[PATCH v2 0/3] docs: Unify Getting Started Guides v2 Updates

[PATCH v2 0/3] docs: Unify Getting Started Guides v2 Updates

[David Young]

This is version 2 of the patch series for updating the DPDK Documentation. 

Thank you to everyone who provided feedback on the first version.

Changes since v1:
- Removed unnecessary verbiage from Section 1: Introduction
- Merged windows_install_build.rst into building_from_sources.rst
- Updated Section 2: Install and Build DPDK based on additional feedback
- Added link in guides/index.rst to Getting Started Guide so now it shows up in menu

The following patches are included in this series:

1/3: GSG Section 1: Introduction - Updated
2/3: Added link to Getting Started Guide in index.rst
3/3: GSG Section 2: Install and Build DPDK - Updated

 .../building_from_sources.rst                 | 124 ++++++++++++++----
 .../install_and_build/index.rst               |   3 +-
 .../windows_install_build.rst                 |  93 -------------
 doc/guides/getting_started_guide/intro.rst    |   7 +-
 doc/guides/index.rst                          |   1 +
 5 files changed, 99 insertions(+), 129 deletions(-)
 delete mode 100644 doc/guides/getting_started_guide/install_and_build/windows_install_build.rst

-- 
2.41.0.windows.1

[PATCH 1/3] GSG Section 1: Introduction - Updated based on feedback

[David Young]

---
 doc/guides/getting_started_guide/intro.rst | 7 ++-----
 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)

diff --git a/doc/guides/getting_started_guide/intro.rst b/doc/guides/getting_started_guide/intro.rst
index 88bdd48849..538b3bacec 100644
--- a/doc/guides/getting_started_guide/intro.rst
+++ b/doc/guides/getting_started_guide/intro.rst
@@ -4,13 +4,10 @@
 Introduction
 ============
 
-Welcome to the unified getting started guide for the Data Plane Development Kit (DPDK) covering Linux, FreeBSD, and Windows. DPDK is a set of libraries and
+Welcome to the getting started guide for the Data Plane Development Kit (DPDK) covering Linux, FreeBSD, and Windows. DPDK is a set of libraries and
 drivers that accelerate packet processing and allow the user to create high-performance
 networking applications.
 
 The guide is structured to provide basic step-by-step instructions with OS-specific instructions for each operating system where necessary. 
 By the end of this guide, you should have a solid understanding of how to implement and
-use DPDK in your networking projects, regardless of the operating system you are using.
-
-We hope this guide serves as a valuable resource as you explore the powerful
-capabilities of DPDK.
\ No newline at end of file
+use DPDK in your networking projects, regardless of the operating system you are using.
\ No newline at end of file
-- 
2.41.0.windows.1

[PATCH 2/3] Added link to Getting Started Guide in index.rst

[David Young]

---
 doc/guides/index.rst | 1 +
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+)

diff --git a/doc/guides/index.rst b/doc/guides/index.rst
index 244b99624c..51a47d3a51 100644
--- a/doc/guides/index.rst
+++ b/doc/guides/index.rst
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ DPDK documentation
 .. toctree::
    :maxdepth: 1
 
+   getting_started_guide/index
    linux_gsg/index
    freebsd_gsg/index
    windows_gsg/index
-- 
2.41.0.windows.1

[PATCH 3/3] GSG Section 2: Install and Build DPDK - Updated based on feedback

[David Young]

[-- Warning: decoded text below may be mangled, UTF-8 assumed --]
[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain; charset=y, Size: 11351 bytes --]

Merged windows_install_build.rst into building_from_sources.rst
---
 .../building_from_sources.rst                 | 124 ++++++++++++++----
 .../install_and_build/index.rst               |   3 +-
 .../windows_install_build.rst                 |  93 -------------
 3 files changed, 96 insertions(+), 124 deletions(-)
 delete mode 100644 doc/guides/getting_started_guide/install_and_build/windows_install_build.rst

diff --git a/doc/guides/getting_started_guide/install_and_build/building_from_sources.rst b/doc/guides/getting_started_guide/install_and_build/building_from_sources.rst
index e4ee8e436d..554d604109 100644
--- a/doc/guides/getting_started_guide/install_and_build/building_from_sources.rst
+++ b/doc/guides/getting_started_guide/install_and_build/building_from_sources.rst
@@ -6,8 +6,7 @@
 Building and Installing DPDK from Sources
 =========================================
 
