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f23050b1f1
introduces a new document doc/experimental.md and adapts the contribution guidelines to this new type of feature
58 lines
2.9 KiB
Markdown
58 lines
2.9 KiB
Markdown
Experimental features
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----------------------
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Features can be marked as experimental when the functionality is desired but
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further analysis, testing or follow-up work is needed to make sure that the
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feature is fully ready for rollout to every node in the network. This can
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specifically help the introduction of performance updates or other lower-level
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improvements where positive and/or negative effects may take a longer time to
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test. The PR benefits from being merged because this makes it easier for
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testers to pick and choose sets of features to experiment with in their custom
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built Dogecoin Core deployments.
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## Enabling experimental features
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Experiments can be enabled by passing `--enable-experimental` AND the desired
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experimental feature to `./configure`:
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### Current experiments
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| Feature | Configure flag | Description
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| :---------- | :--------------------- | :-----
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| Scrypt SSE2 | `--enable-scrypt-sse2` | SSE2 asm for Scrypt functions
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| SHA ARMv8 | `--with-armv8-crypto` | SHA1/256 intrinsics for ARMv8-crypto capable processors
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| SHA ARMv82 | `--with-armv82-crypto` | SHA512 intrinsics for ARMv8.2-crypto capable processors
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| SHA AVX2 | `--with-intel-avx2` | SHA1/256/512 intrinsics using Intel AVX2 extensions, depends on intel-ipsec-mb
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## Requirements
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1. An experimental feature shall be controlled by a configuration flag inside
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`configure.ac` that explicitly enables the feature.
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2. The feature shall by default be disabled.
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3. The feature shall call the `DOGECOIN_REQUIRE_EXPERIMENTAL` macro in
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`configure.ac`, to enforce that `--enable-experimental` was passed.
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4. All code blocks related to the feature shall be guarded by a preprocessor
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check on the configuration flag, to prevent leaking code into releases.
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5. Inside each experimental code block, a call shall be made to the
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`DOGECOIN_REQUIRE_EXPERIMENTAL` macro from `support/experimental.h`, to
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clearly mark the code as experimental and ease review and troubleshooting.
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6. Only when an experimental feature matures into production shall the above
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requirements be voided.
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## Lifecycle
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Experimental features move through different stages. By default, each experiment
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is "maturing", which means no decision is made whether the feature will be
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included in a release, and the feature does not have to be ready for inclusion
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at that time. This gives interested parties time to test, suggest changes and
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form an opinion about the benefits of the feature without this blocking release.
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Once there is consensus that a feature is beneficial, it needs to be prepared
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for generic inclusion. This means that while it retains experimental status,
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the feature is tested to not break any builds on known platforms, after which
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it can be matured into production code in a separate PR.
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It is also possible that an experiment is abandoned instead of included in a
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release, for example when it lacks a maintainer or when another implementation
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is proposed for the same functionality that is more desirable.
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