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FreeBSD OS Version Notes for IBM POWER processors
FreeBSD/powerpc64 is undergoing rapid development on the newest processor families (POWER8/POWER9). Here are some hints to get you started.
- FreeBSD 12 or above is required.
- FreeBSD 12.0-STABLE is recommended, rather than 12.0R.
- Packages are built for the following OS versions:
- For FreeBSD 12, from the ports -quarterly branch, using GCC from base.
- For FreeBSD-CURRENT, from ports-head, using GCC from base.
Selecting an OS Version
Your choice of what to use is depending on your use case and level of interest:
- If you want to use FreeBSD as a server, your best choice is FreeBSD 12-STABLE using base GCC and the existing quarterly packages built using base GCC. Most ports are believed to work.
- If you want to use FreeBSD as a desktop, you have the following choices:
- Stay with FreeBSD 12 using base GCC and the existing quarterly packages built using base GCC.
- Run FreeBSD-CURRENT using base GCC and the existing -head packages built using base GCC.
- Run FreeBSD-CURRENT using clang instead of GCC. As of this writing (20190613), you will need to build your own packages.
Note that desktop support is not well-tested. In particular, kde is known not to completely build.
The plan is to move FREEBSD-CURRENT/powerpc64 to clang and elfv2. As of this writing (20190613), this work is under rapid development. Please only select this case if you are willing to help develop and debug both the OS and ports; we know there are many rough edges.
32-bit powerpc may or may not be on track with the above plan.
See Also
Also see ports.