moduleexit

Moduleexit is a term used in modular software architectures to denote the routine that runs when a module is unloaded or removed. In many programming environments, the module exit function is paired with a corresponding initialization function to manage the module’s lifecycle. When referring to Linux kernel development, the term is commonly written as module_exit and refers to the cleanup function designated for unloading a kernel module.

In the Linux kernel, module_exit is a macro used to declare the module’s exit function and to place it in the appropriate section of the binary so that the kernel can call it when the module is removed. The exit function itself is responsible for reversing actions taken during initialization, such as freeing allocated memory, unregistering interfaces or devices, closing handles, and restoring state as needed. It is designed to be robust against partial initialization and should avoid assuming that every resource was successfully acquired.

Usage in code typically involves defining two functions: an initialization function marked with __init, and a cleanup function marked with __exit. The module_init macro is used with the initialization function, and module_exit is used with the cleanup function. Example usage (in plain text) mirrors a common pattern: static int __init my_init(void) { ... } static void __exit my_exit(void) { ... } module_init(my_init); module_exit(my_exit);

See also: module_init, __init, __exit, Linux kernel modules. Historically, moduleexit is most closely associated with Linux kernel module development, though the general concept appears in various plugin and modular systems.