munich-quantum-software · burgholzer · Sep 12, 2026 · Sep 14, 2026 · Sep 14, 2026 · Sep 14, 2026
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -10,6 +10,12 @@ releases may include breaking changes.
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+### Added
+
+- ⚡ Select native assertion-free SDKs with `assertions: false`, Bash `-a OFF`,
+  or PowerShell `-no_assertions`, while preserving assertion-enabled defaults
+  and the manifest format used by older actions ([#255]) ([**@burgholzer**])
+
 ### Removed
 
 - 🍎 Drop support for x86 macOS ([#257]) ([**@denialhaag**])
@@ -153,6 +159,7 @@ _This is the initial release of the `setup-mlir` project._
 [#256]: https://github.com/munich-quantum-software/setup-mlir/pull/256
 [#230]: https://github.com/munich-quantum-software/setup-mlir/pull/230
 [#229]: https://github.com/munich-quantum-software/setup-mlir/pull/229
+[#255]: https://github.com/munich-quantum-software/setup-mlir/pull/255
 [#196]: https://github.com/munich-quantum-software/setup-mlir/pull/196
 [#191]: https://github.com/munich-quantum-software/setup-mlir/pull/191
 [#190]: https://github.com/munich-quantum-software/setup-mlir/pull/190

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
@@ -82,3 +82,26 @@ On Windows, use the following PowerShell command:
 ```powershell
 powershell -ExecutionPolicy ByPass -c "& ([scriptblock]::Create((irm https://github.com/munich-quantum-software/setup-mlir/releases/latest/download/setup-mlir.ps1))) -llvm_version 22.1.0 -install_prefix /path/to/installation"
 ```
+
+## Assertion-free release SDKs
+
+Set `assertions: false` to select the native assertion-free SDK:
+
+```yaml
+- uses: munich-quantum-software/setup-mlir@v1
+  with:
+    llvm-version: 23.1.1
+    assertions: false
+```
+
+The standalone installers accept `-a OFF` in Bash and `-no_assertions` in
+PowerShell. Defaults retain assertions. The `_noassert.tar.zst` companion
+archive must exist in the same release; installation fails if it is unavailable.
+Tool-cache directories separate the two variants. Use headers and libraries from
+the same variant because LLVM's assertion mode affects its ABI checks.
+
+These SDKs contain native object code with portable CPU targets. They do not
+require the producer's exact compiler version. Consumers must still satisfy
+LLVM's compiler requirements and the SDK's deployment and C++ ABI constraints.
+The version manifest retains one default archive per platform so older pinned
+actions continue to work.
diff --git a/__tests__/integration.test.ts b/__tests__/integration.test.ts
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ const mockSetFailed = jest.fn<(message: string) => void>();
 
 const mockCore = {
   getInput: mockGetInput,
+  getBooleanInput: jest.fn(() => true),
   debug: mockDebug,
   isDebug: mockIsDebug,
   addPath: mockAddPath,
@@ -181,6 +182,19 @@ describe("setup-mlir Integration Tests", () => {
       }
     });
 
+    it("should select the assertion-free companion without changing the default", async () => {
+      const { getMLIRUrl } = await import("../src/utils/download.js");
+      const ordinary = await getMLIRUrl(testVersion, "linux", "X86");
+      const optimized = await getMLIRUrl(testVersion, "linux", "X86", false);
+      expect(ordinary.name).not.toContain("_noassert");
+      expect(optimized.name).toBe(
+        ordinary.name.replace(/\.tar\.zst$/, "_noassert.tar.zst"),
+      );
+      expect(optimized.url).toBe(
+        ordinary.url.replace(/\.tar\.zst$/, "_noassert.tar.zst"),
+      );
+    });
+
     it("should fall back to remote manifest when local file is missing", async () => {
       const { getMLIRUrl } = await import("../src/utils/download.js");
       const readFileSpy = jest

