64-bit big-endian PowerPC architecture
The PowerPC 970 was released in 2003 and was one of the first 64-bit processors developed for consumer-type computers, PowerMac G5 in this case. ppc64 is an identifier commonly used within the GNU/Linux , GNU Compiler Collection (GCC) and LLVM free software communities to refer to the target architecture for applications optimized for 64-bit big-endian PowerPC and Power ISA processors.[1]
ppc64le is a pure little-endian mode that has been introduced with the POWER8 as the prime target for technologies provided by the OpenPOWER Foundation , aiming at enabling porting of the x86 Linux-based software with minimal effort.[2]
These two identifiers are frequently used when compiling source code to identify the target architecture.[3]
64-bit Power and PowerPC processors are the following:
PowerPC 620
RS64 – Apache , RS64-II Northstar, RS64-III Pulsar/IStar, and RS64-IV SStar
POWER3 and POWER3-II
POWER4 and POWER4+
PowerPC 970 , 970FX , 970MP and 970GX
POWER5 and POWER5+
PPE in Cell BE , PowerXCell 8i and Xenon .
PWRficient
POWER6 and POWER6+
POWER7 and POWER7+
A2 , A2I (used in the Blue Gene/Q ) and A2O
PowerPC e5500 core based
PowerPC e6500 core based
POWER8 – P8-6c Murano, P8-12c Turismo and Venice, P8E (with NVLink) and CP1
POWER9 – P9C Cumulus, P9N Nimbus and P9 AIO Axone
Power10
Microwatt , open source soft core
Chiselwatt , open source soft core Defunct 64-bit PowerPC processors are the Motorola G5 and PowerPC e700 .