gem5 Developers' Monthly Meeting - June 12th 2025, 1600 UTC

[BobbyRBruce]

The next monthly gem5 Developers' Meeting is scheduled for June 12th, 2025, 1600 UTC

Calendar Event

gem5-developers-meeting-20250612.ics.zip

Agenda

This agenda is open and flexible. If you would like to add anything to the agenda, please create a comment below.

• Jason Lowe-Power will give a preview of this Commencement presentation for this year's gem5 Workshop
• There will be discussion about moving the gem5 Developers' meeting to a different time to better accommodate those who wish to join from time zones in which 1600 UTC proves difficult.
• Possible incorporation of clang-format and "options"
  (PRs: Introduce git-clang-format to gem5 (Simple, Option 1 of 2) #2313, Introduce git-clang-format to gem5 with wrapper script (Option 2 of 2) #2314))

Meeting Links/Info

Microsoft Teams Meeting Link

Meeting ID: 297 351 198 478 7
Passcode: ks9wo6kr

[giactra]

It would be nice if we could also discuss about the following 2 PRs (both related to clang-format):

• Introduce git-clang-format to gem5 (Simple, Option 1 of 2) #2313
• Introduce git-clang-format to gem5 with wrapper script (Option 2 of 2) #2314

[BobbyRBruce]

Sure. I've added this to the agenda.

[BobbyRBruce]

Meeting notes

(Warning: AI generated)

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Agenda Overview

• Status update on the 25.0 release
• gem5 Workshop at ISCA 2025: welcoming presentation and logistics
• clang-format reintegration proposals and decisions
• Community engagement, including time-zone accessibility issues
• Open discussion on bootcamp resources, orchestration framework, and upcoming content

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gem5 25.0 Release Update

• The 25.0 release is currently in the staging branch.
• The required two-week staging window has passed, meaning the release can occur at any time.
• No regressions have been identified; all cherry-picked fixes appear to be in place.
• Final touches and testing are ongoing, with a tentative release target of early next week to align with the upcoming ISCA workshop.
• Contributors were asked to check for any last-minute changes missing from the staging branch.

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gem5 Workshop (ISCA 2025)

• Jason shared draft slides for the ISCA workshop’s welcoming presentation (informally referred to as a keynote, though ISCA policy prevents using that term).
• Topics in the presentation include gem5’s development approach, Bootcamp resources, and a community discussion during the lunch session.
• A Google Form was created for attendees to suggest discussion topics during the workshop.
• Feedback on slide content and structure was requested from the team, with some members offering to share their own materials or assist with polishing.

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Clang-format Decisions

Summary of Discussion

• Several developers expressed frustration with style-related review comments and the lack of consistent enforcement of the existing style guide.
• The group discussed using git clang-format in pre-commit hooks to automate formatting on only changed lines rather than entire files.
• Two integration options were considered: one strict (requiring clang-format to be installed) and one flexible (allowing opt-outs via environment variables).
• A discussion occurred on whether to format the entire codebase at once or proceed iteratively, one commit at a time.

✅ Decision 1: Enforce clang-format iteratively, one commit at a time

The team agreed to enforce formatting only on changed lines, applied during each commit, using git clang-format. This iterative approach allows gradual adoption without a disruptive, large-scale reformat.

❌ Decision 2: Reformat entire codebase at once

There was no consensus to reformat the entire codebase at once. The chair exercised a tiebreaker and affirmed the iterative approach for now, with openness to full reformatting in the future.

✅ Decision 3: Use the simpler Option 1 integration

The team chose Option 1, integrating git clang-format directly into the pre-commit workflow. It offers simplicity and is easier to maintain.

Follow-up Actions

• Review and merge PR #2313, which implements the chosen option.
• Search for an official pre-commit plugin for git clang-format. If not available, maintainers will proceed with the current solution.
• Optional: Provide VSCode integration or GitHub-side auto-format suggestions in the future.

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Accessibility for Global Contributors

• Time zone barriers (especially for participants in Asia, such as Taiwan) were noted as ongoing issues.
• No concrete resolutions proposed, but there was acknowledgment of the need to improve inclusion—possibly via asynchronous feedback mechanisms or recordings.

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Other Topics

• Jason highlighted recent gem5 Bootcamps, noting the materials are fully available online (slides, exercises, recordings).
• Some discussion took place around orchestrating future development, particularly with respect to the planned orchestration framework, though no formal proposals were made.
• Suggestions were made to record the gem5 workshop talks and upload them to the gem5 YouTube channel, with acknowledgment that live audio from discussions may not be usable.

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