xref: /qemu/docs/about/deprecated.rst (revision 73f81da0a3628180409a0ae90ece19534bcdf09b)
1.. _Deprecated features:
2
3Deprecated features
4===================
5
6In general features are intended to be supported indefinitely once
7introduced into QEMU. In the event that a feature needs to be removed,
8it will be listed in this section. The feature will remain functional for the
9release in which it was deprecated and one further release. After these two
10releases, the feature is liable to be removed. Deprecated features may also
11generate warnings on the console when QEMU starts up, or if activated via a
12monitor command, however, this is not a mandatory requirement.
13
14As a special exception to this general timeframe, rather than have an
15indefinite lifetime, versioned machine types are only intended to be
16supported for a period of 6 years, equivalent to 18 QEMU releases. All
17versioned machine types will be automatically marked deprecated after an
18initial 3 years (9 QEMU releases) has passed, and will then be deleted after
19a further 3 year period has passed. It is recommended that a deprecated
20machine type is only used for incoming migrations and restore of saved state,
21for pre-existing VM deployments. They should be scheduled for updating to a
22newer machine type during an appropriate service window. Newly deployed VMs
23should exclusively use a non-deprecated machine type, with use of the most
24recent version highly recommended. Non-versioned machine types follow the
25general feature deprecation policy.
26
27What follows is a list of all features currently marked as
28deprecated.
29
30System emulator command line arguments
31--------------------------------------
32
33Short-form boolean options (since 6.0)
34''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
35
36Boolean options such as ``share=on``/``share=off`` could be written
37in short form as ``share`` and ``noshare``.  This is now deprecated
38and will cause a warning.
39
40``delay`` option for socket character devices (since 6.0)
41'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
42
43The replacement for the ``nodelay`` short-form boolean option is ``nodelay=on``
44rather than ``delay=off``.
45
46Plugin argument passing through ``arg=<string>`` (since 6.1)
47''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
48
49Passing TCG plugins arguments through ``arg=`` is redundant is makes the
50command-line less readable, especially when the argument itself consist of a
51name and a value, e.g. ``-plugin plugin_name,arg="arg_name=arg_value"``.
52Therefore, the usage of ``arg`` is redundant. Single-word arguments are treated
53as short-form boolean values, and passed to plugins as ``arg_name=on``.
54However, short-form booleans are deprecated and full explicit ``arg_name=on``
55form is preferred.
56
57``-smp`` (Unsupported "parameter=1" SMP configurations) (since 9.0)
58'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
59
60Specified CPU topology parameters must be supported by the machine.
61
62In the SMP configuration, users should provide the CPU topology parameters that
63are supported by the target machine.
64
65However, historically it was allowed for users to specify the unsupported
66topology parameter as "1", which is meaningless. So support for this kind of
67configurations (e.g. -smp drawers=1,books=1,clusters=1 for x86 PC machine) is
68marked deprecated since 9.0, users have to ensure that all the topology members
69described with -smp are supported by the target machine.
70
71``-old-param`` option for booting Arm kernels via param_struct (since 10.0)
72'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
73
74The ``-old-param`` command line option is specific to Arm targets:
75it is used when directly booting a guest kernel to pass it the
76command line and other information via the old ``param_struct`` ABI,
77rather than the newer ATAGS or DTB mechanisms. This option was only
78ever needed to support ancient kernels on some old board types
79like the ``akita`` or ``terrier``; it has been deprecated in the
80kernel since 2001. None of the board types QEMU supports need
81``param_struct`` support, so this option has been deprecated and will
82be removed in a future QEMU version.
83
84User-mode emulator command line arguments
85-----------------------------------------
86
87``-p`` (since 9.0)
88''''''''''''''''''
89
90The ``-p`` option pretends to control the host page size.  However,
91it is not possible to change the host page size, and using the
92option only causes failures.
93
94QEMU Machine Protocol (QMP) commands
95------------------------------------
96
97``blockdev-open-tray``, ``blockdev-close-tray`` argument ``device`` (since 2.8)
98'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
99
100Use argument ``id`` instead.