-This chapter provides a comprehensive guide for building DPDK from sources on both
-Linux and FreeBSD platforms. It covers the necessary steps, prerequisites, 
+This chapter provides a comprehensive guide for building DPDK from sources on Linux, FreeBSD, and Windows. It covers the necessary steps, prerequisites, 
 and considerations for different architectures and compilers.
 
 Required Tools
@@ -18,91 +17,158 @@ To build DPDK, you'll need the following tools:
 - A C compiler like ``gcc`` (version 5+) or ``clang`` (version 3.6+)
 - ``pkg-config`` or ``pkgconf``
 - Python 3.6 or later
-- ``meson`` (version 0.53.2+) and ``ninja``
+- ``meson`` (version 0.57.0) and ``ninja``
 - ``pyelftools`` (version 0.22+)
 
-Here's how to install them:
+Platform-Specific Tool Installation
+-----------------------------------
 
 Linux
 ^^^^^
 
+Common Tools for All Distributions:
+
+.. code-block:: bash
+
+   sudo apt install gcc pkg-config python3 meson ninja pyelftools
+
 Alpine
 
 .. code-block:: bash
 
    sudo apk add alpine-sdk bsd-compat-headers
-   pip install meson ninja
 
-Debian and Ubuntu and derivatives
+Debian, Ubuntu, and derivatives
 
 .. code-block:: bash
 
    sudo apt install build-essential
-   pip install meson ninja
 
 Fedora and RedHat Enterprise Linux RHEL
 
 .. code-block:: bash
 
    sudo dnf groupinstall "Development Tools"
-   pip install meson ninja
 
 openSUSE
 
 .. code-block:: bash
 
    sudo zypper install -t pattern devel_basis python3-pyelftools
-   pip install meson ninja
 
 FreeBSD
 ^^^^^^^
 
-FreeBSD (as root)
+Common Tools for FreeBSD:
 
 .. code-block:: bash
 
-   pkg install meson pkgconf py38-pyelftools
+   pkg install gcc pkgconf python3 meson ninja pyelftools
 
-Note: If you're using FreeBSD, you'll also need kernel sources. Make sure they're included during the FreeBSD installation.
+.. note::
 
-Getting the DPDK Source
------------------------
+   If you're using FreeBSD, make sure kernel sources are included during the FreeBSD installation.
 
-Download the DPDK source code from the official repository 
-``https://fast.dpdk.org/rel/``.
+Windows System Requirements
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
-Use ``wget`` to grab the DPDK version::
+Building the DPDK and its applications on Windows requires one of the following
+environments:
 
-        wget https://fast.dpdk.org/rel/dpdk-<version>.tar.xz
+- The Clang-LLVM C compiler and Microsoft MSVC linker.
+- The MinGW-w64 toolchain (either native or cross).
 
-Extract the downloaded archive:
+The Meson Build system is used to prepare the sources for compilation with the Ninja backend.
 
-.. code-block:: bash
+Option 1: Clang-LLVM C Compiler and Microsoft MSVC Linker
+"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
+
+1. Install the Compiler: Download and install the Clang compiler from the 
+   `LLVM website <http://releases.llvm.org/>`_.
+
+2. Install the Linker: Download and install the Build Tools for Visual Studio from the
+   `Microsoft website <https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/downloads/>`_.
+   When installing build tools, select the “Visual C++ build tools” option and make sure
+   the Windows SDK is selected.
 
