diff --git a/devtools/symbol-tool.py b/devtools/symbol-tool.py
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..a0b81c1b90
--- /dev/null
+++ b/devtools/symbol-tool.py
@@ -0,0 +1,505 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
+# Copyright(c) 2021 Intel Corporation
+# pylint: disable=invalid-name
+'''Tool to count or list symbols in each DPDK release'''
+from pathlib import Path
+import sys
+import os
+import subprocess
+import argparse
+from argparse import RawTextHelpFormatter
+import re
+import datetime
+try:
+    from parsley import makeGrammar
+except ImportError:
+    print('This script uses the package Parsley to parse C Mapfiles.\n'
+          'This can be installed with \"pip install parsley".')
+    sys.exit()
+
+DESCRIPTION = '''
+This script tracks the growth of stable and experimental symbols
+over releases since v19.11. The script has the ability to
+count the added symbols between two dpdk releases, and to
+list experimental symbols present in two dpdk releases
+(expired symbols), including the name & email of the original contributor.
+
+example usages:
+
+Count symbols added since v19.11
+$ {s} count-symbols
+
+Count symbols added since v20.11
+$ {s} count-symbols --releases v20.11,v21.05
+
+List experimental symbols present in v20.11 and v21.05
+$ {s} list-expired --releases v20.11,v21.05
+
+List experimental symbols in libraries only, present since v19.11
+$ {s} list-expired --directory lib
+'''
+
+MAP_GRAMMAR = r"""
+
+ws = (' ' | '\r' | '\n' | '\t')*
+
+ABI_VER = ({})
+DPDK_VER = ('DPDK_' ABI_VER)
+ABI_NAME = ('INTERNAL' | 'EXPERIMENTAL' | DPDK_VER)
+comment = '#' (~'\n' anything)+ '\n'
+symbol = (~(';' | '}}' | '#') anything )+:c ';' -> ''.join(c)
+global = 'global:'
+local = 'local: *;'
+symbols = comment* symbol:s ws comment* -> s
+
+abi = (abi_section+):m -> dict(m)
+abi_section = (ws ABI_NAME:e ws '{{' ws global* (~local ws symbols)*:s ws local* ws '}}' ws DPDK_VER* ';' ws) -> (e,s)
+"""  # noqa: E501
+
+
+def get_abi_versions():
+    '''Returns a string of possible dpdk abi versions'''
+
+    year = datetime.date.today().year - 2000
+    tags = " |".join(['\'{}\''.format(i)
+                     for i in reversed(range(21, year + 1))])
+    tags = tags + ' | \'20.0.1\' | \'20.0\' | \'20\''
+
+    return tags
+
+
+def get_dpdk_releases():
+    '''Returns a list of dpdk release tags names  since v19.11'''
+
+    year = datetime.date.today().year - 2000
+    year_range = "|".join("{}".format(i) for i in range(19, year + 1))
+    pattern = re.compile(r'^\"v(' + year_range + r')\.\d{2}\"$')
+
+    cmd = ['git', 'for-each-ref', '--sort=taggerdate', '--format', '"%(tag)"']
+    try:
+        result = subprocess.run(cmd,
+                                stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
+                                stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
+                                check=True)
+    except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
+        print("Failed to interogate git for release tags")
+        sys.exit()
+
+    tags = result.stdout.decode('utf-8').split('\n')
+
+    # find the non-rcs between now and v19.11
+    tags = [tag.replace('\"', '')
+            for tag in reversed(tags)
+            if pattern.match(tag)][:-3]
+
+    return tags
+
+
+def fix_directory_name(path):
+    '''Prepend librte to the source directory name'''
+    mapfilepath1 = str(path.parent.name)
+    mapfilepath2 = str(path.parents[1])
+    mapfilepath = mapfilepath2 + '/librte_' + mapfilepath1
+
+    return mapfilepath
+
+
+def directory_renamed(path, rel):
+    '''Fix removal of the librte_ from the directory names'''