101
102``eject`` argument ``device`` (since 2.8)
103'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
104
105Use argument ``id`` instead.
106
107``blockdev-change-medium`` argument ``device`` (since 2.8)
108''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
109
110Use argument ``id`` instead.
111
112``block_set_io_throttle`` argument ``device`` (since 2.8)
113'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
114
115Use argument ``id`` instead.
116
117``blockdev-add`` empty string argument ``backing`` (since 2.10)
118'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
119
120Use argument value ``null`` instead.
121
122``block-commit`` arguments ``base`` and ``top`` (since 3.1)
123'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
124
125Use arguments ``base-node`` and ``top-node`` instead.
126
127``nbd-server-add`` and ``nbd-server-remove`` (since 5.2)
128''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
129
130Use the more generic commands ``block-export-add`` and ``block-export-del``
131instead.  As part of this deprecation, where ``nbd-server-add`` used a
132single ``bitmap``, the new ``block-export-add`` uses a list of ``bitmaps``.
133
134``query-qmp-schema`` return value member ``values`` (since 6.2)
135'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
136
137Member ``values`` in return value elements with meta-type ``enum`` is
138deprecated.  Use ``members`` instead.
139
140``drive-backup`` (since 6.2)
141''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
142
143Use ``blockdev-backup`` in combination with ``blockdev-add`` instead.
144This change primarily separates the creation/opening process of the backup
145target with explicit, separate steps. ``blockdev-backup`` uses mostly the
146same arguments as ``drive-backup``, except the ``format`` and ``mode``
147options are removed in favor of using explicit ``blockdev-create`` and
148``blockdev-add`` calls. See :doc:`/interop/live-block-operations` for
149details.
150
151``block-job-pause`` (since 10.1)
152''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
153
154Use ``job-pause`` instead. The only difference is that ``job-pause``
155always reports GenericError on failure when ``block-job-pause`` reports
156DeviceNotActive when block-job is not found.
157
158``block-job-resume`` (since 10.1)
159'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
160
161Use ``job-resume`` instead. The only difference is that ``job-resume``
162always reports GenericError on failure when ``block-job-resume`` reports
163DeviceNotActive when block-job is not found.
164
165``block-job-complete`` (since 10.1)
166'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
167
168Use ``job-complete`` instead. The only difference is that ``job-complete``
169always reports GenericError on failure when ``block-job-complete`` reports
170DeviceNotActive when block-job is not found.
171
172``block-job-dismiss`` (since 10.1)
173''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
174
175Use ``job-dismiss`` instead.
176
177``block-job-finalize`` (since 10.1)
178'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
179
180Use ``job-finalize`` instead.
181
182``query-migrationthreads`` (since 9.2)
183''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
184
185To be removed with no replacement, as it reports only a limited set of
186threads (for example, it only reports source side of multifd threads,
187without reporting any destination threads, or non-multifd source threads).
188For debugging purpose, please use ``-name $VM,debug-threads=on`` instead.
189
190Incorrectly typed ``device_add`` arguments (since 6.2)
191''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
192
193Due to shortcomings in the internal implementation of ``device_add``, QEMU
194incorrectly accepts certain invalid arguments: Any object or list arguments are
195silently ignored. Other argument types are not checked, but an implicit
196conversion happens, so that e.g. string values can be assigned to integer
197device properties or vice versa.
198
199This is a bug in QEMU that will be fixed in the future so that previously
200accepted incorrect commands will return an error. Users should make sure that
201all arguments passed to ``device_add`` are consistent with the documented
202property types.
203
204Host Architectures
205------------------
206
207Big endian MIPS since 7.2; 32-bit little endian MIPS since 9.2
208''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
209
210As Debian 10 ("Buster") moved into LTS the big endian 32 bit version of
211MIPS moved out of support making it hard to maintain our
212cross-compilation CI tests of the architecture. As we no longer have
213CI coverage support may bitrot away before the deprecation process
214completes.