diff --git a/__tests__/update-known-versions.test.ts b/__tests__/update-known-versions.test.ts
@@ -163,6 +163,9 @@ describe("Update Known Versions", () => {
         "zstd-1.5.7_x86_64-pc-windows-msvc.tar.gz",
         "zstd-1.5.7_aarch64-pc-windows-msvc.tar.gz",
         ...names,
+        ...names.map((name) =>
+          name.replace(/\.tar\.zst$/, "_noassert.tar.zst"),
+        ),
       ].map((name) => ({
         name,
         browser_download_url: `https://example.com/${name}`,

diff --git a/action.yml b/action.yml
@@ -29,6 +29,10 @@ inputs:
     description: "The architecture to install the MLIR toolchain for (either X86, AArch64, or host). macOS requires AArch64. Defaults to host."
     required: false
     default: "host"
+  assertions:
+    description: "Whether to retain LLVM assertions. Set false for an assertion-free Release SDK."
+    required: false
+    default: "true"
 
 runs:
   using: node24

diff --git a/dist/index.js b/dist/index.js
@@ -35095,7 +35095,7 @@ async function getManifestEntry(version, platform, architecture, forceRemote = f
         entry.platform === platform &&
         entry.architecture === architecture &&
         entry.asset_name.endsWith(".tar.zst") &&
-        !entry.asset_name.includes("_debug"));
+        !/_(?:debug|noassert)/.test(entry.asset_name));
     if (entries.length === 0 && !forceRemote) {
         core_debug(`No local manifest entries found for LLVM ${version}. Retrying with remote manifest.`);
         return await getManifestEntry(version, platform, architecture, true);
@@ -35172,13 +35172,15 @@ async function getZstdUrl(version, platform, architecture) {
  * @param version The requested LLVM version
  * @param platform The platform
  * @param architecture The architecture
+ * @param assertions Whether to retain LLVM assertions
  * @returns The download URL and the asset name
  */
-async function getMLIRUrl(version, platform, architecture) {
+async function getMLIRUrl(version, platform, architecture, assertions = true) {
     const entry = await getManifestEntry(version, platform, architecture);
+    const suffix = assertions ? ".tar.zst" : "_noassert.tar.zst";
     return {
-        url: entry.download_url,
-        name: entry.asset_name,
+        url: entry.download_url.replace(/\.tar\.zst$/, suffix),
+        name: entry.asset_name.replace(/\.tar\.zst$/, suffix),
     };
 }
 
@@ -35225,6 +35227,7 @@ async function run() {
     const llvm_version = getInput("llvm-version", { required: true });
     const platform = getInput("platform", { required: true });
     const architecture = getInput("architecture", { required: true });
+    const assertions = getBooleanInput("assertions");
     // Validate LLVM version (either X.Y.Z format or commit hash)
     const isVersionTag = RegExp("^\\d+\\.\\d+\\.\\d+$").test(llvm_version);
     const isCommitHash = RegExp("^[0-9a-f]{7,40}$", "i").test(llvm_version);
@@ -35248,7 +35251,7 @@ async function run() {
         await exec_exec("chmod", ["+x", zstdPath]);
     }
     core_debug("==> Determining download URL for LLVM distribution");
-    const asset = await getMLIRUrl(llvm_version, platform, architecture);
+    const asset = await getMLIRUrl(llvm_version, platform, architecture, assertions);
     core_debug(`==> Downloading LLVM distribution: ${asset.url}`);
     const file = await downloadTool(asset.url);
     core_debug("==> Decompressing and extracting LLVM distribution");
@@ -35296,7 +35299,7 @@ async function run() {
             ? external_node_path_default().join(extractedDir, entries[0])
             : extractedDir;
         core_debug("==> Adding MLIR toolchain to tool cache");
-        cachedPath = await cacheDir(dir, "mlir-toolchain", llvm_version);
+        cachedPath = await cacheDir(dir, assertions ? "mlir-toolchain" : "mlir-toolchain-noassert", llvm_version);
     }
     finally {
         // Clean up temp directories