+
+    mapfilepath = fix_directory_name(path)
+    tagfile = '{}:{}/{}'.format(rel, mapfilepath,  path.name)
+
+    try:
+        result = subprocess.run(['git', 'show', tagfile],
+                                stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
+                                stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
+                                check=True)
+    except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
+        result = None
+
+    return result
+
+
+def mapfile_renamed(path, rel):
+    '''Fix renaming of the map file'''
+    newfile = None
+
+    result = subprocess.run(['git', 'ls-tree',
+                             rel, str(path.parent) + '/'],
+                            stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
+                            stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
+                            check=True)
+    dentries = result.stdout.decode('utf-8')
+    dentries = dentries.split('\n')
+
+    # filter entries looking for the map file
+    dentries = [dentry for dentry in dentries if dentry.endswith('.map')]
+    if len(dentries) > 1 or len(dentries) == 0:
+        return None
+
+    dparts = dentries[0].split('/')
+    newfile = dparts[len(dparts) - 1]
+
+    if newfile is not None:
+        tagfile = '{}:{}/{}'.format(rel, path.parent, newfile)
+
+        try:
+            result = subprocess.run(['git', 'show', tagfile],
+                                    stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
+                                    stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
+                                    check=True)
+        except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
+            result = None
+
+    else:
+        result = None
+
+    return result
+
+
+def mapfile_and_directory_renamed(path, rel):
+    '''Fix renaming of the map file & the source directory'''
+    mapfilepath = Path("{}/{}".format(fix_directory_name(path), path.name))
+
+    return mapfile_renamed(mapfilepath, rel)
+
+
+FIX_STRATEGIES = [directory_renamed,
+                  mapfile_renamed,
+                  mapfile_and_directory_renamed]
+
+
+def get_symbols(map_parser, release, mapfile_path):
+    '''Count the symbols for a given release and mapfile'''
+    abi_sections = {}
+
+    tagfile = '{}:{}'.format(release, mapfile_path)
+    try:
+        result = subprocess.run(['git', 'show', tagfile],
+                                stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
+                                stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
+                                check=True)
+    except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
+        result = None
+
+    for fix_strategy in FIX_STRATEGIES:
+        if result is not None:
+            break
+        result = fix_strategy(mapfile_path, release)
+
+    if result is not None:
+        mapfile = result.stdout.decode('utf-8')
+        abi_sections = map_parser(mapfile).abi()
+
+    return abi_sections
+
+
+def get_terminal_rows():
+    '''Find the number of rows in the terminal'''
+
+    try:
+        return os.get_terminal_size().lines
+    except IOError:
+        return 0
+
+
+class SymbolOwner():
+    '''Find the symbols original contributors name and email'''
+    symbol_regex = {}
+    blame_regex = {'name': r'author\s(.*)',
+                   'email': r'author-mail\s<(.*)>'}
+
+    def __init__(self, libpath, symbol):
+        self.libpath = libpath
+        self.symbol = symbol
+
+        # find variable definitions in C files, and functions in headers.
