Google’s Nick Desaulniers, known for his contributions to Linux kernel compilation with LLVM/Clang, recently took on the challenge of being able to compile the Linux kernel under macOS.
With duct tape and bailing wire, Nick managed to compile the ARM64 Linux kernel under macOS 12.5.1 “Monterey” on his Apple M2 MacBook Air.
With his own LLVM/Clang and getting some dependencies through Homebrew, he was able to compile the Linux kernel under macOS. Not that you can use the Linux kernel with macOS, but if you just want to do development and build/smoke testing on an Apple M1/M2 – at least until Linux support is good enough to run on the M1/M2 hardware with accelerated graphics, working audio, and other features still being tackled by those bringing Linux to Apple Silicon.
Apparently there is interest in being able to compile the Linux kernel while running macOS on M1/M2 hardware.
Nick has posted a work in progress patch with the changes needed to make the build successful. The patch still needs to be cleaned up and split before its possible upstream release in the future.
Nick announced the success overnight on the mailing list to gauge the level of interest from other upstream developers and the Asahi Linux team on the level of interest in being able to compile the Linux kernel under macOS.