-   tar -xvf dpdk-<version>.tar.gz
+Option 2: MinGW-w64 Toolchain
+""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
 
-Navigate to the DPDK directory:
+1. On Linux (for cross-compilation): Install MinGW-w64 via a package manager. 
+   Version 4.0.4 for Ubuntu 16.04 cannot be used due to a MinGW-w64 bug.
+
+2. On Windows: Obtain the latest version installer from the
+   `MinGW-w64 repository <https://mingw-w64.org/doku.php>`_. 
+   Any thread model (POSIX or Win32) can be chosen, DPDK does not rely on it. 
+   Install to a folder without spaces in its name, like ``C:\MinGW``. 
+   This path is assumed for the rest of this guide.
+
+Install the Build System
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+Download and install the build system from the
+`Meson website <http://mesonbuild.com/Getting-meson.html#installing-meson-and-ninja-with-the-msi-installer>`_.
+A good option to choose is the MSI installer for both meson and ninja together.
+Recommended version is either Meson 0.57.0 (baseline) or the latest release.
+
+Getting the DPDK Source
+-----------------------
+
+Linux and FreeBSD
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
 .. code-block:: bash
 
+   wget https://fast.dpdk.org/rel/dpdk-<version>.tar.xz
+   tar -xvf dpdk-<version>.tar.xz
    cd dpdk-<version>
 
+Windows
+^^^^^^^
+
+Download the DPDK source code from `DPDK's official website <https://www.dpdk.org/>`_ or clone the repository using a Git client. Extract the downloaded archive, if applicable, and navigate to the DPDK directory.
+
+Navigate to the directory where the DPDK source code is located:
+
+.. code-block:: bash
+
+   cd C:\path\to\dpdk-<version>
+
 Building DPDK
 -------------
 
-Configure the build based on your needs, hardware, and environment. 
-This might include setting specific flags or options. For example: “meson setup -Dbuildtype=debugoptimized build”. Then compile using “ninja” and install using “meson install”.
+Linux and FreeBSD
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
 .. code-block:: bash
 
+   meson build
    ninja -C build
-   cd build
-   sudo ninja install
-   ldconfig
 
-For detailed information on Meson build configuration options specific to DPDK, see :ref:`DPDK Meson Build Configuration Options <dpdk_meson_build_options>`.
+Windows
+^^^^^^^
+
+**Option 1: Using Clang-LLVM**
+
+.. code-block:: bash
+
+   set CC=clang
+   meson setup -Dexamples=helloworld build
+   meson compile -C build
+
+**Option 2: Using MinGW-w64**
+
+.. code-block:: bash
+
+   set PATH=C:\MinGW\mingw64\bin;%PATH%
+   meson setup -Dexamples=helloworld build
+   meson compile -C build
+
+.. note::
+
+   For detailed information on Meson build configuration options specific to DPDK, see :ref:`DPDK Meson Build Configuration Options <dpdk_meson_build_options>`.
 
 Cross-Compilation Instructions for Different Architectures
 ----------------------------------------------------------
 
-For instructions on building DPDK for ARM64, LoongArch, and RISC-V, refer to :ref:`cross_compile_dpdk`.
+For instructions on building DPDK for ARM64, LoongArch, and RISC-V, refer to :ref:`cross_compile_dpdk`.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/doc/guides/getting_started_guide/install_and_build/index.rst b/doc/guides/getting_started_guide/install_and_build/index.rst
index f4d8740fb6..48e438282f 100644
--- a/doc/guides/getting_started_guide/install_and_build/index.rst
+++ b/doc/guides/getting_started_guide/install_and_build/index.rst
@@ -11,5 +11,4 @@ Install and Build DPDK
 