diff --git a/dist/index.js.map b/dist/index.js.map
diff --git a/dist/update-known-versions/index.js b/dist/update-known-versions/index.js
@@ -36364,7 +36364,8 @@ async function updateManifest() {
     const manifest = [];
     const zstdInfo = {};
     for (const release of releases) {
-        const assets = release.assets.filter((asset) => !/(?:x86_64-apple-darwin|macos_.*_x86)\.|_debug/i.test(asset.name));
+        /// Keep one default archive per platform for older pinned actions.
+        const assets = release.assets.filter((asset) => !/(?:x86_64-apple-darwin|macos_.*_x86)\.|_(?:debug|noassert)/i.test(asset.name));
         let version = undefined;
         for (const asset of assets) {
             if (asset.name.startsWith("zstd-")) {

diff --git a/dist/update-known-versions/index.js.map b/dist/update-known-versions/index.js.map
diff --git a/dist/version-manifest.json b/dist/version-manifest.json
@@ -3,61 +3,61 @@
     "architecture": "aarch64",
     "asset_name": "llvm-mlir_llvmorg-23.1.1_aarch64-unknown-linux-gnu.tar.zst",
     "debug": false,
-    "download_url": "https://github.com/munich-quantum-software/portable-mlir-toolchain/releases/download/2026.09.11/llvm-mlir_llvmorg-23.1.1_aarch64-unknown-linux-gnu.tar.zst",
+    "download_url": "https://github.com/munich-quantum-software/portable-mlir-toolchain/releases/download/2026.09.15/llvm-mlir_llvmorg-23.1.1_aarch64-unknown-linux-gnu.tar.zst",
     "platform": "linux",
-    "release_url": "https://github.com/munich-quantum-software/portable-mlir-toolchain/releases/tag/2026.09.11",
-    "tag": "2026.09.11",
+    "release_url": "https://github.com/munich-quantum-software/portable-mlir-toolchain/releases/tag/2026.09.15",
+    "tag": "2026.09.15",
     "version": "23.1.1",
     "zstd_asset_name": "zstd-1.5.7_aarch64-unknown-linux-gnu.tar.gz",
-    "zstd_download_url": "https://github.com/munich-quantum-software/portable-mlir-toolchain/releases/download/2026.09.11/zstd-1.5.7_aarch64-unknown-linux-gnu.tar.gz"
+    "zstd_download_url": "https://github.com/munich-quantum-software/portable-mlir-toolchain/releases/download/2026.09.15/zstd-1.5.7_aarch64-unknown-linux-gnu.tar.gz"
   },
   {
     "architecture": "x86",
     "asset_name": "llvm-mlir_llvmorg-23.1.1_x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu.tar.zst",
     "debug": false,
-    "download_url": "https://github.com/munich-quantum-software/portable-mlir-toolchain/releases/download/2026.09.11/llvm-mlir_llvmorg-23.1.1_x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu.tar.zst",
+    "download_url": "https://github.com/munich-quantum-software/portable-mlir-toolchain/releases/download/2026.09.15/llvm-mlir_llvmorg-23.1.1_x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu.tar.zst",
     "platform": "linux",
-    "release_url": "https://github.com/munich-quantum-software/portable-mlir-toolchain/releases/tag/2026.09.11",
-    "tag": "2026.09.11",
+    "release_url": "https://github.com/munich-quantum-software/portable-mlir-toolchain/releases/tag/2026.09.15",
+    "tag": "2026.09.15",
     "version": "23.1.1",
     "zstd_asset_name": "zstd-1.5.7_x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu.tar.gz",
-    "zstd_download_url": "https://github.com/munich-quantum-software/portable-mlir-toolchain/releases/download/2026.09.11/zstd-1.5.7_x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu.tar.gz"
+    "zstd_download_url": "https://github.com/munich-quantum-software/portable-mlir-toolchain/releases/download/2026.09.15/zstd-1.5.7_x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu.tar.gz"
   },
   {
     "architecture": "aarch64",