215
216Likewise, the little endian variant of 32 bit MIPS is not supported by
217Debian 13 ("Trixie") and newer.
218
21964 bit little endian MIPS is still a supported host architecture.
220
221System emulation on 32-bit x86 hosts (since 8.0)
222''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
223
224Support for 32-bit x86 host deployments is increasingly uncommon in mainstream
225OS distributions given the widespread availability of 64-bit x86 hardware.
226The QEMU project no longer considers 32-bit x86 support for system emulation to
227be an effective use of its limited resources, and thus intends to discontinue
228it. Since all recent x86 hardware from the past >10 years is capable of the
22964-bit x86 extensions, a corresponding 64-bit OS should be used instead.
230
231TCG Plugin support not enabled by default on 32-bit hosts (since 9.2)
232'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
233
234While it is still possible to enable TCG plugin support for 32-bit
235hosts there are a number of potential pitfalls when instrumenting
23664-bit guests. The plugin APIs typically pass most addresses as
237uint64_t but practices like encoding that address in a host pointer
238for passing as user-data will lose data. As most software analysis
239benefits from having plenty of host memory it seems reasonable to
240encourage users to use 64 bit builds of QEMU for analysis work
241whatever targets they are instrumenting.
242
243TCG Plugin support not enabled by default with TCI (since 9.2)
244''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
245
246While the TCG interpreter can interpret the TCG ops used by plugins it
247is going to be so much slower it wouldn't make sense for any serious
248instrumentation. Due to implementation differences there will also be
249anomalies in things like memory instrumentation.
250
25132-bit host operating systems (since 10.0)
252''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
253
254Keeping 32-bit host support alive is a substantial burden for the
255QEMU project.  Thus QEMU will in future drop the support for all
25632-bit host systems.
257
258linux-user mode CPUs
259--------------------
260
261iwMMXt emulation and the ``pxa`` CPUs (since 10.0)
262''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
263
264The ``pxa`` CPU family (``pxa250``, ``pxa255``, ``pxa260``,
265``pxa261``, ``pxa262``, ``pxa270-a0``, ``pxa270-a1``, ``pxa270``,
266``pxa270-b0``, ``pxa270-b1``, ``pxa270-c0``, ``pxa270-c5``) are no
267longer used in system emulation, because all the machine types which
268used these CPUs were removed in the QEMU 9.2 release. These CPUs can
269now only be used in linux-user mode, and to do that you would have to
270explicitly select one of these CPUs with the ``-cpu`` command line
271option or the ``QEMU_CPU`` environment variable.
272
273We don't believe that anybody is using the iwMMXt emulation, and we do
274not have any tests to validate it or any real hardware or similar
275known-good implementation to test against. GCC is in the process of
276dropping their support for iwMMXt codegen. These CPU types are
277therefore deprecated in QEMU, and will be removed in a future release.
278
279System emulator CPUs
280--------------------
281
282``power5+`` and ``power7+`` CPU names (since 9.0)
283'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
284
285The character "+" in device (and thus also CPU) names is not allowed
286in the QEMU object model anymore. ``power5+``, ``power5+_v2.1``,
287``power7+`` and ``power7+_v2.1`` are currently still supported via
288an alias, but for consistency these will get removed in a future
289release, too. Use ``power5p_v2.1`` and ``power7p_v2.1`` instead.
290
291``Sun-UltraSparc-IIIi+`` and ``Sun-UltraSparc-IV+`` CPU names (since 9.1)
292'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
293
294The character "+" in device (and thus also CPU) names is not allowed
295in the QEMU object model anymore. ``Sun-UltraSparc-IIIi+`` and
296``Sun-UltraSparc-IV+`` are currently still supported via a workaround,
297but for consistency these will get removed in a future release, too.
298Use ``Sun-UltraSparc-IIIi-plus`` and ``Sun-UltraSparc-IV-plus`` instead.
