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authorStephen Hines <srhines@google.com>2014-12-01 14:51:49 -0800
committerStephen Hines <srhines@google.com>2014-12-02 16:08:10 -0800
commit37ed9c199ca639565f6ce88105f9e39e898d82d0 (patch)
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parentd2327b22152ced7bc46dc629fc908959e8a52d03 (diff)
downloadexternal_llvm-37ed9c199ca639565f6ce88105f9e39e898d82d0.zip
external_llvm-37ed9c199ca639565f6ce88105f9e39e898d82d0.tar.gz
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Update aosp/master LLVM for rebase to r222494.
Change-Id: Ic787f5e0124df789bd26f3f24680f45e678eef2d
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@@ -436,6 +436,29 @@ list, development list, or LLVM bug tracker component. If someone sends you
a patch privately, encourage them to submit it to the appropriate list first.
+IR Backwards Compatibility
+--------------------------
+
+When the IR format has to be changed, keep in mind that we try to maintain some
+backwards compatibility. The rules are intended as a balance between convenience
+for llvm users and not imposing a big burden on llvm developers:
+
+* The textual format is not backwards compatible. We don't change it too often,
+ but there are no specific promises.
+
+* The bitcode format produced by a X.Y release will be readable by all following
+ X.Z releases and the (X+1).0 release.
+
+* Newer releases can ignore features from older releases, but they cannot
+ miscompile them. For example, if nsw is ever replaced with something else,
+ dropping it would be a valid way to upgrade the IR.
+
+* Debug metadata is special in that it is currently dropped during upgrades.
+
+* Non-debug metadata is defined to be safe to drop, so a valid way to upgrade
+ it is to drop it. That is not very user friendly and a bit more effort is
+ expected, but no promises are made.
+
.. _copyright-license-patents:
Copyright, License, and Patents