     "asset_name": "llvm-mlir_llvmorg-23.1.1_arm64-apple-darwin.tar.zst",
     "debug": false,
-    "download_url": "https://github.com/munich-quantum-software/portable-mlir-toolchain/releases/download/2026.09.11/llvm-mlir_llvmorg-23.1.1_arm64-apple-darwin.tar.zst",
+    "download_url": "https://github.com/munich-quantum-software/portable-mlir-toolchain/releases/download/2026.09.15/llvm-mlir_llvmorg-23.1.1_arm64-apple-darwin.tar.zst",
     "platform": "macos",
-    "release_url": "https://github.com/munich-quantum-software/portable-mlir-toolchain/releases/tag/2026.09.11",
-    "tag": "2026.09.11",
+    "release_url": "https://github.com/munich-quantum-software/portable-mlir-toolchain/releases/tag/2026.09.15",
+    "tag": "2026.09.15",
     "version": "23.1.1",
     "zstd_asset_name": "zstd-1.5.7_arm64-apple-darwin.tar.gz",
-    "zstd_download_url": "https://github.com/munich-quantum-software/portable-mlir-toolchain/releases/download/2026.09.11/zstd-1.5.7_arm64-apple-darwin.tar.gz"
+    "zstd_download_url": "https://github.com/munich-quantum-software/portable-mlir-toolchain/releases/download/2026.09.15/zstd-1.5.7_arm64-apple-darwin.tar.gz"
   },
   {
     "architecture": "aarch64",
     "asset_name": "llvm-mlir_llvmorg-23.1.1_aarch64-pc-windows-msvc.tar.zst",
     "debug": false,
-    "download_url": "https://github.com/munich-quantum-software/portable-mlir-toolchain/releases/download/2026.09.11/llvm-mlir_llvmorg-23.1.1_aarch64-pc-windows-msvc.tar.zst",
+    "download_url": "https://github.com/munich-quantum-software/portable-mlir-toolchain/releases/download/2026.09.15/llvm-mlir_llvmorg-23.1.1_aarch64-pc-windows-msvc.tar.zst",
     "platform": "windows",
-    "release_url": "https://github.com/munich-quantum-software/portable-mlir-toolchain/releases/tag/2026.09.11",
-    "tag": "2026.09.11",
+    "release_url": "https://github.com/munich-quantum-software/portable-mlir-toolchain/releases/tag/2026.09.15",
+    "tag": "2026.09.15",
     "version": "23.1.1",
     "zstd_asset_name": "zstd-1.5.7_aarch64-pc-windows-msvc.tar.gz",
-    "zstd_download_url": "https://github.com/munich-quantum-software/portable-mlir-toolchain/releases/download/2026.09.11/zstd-1.5.7_aarch64-pc-windows-msvc.tar.gz"
+    "zstd_download_url": "https://github.com/munich-quantum-software/portable-mlir-toolchain/releases/download/2026.09.15/zstd-1.5.7_aarch64-pc-windows-msvc.tar.gz"
   },
   {
     "architecture": "x86",
     "asset_name": "llvm-mlir_llvmorg-23.1.1_x86_64-pc-windows-msvc.tar.zst",
     "debug": false,
-    "download_url": "https://github.com/munich-quantum-software/portable-mlir-toolchain/releases/download/2026.09.11/llvm-mlir_llvmorg-23.1.1_x86_64-pc-windows-msvc.tar.zst",
+    "download_url": "https://github.com/munich-quantum-software/portable-mlir-toolchain/releases/download/2026.09.15/llvm-mlir_llvmorg-23.1.1_x86_64-pc-windows-msvc.tar.zst",
     "platform": "windows",
-    "release_url": "https://github.com/munich-quantum-software/portable-mlir-toolchain/releases/tag/2026.09.11",
-    "tag": "2026.09.11",
+    "release_url": "https://github.com/munich-quantum-software/portable-mlir-toolchain/releases/tag/2026.09.15",
+    "tag": "2026.09.15",
     "version": "23.1.1",
     "zstd_asset_name": "zstd-1.5.7_x86_64-pc-windows-msvc.tar.gz",
-    "zstd_download_url": "https://github.com/munich-quantum-software/portable-mlir-toolchain/releases/download/2026.09.11/zstd-1.5.7_x86_64-pc-windows-msvc.tar.gz"
+    "zstd_download_url": "https://github.com/munich-quantum-software/portable-mlir-toolchain/releases/download/2026.09.15/zstd-1.5.7_x86_64-pc-windows-msvc.tar.gz"
   },
   {
     "architecture": "aarch64",

