Arch Linux Could Use Some Help With Toolchain Maintenance Written Michael Larabel in Arch Linux on 7 February 2022 at 05:30 EST. Add A Comment While Arch Linux is known to be at the forefront of rolli

Arch Linux Could Use Some Help With Toolchain Maintenance
Written Michael Larabel in Arch Linux on 7 February 2022 at 05:30 EST. Add A Comment
While Arch Linux is known to be at the forefront of rolling-release Linux distributions, when it comes to its
compiler toolchain the packages have fallen behind over the past year.
Unlike most Arch Linux packages that are punctually updated and maintained against new upstream
releases, when it comes to the compiler toolchain an apparent lack of manpower has been impacting
progress in this area. In recent weeks multiple Phoronix readers have chimed in regarding this surprising
bottleneck on Arch.
Most of the tips are pointing out this Arch Linux thread about Glibc and GCC package maintenance. That thread was
started in late October with no official updates to the packages in question and many Arch users still left wondering what's
going on with the important toolchain components not being actively maintained.
GCC package is at version 11.1 with the only changes since last May being for the Python 3.10 rebuild. That's while
GCC 11.2 is the latest upstream since last July.
Arch’s is at version 2.33 with no major changes since it was introduced one year ago besides when it was then later
rebuilt for GCC 11.1 in May. Meanwhile Glibc 2.34 was released at the start of August and Glibc 2.35 released last week.
Among the many changes in the GNU Library each release are security fixes.
Arch developer Allan McRae who previously maintained some of the GNU toolchain packages commented back in October
and attributed the lack of updates at least partially to a matter of needing sufficient testing and "Particularly as this is the
new toolchain maintainers second toolchain update and the previous maintainer is no longer around to provide advice, and
the one before that retired from packaging years ago.” Allan meanwhile has been maintaining an alternative Arch Linux
toolchain that does keep updated against new GNU releases.
All public indications are that these GNU toolchain delays for Arch Linux amount to manpower issues with the volunteer
package maintainers. However, even with the lack of updates being discussed on their forums for four months now, there
haven't been any updates to said packages and users wrangling together what works for them.