diff --git a/text/0000-promote-aarch64-apple-darwin-to-tier-1.md b/text/0000-promote-aarch64-apple-darwin-to-tier-1.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000000..8c471f4f14c --- /dev/null +++ b/text/0000-promote-aarch64-apple-darwin-to-tier-1.md @@ -0,0 +1,133 @@ +- Feature Name: promote-aarch64-apple-darwin-to-tier-1 +- Start Date: 2024-07-09 +- RFC PR: [rust-lang/rfcs#3671](https://github.com/rust-lang/rfcs/pull/3671) +- Rust Issue: [rust-lang/rust#73908](https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/issues/73908) + +# Summary +[summary]: #summary + +Promote aarch64-apple-darwin to Tier 1. + +# Motivation +[motivation]: #motivation + +Approximately [33% of Rust users][survey-2023] use macOS for +development. Hardware using Apple Silicon CPUs is noticeably more +performant than previous x86\_64 Apple hardware and many developers +have already transitioned to using aarch64-apple-darwin. This number +is expected to increase as Apple no longer produces x86\_64 hardware. + +# Guide-level explanation +[guide-level-explanation]: #guide-level-explanation + +This change will not require additional explanation to Rust +programmers as many people believe that aarch64-apple-darwin is +_already_ Tier 1. As such, I expect this change will reduce potential +confusion. + +# Reference-level explanation +[reference-level-explanation]: #reference-level-explanation + +Tier 1 targets must adhere to the [Tier 1 Target +Policy][tier-1-policy]. This RFC intends that aarch64-apple-darwin +will be Tier 1 [with host tools][host-tools]. Going through these +requirements point-by-point: + +> Tier 1 targets must have substantial, widespread interest within the +> developer community, and must serve the ongoing needs of multiple +> production users of Rust across multiple organizations or projects. + +As [stated above][motivation], macOS users comprise a non-trivial +percentage of overall Rust users. + +> The target maintainer team must include at least 3 developers. + +There is an existing [team for Apple and macOS specific +concerns][apple-team]. The aarch64-apple-darwin target is actively +used and maintained. Rust has been [tracking and fixing Apple Silicon +specific issues][silicon-issues] and the LLVM team has been doing the +same. + +> The target must build and pass tests reliably in CI, for all +> components that Rust's CI considers mandatory. + +Since [2024-02-06][enabled-m1], Rust continuous integration has been +building and testing the aarch64-apple-darwin compiler and host tools +with roughly the same settings as x86\_64. + +> The target must provide as much of the Rust standard library as is +> feasible and appropriate to provide. + +No material difference exists between the x86\_64-apple-darwin and +aarch64-apple-darwin targets in this regard. + +> Building the target and running the testsuite for the target must not take +> substantially longer than other targets, and should not substantially raise +> the maintenance burden of the CI infrastructure. + +Due to improved hardware performance, aarch64-apple-darwin is usually +faster than x86\_64-apple-darwin. As a recent example, +[aarch64-apple-darwin took 61 minutes][dist-build-aarch64] while +[x86\_64-apple-darwin took 118 minutes][dist-build-x86\_64]. + +> Tier 1 targets must not have a hard requirement for signed, verified, or +> otherwise "approved" binaries. + +No material difference exists between the x86\_64-apple-darwin and +aarch64-apple-darwin targets in this regard. + +# Drawbacks +[drawbacks]: #drawbacks + +Tier 1 status requires that we are able to build and run binaries for +the platform. While x86\_64 machines have been available in continuous +integration workflows for many years, aarch64 machines are relatively +new. The first Apple Silicon runners for GitHub Actions were [released +on 2023-10-02][runner-m1] with free runners for open source projects +[released on 2024-01-03][runner-m1-oss]. Availability or robustness of +these runners may be lower compared to x86\_64. + +Tier 1 status requires increased continuous integration resource usage +which means increased cost to the project. However, the +aarch64-apple-darwin target has been treated as Tier 1 since +[2024-02-06][enabled-m1] without causing financial concern. + + +# Rationale and alternatives +[rationale-and-alternatives]: #rationale-and-alternatives + +Apple Silicon is the _de facto_ path forward for macOS. + +# Prior art +[prior-art]: #prior-art + +- [RFC 2959][rfc-2959] promoted `aarch64-unknown-linux-gnu` to Tier 1. + +# Unresolved questions +[unresolved-questions]: #unresolved-questions + +None. + +# Future possibilities +[future-possibilities]: #future-possibilities + +It is expected that **x86\_64**-apple-darwin will be demoted to Tier 2 +at some future point as hardware for this platform is [no longer being +produced][transition]. This may reduce our continuous integration +costs, offsetting any increases from adding +aarch64-apple-darwin. There are **no concrete plans** to demote +x86\_64-apple-darwin at this time and any such demotion would need its +own well-publicized RFC. + +[apple-team]: https://github.com/rust-lang/team/blob/16fc8a96bf2733bc0e7ca553a645f3840ed0a7a4/teams/apple.toml +[dist-build-aarch64]: https://github.com/rust-lang-ci/rust/actions/runs/9856130302/job/27212491241 +[dist-build-x86\_64]: https://github.com/rust-lang-ci/rust/actions/runs/9856130302/job/27212490161 +[enabled-m1]: https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/pull/120509 +[host-tools]: https://doc.rust-lang.org/nightly/rustc/target-tier-policy.html#tier-1-with-host-tools +[rfc-2959]: https://rust-lang.github.io/rfcs/2959-promote-aarch64-unknown-linux-gnu-to-tier1.html +[runner-m1-oss]: https://github.blog/changelog/2024-01-30-github-actions-introducing-the-new-m1-macos-runner-available-to-open-source/ +[runner-m1]: https://github.blog/2023-10-02-introducing-the-new-apple-silicon-powered-m1-macos-larger-runner-for-github-actions/ +[silicon-issues]: https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/issues?q=is%3Aissue+sort%3Aupdated-desc+label%3AO-macos+label%3AO-AArch64 +[survey-2023]: https://blog.rust-lang.org/2024/02/19/2023-Rust-Annual-Survey-2023-results.html +[tier-1-policy]: https://doc.rust-lang.org/nightly/rustc/target-tier-policy.html#tier-1-target-policy +[transition]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mac_transition_to_Apple_silicon