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+.. _elf_hwcaps_index:
+
+==================
+POWERPC ELF hwcaps
+==================
+
+This document describes the usage and semantics of the powerpc ELF hwcaps.
+
+
+1. Introduction
+---------------
+
+Some hardware or software features are only available on some CPU
+implementations, and/or with certain kernel configurations, but have no
+architected discovery mechanism available to userspace code. The kernel
+exposes the presence of these features to userspace through a set
+of flags called hwcaps, exposed in the auxilliary vector.
+
+Userspace software can test for features by acquiring the AT_HWCAP or
+AT_HWCAP2 entry of the auxiliary vector, and testing whether the relevant
+flags are set, e.g.::
+
+	bool floating_point_is_present(void)
+	{
+		unsigned long hwcaps = getauxval(AT_HWCAP);
+		if (hwcaps & PPC_FEATURE_HAS_FPU)
+			return true;
+
+		return false;
+	}
+
+Where software relies on a feature described by a hwcap, it should check
+the relevant hwcap flag to verify that the feature is present before
+attempting to make use of the feature.
+
+Features cannot be probed reliably through other means. When a feature
+is not available, attempting to use it may result in unpredictable
+behaviour, and is not guaranteed to result in any reliable indication
+that the feature is unavailable, such as a SIGILL.
+
+2. hwcap allocation
+-------------------
+
+HWCAPs are allocated as described in Power Architecture 64-Bit ELF V2 ABI
+Specification (which will be reflected in the kernel's uapi headers).
+
+3. The hwcaps exposed in AT_HWCAP
+---------------------------------
+
+PPC_FEATURE_32
+    32-bit CPU
+
+PPC_FEATURE_64
+    64-bit CPU (userspace may be running in 32-bit mode).
+
+PPC_FEATURE_601_INSTR
+    The processor is PowerPC 601
+
+PPC_FEATURE_HAS_ALTIVEC
+    Vector (aka Altivec, VSX) facility is available.
+
+PPC_FEATURE_HAS_FPU
+    Floating point facility is available.
+
+PPC_FEATURE_HAS_MMU
+    Memory management unit is present.
+
+PPC_FEATURE_HAS_4xxMAC
+    ?
+
+PPC_FEATURE_UNIFIED_CACHE
+    ?
+
+PPC_FEATURE_HAS_SPE
+    ?
+
+PPC_FEATURE_HAS_EFP_SINGLE
+    ?
+
+PPC_FEATURE_HAS_EFP_DOUBLE
+    ?
+
+PPC_FEATURE_NO_TB
+    The timebase facility (mftb instruction) is not available.
+
+PPC_FEATURE_POWER4
+    The processor is POWER4.
+
+PPC_FEATURE_POWER5
+    The processor is POWER5.
+
+PPC_FEATURE_POWER5_PLUS
+    The processor is POWER5+.
+
+PPC_FEATURE_CELL
+    The processor is Cell.
+
+PPC_FEATURE_BOOKE
+    The processor implements the BookE architecture.
+
+PPC_FEATURE_SMT
+    The processor implements SMT.
+
+PPC_FEATURE_ICACHE_SNOOP
+    The processor icache is coherent with the dcache, and instruction storage
+    can be made consistent with data storage for the purpose of executing
+    instructions with the instruction sequence:
+        sync
+        icbi (to any address)
+        isync
+
+PPC_FEATURE_ARCH_2_05
+    The processor supports the v2.05 userlevel architecture. Processors
+    supporting later architectures also set this feature.
+
+PPC_FEATURE_PA6T
+    The processor is PA6T.
+
+PPC_FEATURE_HAS_DFP
+    DFP facility is available.
+
+PPC_FEATURE_POWER6_EXT
+    The processor is POWER6.
+
+PPC_FEATURE_ARCH_2_06
+    The processor supports the v2.06 userlevel architecture. Processors
+    supporting later architectures also set this feature.
+
+PPC_FEATURE_HAS_VSX
+    VSX facility is available.
+
+PPC_FEATURE_PSERIES_PERFMON_COMPAT
+
+PPC_FEATURE_TRUE_LE
+    Reserved, do not use
+
+PPC_FEATURE_PPC_LE
+    Reserved, do not use
+
+3. The hwcaps exposed in AT_HWCAP2
+----------------------------------
+
+PPC_FEATURE2_ARCH_2_07
+    The processor supports the v2.07 userlevel architecture. Processors
+    supporting later architectures also set this feature.
+
+PPC_FEATURE2_HTM
+    Transactional Memory feature is available.
+
+PPC_FEATURE2_DSCR
+    DSCR facility is available.
+
+PPC_FEATURE2_EBB
+    EBB facility is available.
+
+PPC_FEATURE2_ISEL
+    isel instruction is available. This is superseded by ARCH_2_07 and
+    later.
+
+PPC_FEATURE2_TAR
+    VSX facility is available.
+
+PPC_FEATURE2_VEC_CRYPTO
+    v2.07 crypto instructions are available.
+
+PPC_FEATURE2_HTM_NOSC
+    System calls fail if called in a transactional state, see
+    Documentation/powerpc/syscall64-abi.rst
+
+PPC_FEATURE2_ARCH_3_00
+    The processor supports the v3.0B / v3.0C userlevel architecture. Processors
+    supporting later architectures also set this feature.
+
+PPC_FEATURE2_HAS_IEEE128
+    IEEE 128 is available? What instructions/data?
+
+PPC_FEATURE2_DARN
+    darn instruction is available.
+
+PPC_FEATURE2_SCV
+    scv instruction is available.
+
+PPC_FEATURE2_HTM_NO_SUSPEND
+    A limited Transactional Memory facility that does not support suspend is
+    available, see Documentation/powerpc/transactional_memory.rst.
+
+PPC_FEATURE2_ARCH_3_1
+    The processor supports the v3.1 userlevel architecture. Processors
+    supporting later architectures also set this feature.
+
+PPC_FEATURE2_MMA
+    MMA facility is available.
