ppc64 is an identifier commonly used within the Linux, GNU Compiler Collection (GCC) and LLVM open-source 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]

Details

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.