299
300PPC 405 CPUs (since 10.0)
301'''''''''''''''''''''''''
302
303The PPC 405 CPU has no known users and the ``ref405ep`` machine was
304removed in QEMU 10.0. Since the IBM POWER [8-11] processors uses an
305embedded 405 for power management (OCC) and other internal tasks, it
306is theoretically possible to use QEMU to model them. Let's keep the
307CPU implementation for a while before removing all support.
308
309System emulator machines
310------------------------
311
312Versioned machine types (aarch64, arm, i386, m68k, ppc64, s390x, x86_64)
313''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
314
315In accordance with our versioned machine type deprecation policy, all machine
316types with version |VER_MACHINE_DEPRECATION_VERSION|, or older, have been
317deprecated.
318
319Arm ``virt`` machine ``dtb-kaslr-seed`` property (since 7.1)
320''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
321
322The ``dtb-kaslr-seed`` property on the ``virt`` board has been
323deprecated; use the new name ``dtb-randomness`` instead. The new name
324better reflects the way this property affects all random data within
325the device tree blob, not just the ``kaslr-seed`` node.
326
327Big-Endian variants of MicroBlaze ``petalogix-ml605`` and ``xlnx-zynqmp-pmu`` machines (since 9.2)
328''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
329
330Both ``petalogix-ml605`` and ``xlnx-zynqmp-pmu`` were added for little endian
331CPUs. Big endian support is not tested.
332
333Mips ``mipssim`` machine (since 10.0)
334'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
335
336Linux dropped support for this virtual machine type in kernel v3.7, and
337there does not seem to be anybody around who is still using this board
338in QEMU: Most former MIPS-related people are working on other architectures
339in their everyday job nowadays, and we are also not aware of anybody still
340using old binaries with this board (i.e. there is also no binary available
341online to check that this board did not completely bitrot yet). It is
342recommended to use another MIPS machine for future MIPS code development
343instead.
344
345RISC-V default machine option (since 10.0)
346''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
347
348RISC-V defines ``spike`` as the default machine if no machine option is
349given in the command line.  This happens because ``spike`` is the first
350RISC-V machine implemented in QEMU and setting it as default was
351convenient at that time.  Now we have 7 riscv64 and 6 riscv32 machines
352and having ``spike`` as a default is no longer justified.  This default
353will also promote situations where users think they're running ``virt``
354(the most used RISC-V machine type in 10.0) when in fact they're
355running ``spike``.
356
357Removing the default machine option forces users to always set the machine
358they want to use and avoids confusion.  Existing users of the ``spike``
359machine must ensure that they're setting the ``spike`` machine in the
360command line (``-M spike``).
361
362
363Backend options
364---------------
365
366Using non-persistent backing file with pmem=on (since 6.1)
367''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
368
369This option is used when ``memory-backend-file`` is consumed by emulated NVDIMM
370device. However enabling ``memory-backend-file.pmem`` option, when backing file
371is (a) not DAX capable or (b) not on a filesystem that support direct mapping
372of persistent memory, is not safe and may lead to data loss or corruption in case
373of host crash.
374Options are:
375
376    - modify VM configuration to set ``pmem=off`` to continue using fake NVDIMM
377      (without persistence guaranties) with backing file on non DAX storage
378    - move backing file to NVDIMM storage and keep ``pmem=on``
379      (to have NVDIMM with persistence guaranties).
380
381Device options
382--------------
383
384Emulated device options
385'''''''''''''''''''''''
386
387``-device nvme-ns,eui64-default=on|off`` (since 7.1)
388^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
389
390In QEMU versions 6.1, 6.2 and 7.0, the ``nvme-ns`` generates an EUI-64
391identifier that is not globally unique. If an EUI-64 identifier is required, the
392user must set it explicitly using the ``nvme-ns`` device parameter ``eui64``.