diff --git a/installation/setup-mlir.ps1 b/installation/setup-mlir.ps1
@@ -19,7 +19,8 @@ param(
     [Parameter(Mandatory=$true)]
     [string]$llvm_version,
     [Parameter(Mandatory=$true)]
-    [string]$install_prefix
+    [string]$install_prefix,
+    [switch]$no_assertions
 )
 
 $ErrorActionPreference = "Stop"
@@ -95,6 +96,7 @@ $matching_entries = @($manifest_json | Where-Object {
     $_.architecture -eq $architecture -and
     $_.asset_name -like "*.tar.zst" -and
     $_.asset_name -notlike "*_debug*" -and
+    $_.asset_name -notlike "*_noassert*" -and
     $_.version -like "${llvm_version}*"
 })
 
@@ -137,7 +139,11 @@ if (-not (Test-Path $zstdBinPath)) {
 
 # Download LLVM distribution
 Write-Host "Downloading LLVM distribution..."
-if (-not (Download-Asset -Url $matching_entries[0].download_url -OutputFile "llvm.tar.zst")) {
+$llvm_url = $matching_entries[0].download_url
+if ($no_assertions) {
+    $llvm_url = $llvm_url -replace '\.tar\.zst$', '_noassert.tar.zst'
+}
+if (-not (Download-Asset -Url $llvm_url -OutputFile "llvm.tar.zst")) {
     Write-Error "Download of LLVM distribution failed."
     exit 1
 }

diff --git a/installation/setup-mlir.sh b/installation/setup-mlir.sh
@@ -19,23 +19,30 @@
 set -euo pipefail
 
 # Parse arguments
-while getopts ":v:p:" opt; do
+ASSERTIONS=ON
+while getopts ":v:p:a:" opt; do
   case $opt in
     v) LLVM_VERSION="$OPTARG" ;;
     p) INSTALL_PREFIX="$OPTARG" ;;
+    a) ASSERTIONS="$OPTARG" ;;
     \?) echo "Error: Invalid option -$OPTARG" >&2; exit 1 ;;
   esac
 done
 
+if [[ "$ASSERTIONS" != ON && "$ASSERTIONS" != OFF ]]; then
+  echo "Error: Assertions (-a) must be ON or OFF." >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
 # Check arguments
 if [ -z "${LLVM_VERSION:-}" ]; then
   echo "Error: LLVM version (-v) is required" >&2
-  echo "Usage: $0 -v <LLVM version> -p <installation directory>" >&2
+  echo "Usage: $0 -v <LLVM version> -p <installation directory> [-a ON|OFF]" >&2
   exit 1
 fi
 if [ -z "${INSTALL_PREFIX:-}" ]; then
   echo "Error: Installation directory (-p) is required" >&2
-  echo "Usage: $0 -v <LLVM version> -p <installation directory>" >&2
+  echo "Usage: $0 -v <LLVM version> -p <installation directory> [-a ON|OFF]" >&2
   exit 1
 fi
 
