V8 will remove the MIPS(64) port

[natorion]

This is in the context of https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/v8-dev/oXkv5OVCXyc.

As nobody stepped up to maintain the ports, V8's current plan is to remove the MIPS(64) ports from the V8 codebase with V8 7.5 (~ mid March 2019).

As MIPS(64) is also not supported in Node.js (https://github.com/nodejs/node/blob/master/BUILDING.md#supported-platforms-1), I don't know if this is really relevant to you folks at all? Please speak up if this is not the case.

[natorion]

@ofrobots @hashseed @fhinkel @MylesBorins

[hashseed]

Note that the MIPS port has already been broken for a while.

[richardlau]

FYI @nodejs/distros

[bnoordhuis]

I did see the announcement but thanks for the reminder. :-)

We don't claim to support mips(64)(el) or test it regularly so I think it's just a matter of dropping it from the build scripts: #26192

[refack]

I actually have node@8 running in OpenWRT on a TP-Link Archer C7 (CPU is a Qualcomm Atheros QCA9558) patched using https://github.com/openwrt/packages/tree/master/lang/node.
But AFAIK even node 9 and 10 were never properly ported.

[richardlau]

Also cc @kapouer based on previous issues raised re. MIPS.

[glaubitz]

One of the problems here is that Firefox currently has a hard build dependency on nodejs, so distributions will no longer be able to build Firefox. On the other hand, it would be possible to perform the Firefox build steps which require nodejs on an x86_64 machine and then include these build artifacts in the MIPS builds.

[hashseed]

One of the problems here is that Firefox currently has a hard build dependency on nodejs, so distributions will no longer be able to build Firefox. On the other hand, it would be possible to perform the Firefox build steps which require nodejs on an x86_64 machine and then include these build artifacts in the MIPS builds.

I think that would be preferable. Do you have the option to cross-compile?

[nxhack]

@refack
I ported v10.x v11.x to openwrt. The build is going well (mips, mipsel).

https://github.com/nxhack/openwrt-node-packages/tree/master/node

[natorion]

FYI, it currently looks like another company is stepping up to maintain the MIPS(64) port modulo Big Endian. I will keep you posted.

[rwaldron]

@natorion link or reference? Thanks in advance.

[natorion]

See the linked thread: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/v8-dev/oXkv5OVCXyc

[axetroy]

Currently under active maintenance is loongson CPU. They use mips architecture and the company is well-funded.

A large number of orders have been obtained, and there will be a lot of mips demand in the next few years (in China)

http://www.loongson.cn/product/cpu/