Post about x86_64-apple-darwin demotion

Author: shepmaster

content/demoting-x8664-apple-darwin-to-tier-2-with-host-tools.md

@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
++++
+path = "9999/12/31/demoting-x8664-apple-darwin-to-tier-2-with-host-tools"
+title = "Demoting x86_64-apple-darwin to Tier 2 with host tools"
+authors = ["Jake Goulding"]
+
+[extra]
+team = "the Infrastructure team"
+team_url = "https://www.rust-lang.org/governance/teams/infra#team-infra"
++++
+
+In Rust 1.90.0, the target `x86_64-apple-darwin` will be demoted to Tier 2 with host tools.
+The standard library and the compiler will continue to be built and distributed,
+but automated tests of these components are no longer guaranteed to be run.
+
+## Background
+
+Rust has supported macOS for a long time,
+with some amount of support dating back to Rust 0.1 and likely before that.
+During that time period,
+Apple has changed CPU architectures from x86 to x86\_64 and now to Apple silicon,
+ultimately announcing the [end of support][timeline] for the x86\_64 architecture.
+
+Similarly,
+[GitHub has announced][gha] that they will no longer provide free macOS x86\_64 runners for public repositories.
+The Rust Project uses these runners to execute automated tests for the `x86_64-apple-darwin` target.
+Since the [target tier policy][policy] requires that Tier 1 platforms must run tests in CI,
+the `x86_64-apple-darwin` target must be demoted to Tier 2.
+
+## What changes?
+
+Starting with Rust 1.90.0, `x86_64-apple-darwin` will be Tier 2 with host tools.
+For users,
+nothing will change immediately;
+builds of both the standard library and the compiler will still be distributed by the Rust Project for use via `rustup` or alternative installation methods.
+
+Over time,
+this target will likely accumulate bugs faster due to reduced testing.
+
+## Future
+
+If the `x86_64-apple-darwin` target causes concrete problems,
+it may be demoted further.
+No plans for further demotion have been made yet.
+
+For more details on the motivation of the demotion, see [RFC 3841][].
+
+[policy]: https://doc.rust-lang.org/stable/rustc/target-tier-policy.html
+[timeline]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mac_transition_to_Apple_silicon#Timeline
+[gha]: https://github.blog/changelog/2025-07-11-upcoming-changes-to-macos-hosted-runners-macos-latest-migration-and-xcode-support-policy-updates/#macos-13-is-closing-down
+[RFC 3841]: https://rust-lang.github.io/rfcs/3841-demote-x86_64-apple-darwin.html