IMO eBPF is best viewed as a mechanism that allows you to load "arbitrary" code in specific kernel paths, while guaranteeing that the kernel won't hang or crash

IMO eBPF is best viewed as a mechanism that allows you to load "arbitrary" code in specific kernel paths, while guaranteeing that the kernel won't hang or crash. That's it. Though I said "arbitrary" because the program has to pass the verifier, which limits valid programs to ones where it can make the stability guarantees.