Re: [dpdk-dev] [20.11, PATCH] bbdev: remove experimental tag from API

[Akhil Goyal <akhil.goyal@nxp.com>]

> 
> > From: Akhil Goyal <akhil.goyal@nxp.com>
> > > > Hello Nicolas,
> > > >
> > > > On Sat, Jun 27, 2020 at 1:14 AM Nicolas Chautru
> > > > <nicolas.chautru@intel.com> wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > Planning to move bbdev API to stable from 20.11 (ABI version 21)
> > > > > and remove experimental tag.
> > > > > Sending now to advertise and get any feedback.
> > > > > Some manual rebase will be required later on notably as the actual
> > > > > release note which is not there yet.
> > > >
> > > > Cool that we want to stabilize this API.
> > > > My concern is that we have drivers from a single vendor.
> > > > I would hate to see a new vendor unable to submit a driver (or
> > > > having to wait until the next ABI breakage window) because of the
> > > > current API/ABI.
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > > +1 from my side. I am not sure how much it is acceptable for all the
> > > vendors/customers.
> > > It is not reviewed by most of the vendors who may support in future.
> > > It is not good to remove experimental tag as we have a long 1 year
> > > cycle to break the API/ABI.
> > >
> > Moving the patch as deferred in patchworks.
> 
> That is fine and all good discussion.
> We know of another vendor who plan to release a bbdev driver but probably
> after 20.11.
> There is one extra capability they will need exposed, we will aim to have the API
> is updated prior to that.
> Assuming the API get updated between now and 20.11, is there still room to
> remove experimental tag in 20.11 or the expectation is to wait regardless for a
> full stable cycle and only intercept ABI v22 in  21.11?
> 
I think ABI v22 in 21.11 would be good to move this to stable so that if there are changes
In the ABI when a new vendor PMD comes up, they can be incorporated.
And as the world is evolving towards 5G, there may be multiple vendors and ABI may change.