393
394``-device nvme,use-intel-id=on|off`` (since 7.1)
395^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
396
397The ``nvme`` device originally used a PCI Vendor/Device Identifier combination
398from Intel that was not properly allocated. Since version 5.2, the controller
399has used a properly allocated identifier. Deprecate the ``use-intel-id``
400machine compatibility parameter.
401
402``-device cxl-type3,memdev=xxxx`` (since 8.0)
403^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
404
405The ``cxl-type3`` device initially only used a single memory backend.  With
406the addition of volatile memory support, it is now necessary to distinguish
407between persistent and volatile memory backends.  As such, memdev is deprecated
408in favor of persistent-memdev.
409
410
411RISC-V CPU properties which start with capital 'Z' (since 8.2)
412^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
413
414All RISC-V CPU properties which start with capital 'Z' are being deprecated
415starting in 8.2. The reason is that they were wrongly added with capital 'Z'
416in the past. CPU properties were later added with lower-case names, which
417is the format we want to use from now on.
418
419Users which try to use these deprecated properties will receive a warning
420recommending to switch to their stable counterparts:
421
422- "Zifencei" should be replaced with "zifencei"
423- "Zicsr" should be replaced with "zicsr"
424- "Zihintntl" should be replaced with "zihintntl"
425- "Zihintpause" should be replaced with "zihintpause"
426- "Zawrs" should be replaced with "zawrs"
427- "Zfa" should be replaced with "zfa"
428- "Zfh" should be replaced with "zfh"
429- "Zfhmin" should be replaced with "zfhmin"
430- "Zve32f" should be replaced with "zve32f"
431- "Zve64f" should be replaced with "zve64f"
432- "Zve64d" should be replaced with "zve64d"
433
434``-device sd-card,spec_version=1`` (since 9.1)
435^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
436
437SD physical layer specification v2.00 supersedes the v1.10 one.
438v2.00 is the default since QEMU 3.0.0.
439
440Block device options
441''''''''''''''''''''
442
443``"backing": ""`` (since 2.12)
444^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
445
446In order to prevent QEMU from automatically opening an image's backing
447chain, use ``"backing": null`` instead.
448
449``rbd`` keyvalue pair encoded filenames: ``""`` (since 3.1)
450^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
451
452Options for ``rbd`` should be specified according to its runtime options,
453like other block drivers.  Legacy parsing of keyvalue pair encoded
454filenames is useful to open images with the old format for backing files;
455These image files should be updated to use the current format.
456
457Example of legacy encoding::
458
459  json:{"file.driver":"rbd", "file.filename":"rbd:rbd/name"}
460
461The above, converted to the current supported format::
462
463  json:{"file.driver":"rbd", "file.pool":"rbd", "file.image":"name"}
464
465``iscsi,password=xxx`` (since 8.0)
466^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
467
468Specifying the iSCSI password in plain text on the command line using the
469``password`` option is insecure. The ``password-secret`` option should be
470used instead, to refer to a ``--object secret...`` instance that provides
471a password via a file, or encrypted.
472
473``gluster`` backend (since 9.2)
474^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
475
476According to https://marc.info/?l=fedora-devel-list&m=171934833215726
477the GlusterFS development effectively ended. Unless the development
478gains momentum again, the QEMU project will remove the gluster backend
479in a future release.
480
481
482Character device options
483''''''''''''''''''''''''
484
485Backend ``memory`` (since 9.0)
486^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
487
488``memory`` is a deprecated synonym for ``ringbuf``.
489
490``reconnect`` (since 9.2)
491^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
492
493The ``reconnect`` option only allows specifying second granularity timeouts,
494which is not enough for all types of use cases, use ``reconnect-ms`` instead.
495
496
497Net device options
498''''''''''''''''''
499
500Stream ``reconnect`` (since 9.2)
501^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
502
503The ``reconnect`` option only allows specifying second granularity timeouts,
504which is not enough for all types of use cases, use ``reconnect-ms`` instead.