@@ -188,6 +195,9 @@ if [ -z "$LLVM_URL" ]; then
   exit 1
 fi
 
+if [[ "$ASSERTIONS" == OFF ]]; then
+  LLVM_URL="${LLVM_URL%.tar.zst}_noassert.tar.zst"
+fi
 download_file "$LLVM_URL" "llvm.tar.zst"
 
 # Decompress and extract LLVM distribution

diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ export async function run(): Promise<void> {
   const llvm_version = core.getInput("llvm-version", { required: true });
   const platform = core.getInput("platform", { required: true });
   const architecture = core.getInput("architecture", { required: true });
+  const assertions = core.getBooleanInput("assertions");
 
   // Validate LLVM version (either X.Y.Z format or commit hash)
   const isVersionTag = RegExp("^\\d+\\.\\d+\\.\\d+$").test(llvm_version);
@@ -66,7 +67,12 @@ export async function run(): Promise<void> {
   }
 
   core.debug("==> Determining download URL for LLVM distribution");
-  const asset = await getMLIRUrl(llvm_version, platform, architecture);
+  const asset = await getMLIRUrl(
+    llvm_version,
+    platform,
+    architecture,
+    assertions,
+  );
   core.debug(`==> Downloading LLVM distribution: ${asset.url}`);
   const file = await tc.downloadTool(asset.url);
 
@@ -130,7 +136,11 @@ export async function run(): Promise<void> {
         : extractedDir;
 
     core.debug("==> Adding MLIR toolchain to tool cache");
-    cachedPath = await tc.cacheDir(dir, "mlir-toolchain", llvm_version);
+    cachedPath = await tc.cacheDir(
+      dir,
+      assertions ? "mlir-toolchain" : "mlir-toolchain-noassert",
+      llvm_version,
+    );
   } finally {
     // Clean up temp directories
     await io.rmRF(extractDir);

diff --git a/src/utils/download.ts b/src/utils/download.ts
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ async function getManifestEntry(
       entry.platform === platform &&
       entry.architecture === architecture &&
       entry.asset_name.endsWith(".tar.zst") &&
-      !entry.asset_name.includes("_debug"),
+      !/_(?:debug|noassert)/.test(entry.asset_name),
   );
 
   if (entries.length === 0 && !forceRemote) {
@@ -160,16 +160,19 @@ export async function getZstdUrl(
  * @param version The requested LLVM version
  * @param platform The platform
  * @param architecture The architecture
+ * @param assertions Whether to retain LLVM assertions
  * @returns The download URL and the asset name
  */
 export async function getMLIRUrl(
   version: string,
   platform: string,
   architecture: string,
+  assertions: boolean = true,
 ): Promise<{ url: string; name: string }> {
   const entry = await getManifestEntry(version, platform, architecture);
+  const suffix = assertions ? ".tar.zst" : "_noassert.tar.zst";
   return {
-    url: entry.download_url,
-    name: entry.asset_name,
+    url: entry.download_url.replace(/\.tar\.zst$/, suffix),
+    name: entry.asset_name.replace(/\.tar\.zst$/, suffix),
   };
 }
diff --git a/src/utils/manifest.ts b/src/utils/manifest.ts
@@ -325,9 +325,12 @@ export async function updateManifest(): Promise<void> {
   const manifest: ManifestEntry[] = [];
   const zstdInfo: ZstdInfo = {};
   for (const release of releases) {
+    /// Keep one default archive per platform for older pinned actions.
     const assets = release.assets.filter(
       (asset) =>
-        !/(?:x86_64-apple-darwin|macos_.*_x86)\.|_debug/i.test(asset.name),
+        !/(?:x86_64-apple-darwin|macos_.*_x86)\.|_(?:debug|noassert)/i.test(
+          asset.name,
+        ),
     );
     let version: string | undefined = undefined;
     for (const asset of assets) {