libvirt: Supported host platforms
Description: libvirt, virtualization, virtualization API

# Supported host platforms

## Build targets

Libvirt drivers aim to support building and executing on multiple host OS platforms. This document outlines which platforms are the major build targets. These platforms are used as the basis for deciding upon the minimum required versions of 3rd party software libvirt depends on. If a platform is not listed here, it does not imply that libvirt won't work. If an unlisted platform has comparable software versions to a listed platform, there is every expectation that it will work. Bug reports are welcome for problems encountered on unlisted platforms unless they are clearly older vintage than what is described here.

Note that when considering software versions shipped in distros as support targets, libvirt considers only the version number, and assumes the features in that distro match the upstream release with the same version. In other words, if a distro backports extra features to the software in their distro, libvirt upstream code will not add explicit support for those backports, unless the feature is auto-detectable in a manner that works for the upstream releases too.

The Repology site is a useful resource to identify currently shipped versions of software in various operating systems, though it does not cover all distros listed below.

- libvirt
- qemu
- qemu-kvm

### Linux OS

For distributions with frequent, short-lifetime releases, the project will aim to support all versions that are not end of life by their respective vendors. For the purposes of identifying supported software versions, the project will look at Fedora, Ubuntu, and openSUSE distros. Other short-lifetime distros will be assumed to ship similar software versions.

For distributions with long-lifetime releases, the project will aim to support the most recent major version at all times. Support for the previous major version will be dropped 2 years after the new major version is released. For the purposes of identifying supported software versions, the project will look at RHEL, Debian, Ubuntu LTS, and SLES distros. Other long-lifetime distros will be assumed to ship similar software versions.

### Windows

The project supports building with current versions of the MinGW toolchain, hosted on Linux.

### macOS

The project aims to support the most recent major version at all times. Support for the previous major version will be dropped 2 years after the new major version is released.

Note that to compile libvirt will require extra packages to be made available on the macOS host. It is recommended to use HomeBrew since this is what libvirt CI tests with, however, MacPorts is an alternative option that is likely to work.

### FreeBSD

The project aims to support the most recent major version at all times. Support for the previous major version will be dropped 2 years after the new major version is released.

## Virtualization platforms

For hypervisor drivers which execute locally (QEMU, LXC, VZ, libxl, etc), the set of supported operating system platforms listed above will inform choices as to the minimum required versions of 3rd party libraries and hypervisor management APIs.

If a hypervisor is not commonly shipped directly by any distro listed above, (VMware ESX, HyperV, VZ), the project aims to support versions up to 5 years, or until the vendor discontinues support, whichever comes first.