Re: [PATCH v2] xen: Add macOS hypervisor build configuration

[Jan Beulich <jbeulich@xxxxxxxx>]

On 05.02.2026 16:30, Bertrand Marquis wrote:
>> On 5 Feb 2026, at 13:29, Jan Beulich <jbeulich@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>
>> On 05.02.2026 12:33, Bertrand Marquis wrote:
>>> Xen does not currently document how to build the hypervisor on macOS, and
>>> there is no Darwin configuration for selecting a Homebrew-based GNU
>>> toolchain. Native builds are not supported; the hypervisor must be
>>> cross-built with a GNU toolchain and GNU make/sed.
>>>
>>> Add a minimal Darwin.mk which selects the GNU tool definitions used by
>>> the macOS workflow and point to the build guide for required tools and
>>> setup. Document the Homebrew cross toolchain and GNU tools needed to
>>> build the hypervisor on macOS.
>>>
>>> Signed-off-by: Bertrand Marquis <bertrand.marquis@xxxxxxx>
>>> ---
>>> config/Darwin.mk            |  6 ++++
>>> docs/misc/build-on-macos.md | 66 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>>> 2 files changed, 72 insertions(+)
>>> create mode 100644 config/Darwin.mk
>>> create mode 100644 docs/misc/build-on-macos.md
>>
>> I'm sorry, I should have paid attention already on the RFC, but: With all
>> other Pandoc files in this directory being named *.pandoc, do we really want
>> to have an outlier named *.md there?
> 
> Right but this might not be needed anymore as the only thing needed after 
> Roger's
> patch is only a toolchain so brew is one solution but there are a lot of 
> others.

Even better.

>>> --- /dev/null
>>> +++ b/config/Darwin.mk
>>> @@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
>>> +# Use GNU tool definitions; the macOS workflow relies on Homebrew GNU 
>>> tools.
>>> +# See docs/misc/build-on-macos.md for required tools and setup.
>>> +include $(XEN_ROOT)/config/StdGNU.mk
>>
>> Given Roger's consideration towards possibly using a more MacOS-native
>> build arrangement as an alternative, I'm actually not quite sure this should
>> then be the default mode here. Roger, what are your thoughts?
> 
> Even with Mac OS sed and make working, something is still needed here to 
> compile on Mac OS.
> 
> What would you suggest the default mode should be here ? Mac OS is not GNU
> but everything used correspond to what is defined by StdGNU.mk.
> 
> I am only forcing cross compilation here to prevent using the host toolchain.

That part is okay with me.

> What do you think i should put there instead ?

Using StdGNU.mk may still be okay, as long as the comment properly represents
the overall situation.

Jan