505
506VFIO device options
507'''''''''''''''''''
508
509``-device vfio-calxeda-xgmac`` (since 10.0)
510^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
511The vfio-calxeda-xgmac device allows to assign a host Calxeda Highbank
51210Gb XGMAC Ethernet controller device ("calxeda,hb-xgmac" compatibility
513string) to a guest. Calxeda HW has been ewasted now and there is no point
514keeping that device.
515
516``-device vfio-amd-xgbe`` (since 10.0)
517^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
518The vfio-amd-xgbe device allows to assign a host AMD 10GbE controller
519to a guest ("amd,xgbe-seattle-v1a" compatibility string). AMD "Seattle"
520is not supported anymore and there is no point keeping that device.
521
522``-device vfio-platform`` (since 10.0)
523^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
524The vfio-platform device allows to assign a host platform device
525to a guest in a generic manner. Integrating a new device into
526the vfio-platform infrastructure requires some adaptation at
527both kernel and qemu level. No such attempt has been done for years
528and the conclusion is that vfio-platform has not got any traction.
529PCIe passthrough shall be the mainline solution.
530
531CPU device properties
532'''''''''''''''''''''
533
534``pcommit`` on x86 (since 9.1)
535^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
536
537The PCOMMIT instruction was never included in any physical processor.
538It was implemented as a no-op instruction in TCG up to QEMU 9.0, but
539only with ``-cpu max`` (which does not guarantee migration compatibility
540across versions).
541
542``pmu-num=n`` on RISC-V CPUs (since 8.2)
543^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
544
545In order to support more flexible counter configurations this has been replaced
546by a ``pmu-mask`` property. If set of counters is continuous then the mask can
547be calculated with ``((2 ^ n) - 1) << 3``. The least significant three bits
548must be left clear.
549
550
551Backwards compatibility
552-----------------------
553
554Runnability guarantee of CPU models (since 4.1)
555'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
556
557Previous versions of QEMU never changed existing CPU models in
558ways that introduced additional host software or hardware
559requirements to the VM.  This allowed management software to
560safely change the machine type of an existing VM without
561introducing new requirements ("runnability guarantee").  This
562prevented CPU models from being updated to include CPU
563vulnerability mitigations, leaving guests vulnerable in the
564default configuration.
565
566The CPU model runnability guarantee won't apply anymore to
567existing CPU models.  Management software that needs runnability
568guarantees must resolve the CPU model aliases using the
569``alias-of`` field returned by the ``query-cpu-definitions`` QMP
570command.
571
572While those guarantees are kept, the return value of
573``query-cpu-definitions`` will have existing CPU model aliases
574point to a version that doesn't break runnability guarantees
575(specifically, version 1 of those CPU models).  In future QEMU
576versions, aliases will point to newer CPU model versions
577depending on the machine type, so management software must
578resolve CPU model aliases before starting a virtual machine.
579
580RISC-V "virt" board "riscv,delegate" DT property (since 9.1)
581''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
582
583The "riscv,delegate" DT property was added in QEMU 7.0 as part of
584the AIA APLIC support.  The property changed name during the review
585process in Linux and the correct name ended up being
586"riscv,delegation".  Changing the DT property name will break all
587available firmwares that are using the current (wrong) name.  The
588property is kept as is in 9.1, together with "riscv,delegation", to
589give more time for firmware developers to change their code.
590
591Migration
592---------
593
594``fd:`` URI when used for file migration (since 9.1)
595''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
596
597The ``fd:`` URI can currently provide a file descriptor that
598references either a socket or a plain file. These are two different
599types of migration. In order to reduce ambiguity, the ``fd:`` URI
600usage of providing a file descriptor to a plain file has been
601deprecated in favor of explicitly using the ``file:`` URI with the
602file descriptor being passed as an ``fdset``. Refer to the ``add-fd``
603command documentation for details on the ``fdset`` usage.
604
605``zero-blocks`` capability (since 9.2)
606''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
607
608The ``zero-blocks`` capability was part of the block migration which
609doesn't exist anymore since it was removed in QEMU v9.1.
610