all: end support for ppc64/linux (big-endian, ELFv1) in Go 1.27

[pmur]

Proposal Details

There is no actively supported powerpc64 ELFv1 linux distribution. While I worked at IBM, I maintained the community builders at OSU using unstable debian. It had a few challenges related to the GOPPC minimum power8 and the debian minimum cpu of power4. This required a bit of manual work to update every 6 months, which is unlikely to happen anymore since I left IBM. Likewise, it is unclear if anyone actually uses this target.

Today, Go has two other ppc64 targets, openbsd (ELFv2) and aix. I think these provide sufficient coverage for the endian sensitive portions of the codebase. I would also recommend the aix maintainers set up a Power10 community CI.

I propose dropping support for the ppc64/linux target starting in Go 1.27 (around Aug 2026).

@golang/aix
@golang/ppc64

[prattmic]

cc @golang/release

[gabyhelp]

Related Issues

• proposal: remove linux/ppc64 (big endian) port #34850 (closed)
• all: require POWER8 support for ppc64, to match ppc64le #19074 (closed)
• all: openbsd/ppc64 port #56001 (closed)
• proposal: all: end support for macOS 12 in Go 1.27 #75836

_{(Emoji vote if this was helpful or unhelpful; more detailed feedback welcome in this discussion.)}

[aclements]

Just to clarify, this is not proposing that we end support for ppc64le/linux.

[jkrishmys]

Hi @aclements. Yes, it is definitely not for ppc64le/linux (little endian).

[aclements]

This proposal has been added to the active column of the proposals project
and will now be reviewed at the weekly proposal review meetings.
— aclements for the proposal review group

[aclements]

Based on the discussion above, this proposal seems like a likely accept.
— aclements for the proposal review group

The proposal is to drop support for ppc64/linux (big-endian) starting in Go 1.27, with a pre-announcement in Go 1.26.