doc: add ABI guidelines

[dpdk.git] / doc / guides / rel_notes / abi.rst

diff --git a/doc/guides/rel_notes/abi.rst b/doc/guides/rel_notes/abi.rst
index f00a6ee..4086198 100644 (file)
--- a/doc/guides/rel_notes/abi.rst
+++ b/doc/guides/rel_notes/abi.rst
@@ -1,33 +1,7 @@
 ABI policy
 ==========
-ABI versions are set at the time of major release labeling, and ABI may change
-multiple times between the last labeling and the HEAD label of the git tree
-without warning.
-
-ABI versions, once released are available until such time as their
-deprecation has been noted here for at least one major release cycle, after it
-has been tagged.  E.g. the ABI for DPDK 2.0 is shipped, and then the decision to
-remove it is made during the development of DPDK 2.1.  The decision will be
-recorded here, shipped with the DPDK 2.1 release, and actually removed when DPDK
-2.2 ships.
-
-ABI versions may be deprecated in whole, or in part as needed by a given update.
-
-Some ABI changes may be too significant to reasonably maintain multiple
-versions of.  In those events ABI's may be updated without backward
-compatibility provided.  The requirements for doing so are:
-
-#. At least 3 acknowledgments of the need on the dpdk.org
-#. A full deprecation cycle must be made to offer downstream consumers sufficient warning of the change.  E.g. if dpdk 2.0 is under development when the change is proposed, a deprecation notice must be added to this file, and released with dpdk 2.0.  Then the change may be incorporated for dpdk 2.1
-#. The LIBABIVER variable in the makefile(s) where the ABI changes are incorporated must be incremented in parallel with the ABI changes themselves
-
-Note that the above process for ABI deprecation should not be undertaken
-lightly.  ABI stability is extremely important for downstream consumers of the
-DPDK, especially when distributed in shared object form.  Every effort should be
-made to preserve ABI whenever possible.  For instance, reorganizing public
-structure field for aesthetic or readability purposes should be avoided as it will
-cause ABI breakage.  Only significant (e.g. performance) reasons should be seen
-as cause to alter ABI.
+See the guidelines document for details of the ABI policy.  ABI deprecation
+notices are to be posted here
 
 Examples of Deprecation Notices
 -------------------------------