[LLVMdev] LLD: Removing Native file format?

[Michael Spencer]

On Thu, Apr 9, 2015 at 12:17 PM, Rui Ueyama <ruiu at google.com> wrote:
> I think I bought up this topic before, but I'd like to propose seriously
> removing the Native file format from LLD this time.
>
> IIUC, the Native file format was designed to be the fastest on-memory or
> on-disk file format for object files. The problem is that no one is working
> on that. No LLVM tools can produce object files in the Native, thus the
> feature of supporting the format is useless in the linker.
>
> I'm also skeptical about the very idea of defining a new file format since
> existing file formats look to be good enough.
>
> It's maintenance cost is real. I needed to submit a few patches for the
> Native format for global refactoring.
>
> Here I'm proposing removing the Native file format support from LLD unless
> there's a person who's going to take the ownership of the feature and push
> really hard to adopt the file format everywhere (not only in the linker).
>
> Opinions?

I'm fine with it, we can add it back when lld is further along if needed.

- Michael Spencer