     
     installing_prebuilt_packages
-    building_from_sources
-    windows_install_build
\ No newline at end of file
+    building_from_sources
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/doc/guides/getting_started_guide/install_and_build/windows_install_build.rst b/doc/guides/getting_started_guide/install_and_build/windows_install_build.rst
deleted file mode 100644
index ea0e131766..0000000000
--- a/doc/guides/getting_started_guide/install_and_build/windows_install_build.rst
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,93 +0,0 @@
-..  SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
-    Copyright(c) 2010-2015 Intel Corporation.
-
-.. _windows_install_build:
-
-Windows DPDK Build
-==================
-
-Before you begin the process of building DPDK on Windows, 
-make sure your system meets all the necessary requirements as outlined below.
-
-Windows System Requirements
----------------------------
-
-Building the DPDK and its applications on Windows requires one of the following
-environments:
-
-- The Clang-LLVM C compiler and Microsoft MSVC linker.
-- The MinGW-w64 toolchain (either native or cross).
-
-The Meson Build system is used to prepare the sources for compilation with the Ninja backend.
-
-Option 1: Clang-LLVM C Compiler and Microsoft MSVC Linker
----------------------------------------------------------
-
-1. Install the Compiler: Download and install the clang compiler from the 
-`LLVM website <http://releases.llvm.org/>`_.
-
-2. Install the Linker: Download and install the Build Tools for Visual Studio from the
-`Microsoft website <https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/downloads/>`_. 
-When installing build tools, select the “Visual C++ build tools” option and make sure
-the Windows SDK is selected.
-
-Option 2: MinGW-w64 Toolchain
------------------------------
-
-1. On Linux (for cross-compilation): Install MinGW-w64 via a package manager. 
-Version 4.0.4 for Ubuntu 16.04 cannot be used due to a MinGW-w64 bug.
-
-2. On Windows: Obtain the latest version installer from the
-`MinGW-w64 repository <https://mingw-w64.org/doku.php>`_. 
-Any thread model (POSIX or Win32) can be chosen, DPDK does not rely on it. 
-Install to a folder without spaces in its name, like ``C:\MinGW``. 
-This path is assumed for the rest of this guide.
-
-Install the Build System
-------------------------
-
-Download and install the build system from the
-`Meson website <http://mesonbuild.com/Getting-meson.html#installing-meson-and-ninja-with-the-msi-installer>`_. 
-A good option to choose is the MSI installer for both meson and ninja together.
-Recommended version is either Meson 0.57.0 (baseline) or the latest release.
-
-Install the Backend
--------------------
-
-If using Ninja, download and install the backend from the
-`Ninja website <https://ninja-build.org/>`_ or install along with the meson build
-system. 
-
-Once you have verified that your system meets these requirements, 
-you can proceed with the following steps to build DPDK.
-
-Build the Code
---------------
-
-The build environment is setup to build the EAL and the helloworld example by default.
-To compile the examples, the flag -Dexamples is required.
-
-**Option 1. Native Build on Windows**
-
-When using Clang-LLVM, specifying the compiler might be required to complete the meson
-command::
-
-        set CC=clang
-
-When using MinGW-w64, it is sufficient to have toolchain executables in PATH::
-
-        set PATH=C:\MinGW\mingw64\bin;%PATH%
-
-To compile the examples::
-
-        cd C:\Users\me\dpdk
-        meson -Dexamples=helloworld build
-        ninja -C build
-
-**Option 2. Cross-Compile with MinGW-w64**
-
-The cross-file option must be specified for Meson. 
-Depending on the distribution, paths in this file may need adjustments::
-
-        meson --cross-file config/x86/cross-mingw -Dexamples=helloworld build
-        ninja -C build
\ No newline at end of file
-- 
2.41.0.windows.1

Re: [PATCH 3/3] GSG Section 2: Install and Build DPDK - Updated based on feedback

[Tyler Retzlaff]

On Tue, Oct 31, 2023 at 08:49:28PM -0400, David Young wrote:
> Merged windows_install_build.rst into building_from_sources.rst

[...]

