Re: [dpdk-dev] [PATCH] pipeline: remove experimental tag from API

[Thomas Monjalon <thomas@monjalon.net>]

12/10/2021 22:34, Dumitrescu, Cristian:
> From: Thomas Monjalon <thomas@monjalon.net>
> > 01/09/2021 14:20, Jasvinder Singh:
> > > These APIs were introduced in 18.05, therefore removing
> > > experimental tag to promote them to stable state.
> > >
> > > Signed-off-by: Jasvinder Singh <jasvinder.singh@intel.com>
> > > ---
> > >  lib/pipeline/rte_port_in_action.h | 10 ----------
> > >  lib/pipeline/rte_table_action.h   | 18 ------------------
> > >  lib/pipeline/version.map          | 16 ++++++----------
> > >  3 files changed, 6 insertions(+), 38 deletions(-)
> > 
> > Cristian, please can you check whether you intend to keep these functions in
> > future?
> > If they are candidate to be removed, there is no point to promote them.
> 
> Hi Thomas,
> 
> Yes, they are candidate for removal, as the new rte_swx_pipeline API evolves.
> 
> But removing them requires updating the drivers/net/softnic code to use the new API, which is not going to be completed in time for release 21.11.
> 
> So given this lag, it might be better to simply promote these functions to stable API now, as Ray suggests, instead of continuing to keep them experimental; then, once these functions are no longer used, then we can remove them, most likely in 22.11.
> 
> So I will ack these patches, but I am willing to reconsider if you feel strongly against this approach.

I think we should not promote API that we know will disappear soon.
The stable status means something for the users.
Ray, what is your opinion?