# Linux Kernel Module Cheat

##### 30.6.2.1. ARMv8 floating point availability

Support is semi-mandatory. ARMv8 architecture reference manual A1.5 "Advanced SIMD and floating-point support":

> ARMv8 can support the following levels of support for Advanced SIMD and floating-point instructions:

> - Full SIMD and floating-point support without exception trapping.

> - Full SIMD and floating-point support with exception trapping.

> - No floating-point or SIMD support. This option is licensed only for implementations targeting specialized markets.

> Note: All systems that support standard operating systems with rich application environments provide hardware support for Advanced SIMD and floating-point. It is a requirement of the ARM Procedure Call Standard for AArch64, see Procedure Call Standard for the ARM 64-bit Architecture.

Therefore it is in theory optional, but highly available.

This is unlike ARMv7, where floating point is completely optional through ARM VFP.