> -Download the DPDK source code from the official repository 
> -``https://fast.dpdk.org/rel/``.
> +Windows System Requirements
> +^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>  
> -Use ``wget`` to grab the DPDK version::
> +Building the DPDK and its applications on Windows requires one of the following
> +environments:
>  
> -        wget https://fast.dpdk.org/rel/dpdk-<version>.tar.xz
> +- The Clang-LLVM C compiler and Microsoft MSVC linker.
> +- The MinGW-w64 toolchain (either native or cross).
>  
> -Extract the downloaded archive:
> +The Meson Build system is used to prepare the sources for compilation with the Ninja backend.
>  
> -.. code-block:: bash
> +Option 1: Clang-LLVM C Compiler and Microsoft MSVC Linker
> +"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
> +
> +1. Install the Compiler: Download and install the Clang compiler from the 
> +   `LLVM website <http://releases.llvm.org/>`_.
> +
> +2. Install the Linker: Download and install the Build Tools for Visual Studio from the
> +   `Microsoft website <https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/downloads/>`_.
> +   When installing build tools, select the “Visual C++ build tools” option and make sure
> +   the Windows SDK is selected.
>  
> -   tar -xvf dpdk-<version>.tar.gz
> +Option 2: MinGW-w64 Toolchain
> +""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
>  
> -Navigate to the DPDK directory:
> +1. On Linux (for cross-compilation): Install MinGW-w64 via a package manager. 
> +   Version 4.0.4 for Ubuntu 16.04 cannot be used due to a MinGW-w64 bug.
> +
> +2. On Windows: Obtain the latest version installer from the
> +   `MinGW-w64 repository <https://mingw-w64.org/doku.php>`_. 
> +   Any thread model (POSIX or Win32) can be chosen, DPDK does not rely on it. 
> +   Install to a folder without spaces in its name, like ``C:\MinGW``. 
> +   This path is assumed for the rest of this guide.
> +
> +Install the Build System
> +^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> +
> +Download and install the build system from the
> +`Meson website <http://mesonbuild.com/Getting-meson.html#installing-meson-and-ninja-with-the-msi-installer>`_.
> +A good option to choose is the MSI installer for both meson and ninja together.
> +Recommended version is either Meson 0.57.0 (baseline) or the latest release.
   ^^^^^^^^^^^ maybe use the word 'Required'

We need to be explicit for Windows. *Only* Meson 0.57.x can be used the
latest release of meson is not currently supported.

> +
> +Getting the DPDK Source
> +-----------------------
> +
> +Linux and FreeBSD
> +^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>  
>  .. code-block:: bash
>  
> +   wget https://fast.dpdk.org/rel/dpdk-<version>.tar.xz
> +   tar -xvf dpdk-<version>.tar.xz
>     cd dpdk-<version>
>  
> +Windows
> +^^^^^^^
> +
> +Download the DPDK source code from `DPDK's official website <https://www.dpdk.org/>`_ or clone the repository using a Git client. Extract the downloaded archive, if applicable, and navigate to the DPDK directory.
> +
> +Navigate to the directory where the DPDK source code is located:
> +
> +.. code-block:: bash
> +
> +   cd C:\path\to\dpdk-<version>
> +
>  Building DPDK
>  -------------
>  
> -Configure the build based on your needs, hardware, and environment. 
> -This might include setting specific flags or options. For example: “meson setup -Dbuildtype=debugoptimized build”. Then compile using “ninja” and install using “meson install”.
> +Linux and FreeBSD
> +^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>  
>  .. code-block:: bash
>  
> +   meson build
>     ninja -C build
> -   cd build
> -   sudo ninja install
> -   ldconfig
>  
> -For detailed information on Meson build configuration options specific to DPDK, see :ref:`DPDK Meson Build Configuration Options <dpdk_meson_build_options>`.
> +Windows
> +^^^^^^^
> +
> +**Option 1: Using Clang-LLVM**
> +
> +.. code-block:: bash
> +
> +   set CC=clang
> +   meson setup -Dexamples=helloworld build
> +   meson compile -C build
> +
> +**Option 2: Using MinGW-w64**
> +
> +.. code-block:: bash
> +
> +   set PATH=C:\MinGW\mingw64\bin;%PATH%
> +   meson setup -Dexamples=helloworld build
> +   meson compile -C build
> +
> +.. note::
> +
> +   For detailed information on Meson build configuration options specific to DPDK, see :ref:`DPDK Meson Build Configuration Options <dpdk_meson_build_options>`.

This looks good, thanks for the updates.

With the one minor correction suggested above.

Acked-by: Tyler Retzlaff <roretzla@linux.microsoft.com>