|SUCCESS| [RFC,3/3] build: deprecate HPET build option

[dpdklab at iol.unh.edu]

Test-Label: ai-code-review
Test-Status: SUCCESS
https://dpdk.org/patch/164795

_AI Code Review_

=== Patch Review: series.patch (via Claude) ===
Review date: 2026-06-02

Reviewing patch series for DPDK build option deprecations.

commit 20260602090847.905721-2-bruce.richardson at intel.com
Author: Bruce Richardson <bruce.richardson at intel.com>

    build: deprecate kernel dir option

This patch deprecates the kernel_dir build option.

> diff --git a/doc/guides/rel_notes/deprecation.rst b/doc/guides/rel_notes/deprecation.rst
> index 17f90a6352..ed1dda6008 100644
> --- a/doc/guides/rel_notes/deprecation.rst
> +++ b/doc/guides/rel_notes/deprecation.rst
> @@ -17,6 +17,10 @@ Other API and ABI deprecation notices are to be posted below.
>  Deprecation Notices
>  -------------------
>  
> +* build: The following meson build options are deprecated and will be removed in a future release:
> +
> +  - ``kernel_dir``: option unused as Linux kernel drivers are in a separate ``dpdk-kmods`` repository.
> +
>  * kvargs: The function ``rte_kvargs_process`` will get a new parameter
>    for returning key match count. It will ease handling of no-match case.

[ ... ]

commit 20260602090847.905721-3-bruce.richardson at intel.com
Author: Bruce Richardson <bruce.richardson at intel.com>

    build: deprecate standalone tests option

This patch deprecates the tests build option.

> diff --git a/app/meson.build b/app/meson.build
> index 1798db3ae4..52f704ec94 100644
> --- a/app/meson.build
> +++ b/app/meson.build
> @@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ apps = [
>          'graph',
>          'pdump',
>          'proc-info',
> +        'test',
>          'test-acl',
>          'test-bbdev',
>          'test-cmdline',
> @@ -35,11 +36,6 @@ apps = [
>          'test-security-perf',
>  ]
>  
> -if get_option('tests')
> -# build the auto test app if enabled.
> -    apps += 'test'
> -endif
> -

Does removing this conditional break builds for users who currently rely
on tests=false to skip building the test app? The new behavior
unconditionally adds 'test' to apps[], but the enable_apps/disable_apps
processing happens elsewhere. Can existing users who have tests=false in
their build configuration continue their builds without warnings until
the option is fully removed?

[ ... ]

commit 20260602090847.905721-4-bruce.richardson at intel.com
Author: Bruce Richardson <bruce.richardson at intel.com>

    build: deprecate HPET build option

This patch enables HPET code unconditionally on Linux.

> diff --git a/app/test/test.c b/app/test/test.c
> index 58ef52f312..99d6e90f8b 100644
> --- a/app/test/test.c
> +++ b/app/test/test.c
> @@ -180,13 +180,6 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
>  		goto out;
>  	}
>  
> -#ifdef RTE_LIBEAL_USE_HPET
> -	if (rte_eal_hpet_init(1) < 0)
> -#endif
> -		RTE_LOG(INFO, APP,
> -				"HPET is not enabled, using TSC as default timer\n");
> -
> -
>  	char *dpdk_test = getenv("DPDK_TEST");

Does removing this initialization call affect test behavior or coverage?
The original code attempted HPET initialization early, but now this only
happens in test_timer.c's timer_sanity_check(). Are there other tests
that expected HPET to be pre-initialized?

> diff --git a/app/test/test_timer.c b/app/test/test_timer.c
> index c936843ddc..dcb26c4395 100644
> --- a/app/test/test_timer.c
> +++ b/app/test/test_timer.c
> @@ -501,6 +501,11 @@ static int
>  timer_sanity_check(void)
>  {
>  #ifdef RTE_LIBEAL_USE_HPET
> +	if (rte_eal_hpet_init(1) < 0) {
> +		printf("HPET is not enabled, using TSC as default timer\n");
> +		return 0;
> +	}
> +
>  	if (eal_timer_source != EAL_TIMER_HPET) {
>  		printf("Not using HPET, can't sanity check timer sources\n");
>  		return 0;

Does calling rte_eal_hpet_init() multiple times cause issues? If
timer_sanity_check() can be called multiple times or if HPET was already
initialized elsewhere, does the HPET init function handle re-initialization
safely?

> diff --git a/config/meson.build b/config/meson.build
> index 9ba7b9a338..6012a3c243 100644
> --- a/config/meson.build
> +++ b/config/meson.build
> @@ -381,7 +381,7 @@ endforeach
>  
>  # set other values pulled from the build options
>  dpdk_conf.set('RTE_MAX_ETHPORTS', get_option('max_ethports'))
> -dpdk_conf.set('RTE_LIBEAL_USE_HPET', get_option('use_hpet'))
> +dpdk_conf.set('RTE_LIBEAL_USE_HPET', is_linux)

Does this change require coordination with the deprecation timeline? The
use_hpet option is marked deprecated but still exists. Should the option
value be ignored with a warning rather than immediately overriding it
with is_linux?

[ ... ]