python / python/cpython

Add a way to ignore JIT stencil digest

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build interpreter-core topic-JIT type-feature
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Python
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Description

Feature or enhancement

Proposal:

In Fedora, we use prebuilt JIT stencils on some of the Fedora versions/editions.

When autoconf was updated from 2.72 to 2.73 in Fedora Rawhide, we observed a change in the checksum:

--- /builddir/build/SOURCES/Python-3.15.0a7-x86_64-debug-jit_stencils.h 2026-03-10 00:00:00.000000000 +0000
+++ build/debug/jit_stencils-x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu.h 2026-03-31 21:12:53.391262973 +0000
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// 5e1dc452d67c20147c4ea13e692c2d3e7b0b47b24f8847354c58988c7ffa02bc
+// c783e3946f774d4d83e8fdcca35678ec77006e1b96b12661fcbd3ee680d10e94
 // $ python3.14 /builddir/build/BUILD/python3.14-3.15.0_a7-build/Python-3.15.0a7/Tools/jit/build.py x86_64-redhat-linux-gnu --output-dir . --pyconfig-dir . --cflags= --llvm-version= --debug

The autoconf-generated pyconfig.h file is part of the checksum input:
https://github.com/python/cpython/blob/v3.15.0a8/Tools/jit/_targets.py#L75

My understanding is that the reason for this checksum check is to prevent outdated JIT stencils when Python is re-configured with different options (or when the stencils generation code is updated).

As suspected, the change in checksum was caused by a change in pyconfig.h:

--- pyconfig.h
+++ pyconfig.h
@@ -1882,6 +1882,10 @@
 #ifndef _ALL_SOURCE
 # define _ALL_SOURCE 1
 #endif
+/* Enable extensions on Cosmopolitan Libc. */
+#ifndef _COSMO_SOURCE
+# define _COSMO_SOURCE 1
+#endif
 /* Enable general extensions on macOS.  */
 #ifndef _DARWIN_C_SOURCE
 # define _DARWIN_C_SOURCE 1

This is expected, see https://cgit.git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/autoconf.git/tree/NEWS?h=v2.73#n99

tl;dr When a new autoconf version changes the output of pyconfig.h, the checksum changes as well.

We cannot update the pre-built stencils with the new checksum because that would make the build fail with older autoconf.

Hence, I am proposing we have a way to instruct the Tools/jit/_targets.py tool to ignore checksum mismatch. We would then use this option in Fedora.

For example, ./configure --enable-prebuilt-jit-stencils.

I will open a draft PR for consideration. Thanks.

Has this already been discussed elsewhere?

This is a minor feature, which does not need previous discussion elsewhere

Links to previous discussion of this feature:

What we do in Fedora was previously discussed in https://discuss.python.org/t/building-the-jit-with-pre-built-stencils/91838

Linked PRs
  • gh-148647

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Research direction

Start with Tools/jit/_targets.py and the existing --enable-prebuilt-jit-stencils proposal, then review the linked draft PR gh-148647. Verify how the checksum includes pyconfig.h and define what behavior should occur when prebuilt stencils come from a different autoconf version. Done means Fedora can opt out of the mismatch failure without weakening the default protection.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
python
Domain
build-system
Issue type
Feature
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
25/100

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