_MODESET flag. Drivers should
- * never consult this flag, instead looking at the output of
- * drm_atomic_crtc_needs_modeset().
+ * not consult this flag, instead looking at the output of
+ * drm_atomic_crtc_needs_modeset(). The detailed rules are:
+ *
+ * - Drivers must not consult @allow_modeset in the atomic commit path,
+ * and instead use drm_atomic_crtc_needs_modeset().
+ *
+ * - Drivers may consult @allow_modeset in the atomic check path, if
+ * they have the choice between an optimal hardware configuration
+ * which requires a modeset, and a less optimal configuration which
+ * can be committed without a modeset. An example would be suboptimal
+ * scanout FIFO allocation resulting in increased idle power
+ * consumption. This allows userspace to avoid flickering and delays
+ * for the normal composition loop at reasonable cost.
+ *
+ * - Drivers must never change this flag, it is only under the control
+ * of userspace.
*/
bool allow_modeset : 1;
/**