M1 Mac (e.g ARM64) version of Oracle Instant Client

[wshayes]

Can you please build a MacOS ARM64 version of the Oracle InstantClient natively compatible with the new M1 Macs?

There are now build targets in several CI/CD build systems for Mac ARM64 architectures.

It's the only library that is keeping me from using native development on the M1 Mac.

[cjbj]

I'm sure it will be well received. I'm told it is planned but no ETA.

Since the question is out of scope of the cx_Oracle project, I'll close this issue.

[wshayes]

Can you tell me which repo it's in scope? I couldn't find a github repo or feedback option for the Oracle Instant Client.

[cjbj]

@wshayes Oracle Client libraries are part of the Oracle Database product family so feedback should be directed at Oracle Support. However, since I do the "product management" for Instant Client's overall packaging (but not for all the products included), I have already got your feedback. The development organization who do the porting are aware there is demand. I'd like to hurry it along but that team handles lots of products on lots of platforms ie. has lots of priorities to juggle.

[rachitpant]

@cjbj Can its priority be bumped up please. Apple is already out with M2 chip and its frustrating to say the least. Every other library has transitioned to the new chip.

[anthony-tuininga]

Are you able to make use of thin mode in the new driver: python-oracledb?

[rachitpant]

We want to connect with ruby ( ruby-oci8 ). And we have several ( around 30 existing rails apps : pointing to oracle db ) and now all developers have upgraded their machines to M1 macs.

[anthony-tuininga]

Not much I can do to help, then! I'll leave it to @cjbj to comment further -- but it is out of his hands, too.

[cjbj]

Every other library has transitioned to the new chip.

From what I'm told, that would be every library except the third-party libraries needed by Oracle Client.

But I do feel your pain. Until there is a solution, you will have to use Rosetta or fiddle with the ARM Linux Instant Client, see oracle/docker-images#2447

[ilyas-gx]

Oracle Instant Client does not support ARM on macOS, so there is no way to build/compile it for M1. The same problem is with oci8 extension for PHP. The only way to use oci8 on M1 is thru rosetta.

[cjbj]

@ilyas-gx you can now use the new version of cx_Oracle renamed to python-oracledb since it doesn't need Instant Client.

Or you could use the ARM Linux Instant Client in a Docker container.

[brytonbeesley]

@cjbj is Oracle still planning to build a MacOS ARM64 version of the Oracle InstantClient natively compatible with the M1 Macs? Or is python-oracledb the only intended solution?

I ask because I've explored python-oracledb with my team and it won't work with our configuration. We're hitting this issue: oracle/python-oracledb#26.

In short, the thin mode driver requires that the sec_case_sensitive_logon parameter be set to TRUE, and our DBA's won't change it, saying that they've set it to FALSE per Oracle's instruction in Doc ID 2530680.1