+        self.symbol_regex = \
+            {'*.c':  r'^(?!extern).*' + self.symbol + '[^()]*;',
+             '*.h': r'__rte_experimental(?:.*\n){0,2}.*' + self.symbol}
+
+    def find_symbol_location(self):
+        '''Find where the symbol is definited in the source'''
+        for key in self.symbol_regex:
+            for path in Path(self.libpath).rglob(key):
+                file_text = open(path).read()
+
+                # find where the symbol is defined, either preceeded by
+                # rte_experimental tag (functions)
+                # or followed by a ; (variables)
+
+                exp = self.symbol_regex[key]
+                pattern = re.compile(exp, re.MULTILINE)
+                search = pattern.search(file_text)
+
+                if search is not None:
+                    symbol_pos = search.span()[1]
+                    symbol_line = file_text.count('\n', 0, symbol_pos) + 1
+
+                    return [str(path), symbol_line]
+        return None
+
+    def find_symbol_owner(self):
+        '''Find the symbols original contributors name and email'''
+        owners = {}
+        location = self.find_symbol_location()
+
+        if location is None:
+            return None
+
+        line = '-L {},{}'.format(location[1], location[1])
+        # git blame -p(orcelain) -L(ine) path
+        args = ['-p', line, location[0]]
+
+        try:
+            result = subprocess.run(['git', 'blame'] + args,
+                                    stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
+                                    stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
+                                    check=True)
+        except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
+            return None
+
+        blame = result.stdout.decode('utf-8')
+        for key in self.blame_regex:
+            pattern = re.compile(self.blame_regex[key], re.MULTILINE)
+            match = pattern.search(blame)
+
+            owners[key] = match.groups()[0]
+
+        return owners
+
+
+class SymbolCountOutput():
+    '''Format the output to supported formats'''
+    output_fmt = ""
+    column_fmt = ""
+
+    def __init__(self, format_output, dpdk_releases):
+        self.OUTPUT_FORMATS[format_output](self, dpdk_releases)
+        self.column_titles = ['mapfile'] + dpdk_releases
+
+        self.terminal_rows = get_terminal_rows()
+        self.row = 0
+
+    def set_terminal_output(self, dpdk_rel):
+        '''Set the output format to Tabbed Separated Values'''
+
+        self.output_fmt = '{:<50}' + \
+            ''.join(['{:<6}{:<6}'] * (len(dpdk_rel)))
+        self.column_fmt = '{:50}' + \
+            ''.join(['{:<12}'] * (len(dpdk_rel)))
+
+    def set_csv_output(self, dpdk_rel):
+        '''Set the output format to Comma Separated Values'''
+
+        self.output_fmt = '{},' + \
+            ','.join(['{},{}'] * (len(dpdk_rel)))
+        self.column_fmt = '{},' + \
+            ','.join(['{},'] * (len(dpdk_rel)))
+
+    def print_columns(self):
+        '''Print column rows with release names'''
+        print(self.column_fmt.format(*self.column_titles))
+        self.row += 1
+
+    def print_row(self, mapfile, symbols):
+        '''Print row of symbol values'''
+        mapfile = str(mapfile)
+        print(self.output_fmt.format(*([mapfile] + symbols)))
+        self.row += 1
+
+        if((self.terminal_rows > 0) and
+           ((self.row % self.terminal_rows) == 0)):
+            self.print_columns()
+
+    OUTPUT_FORMATS = {None: set_terminal_output,
+                      'terminal': set_terminal_output,
+                      'csv': set_csv_output}
+
+
+class ListExpiredOutput():
+    '''Format the output to supported formats'''
+    output_fmt = ""
+    column_fmt = ""
+
+    def __init__(self, format_output, dpdk_releases):
+        self.terminal = True
+        self.OUTPUT_FORMATS[format_output](self, dpdk_releases)
+        self.column_titles = ['mapfile'] + \
+            ['expired (' + ','.join(dpdk_releases) + ')'] + \
+            ['contributor name', 'contributor email']
+
+    def set_terminal_output(self, _):
+        '''Set the output format to Tabbed Separated Values'''
+
+        self.output_fmt = '{:<50}{:<50}{:<25}{:<25}'
+        self.column_fmt = '{:50}{:50}{:25}{:25}'
+
+    def set_csv_output(self, _):
+        '''Set the output format to Comma Separated Values'''
+
+        self.output_fmt = '{},{},{},{}'
+        self.column_fmt = '{},{},{},{}'
+        self.terminal = False
+
+    def print_columns(self):
+        '''Print column rows with release names'''
+        print(self.column_fmt.format(*self.column_titles))
+
+    def print_row(self, mapfile, symbols, owner):
+        '''Print row of symbol values'''
+
+        for symbol in symbols:
+            mapfile = str(mapfile)
+            name = owner[symbol]['name'] \
+                if owner[symbol] is not None else ''
+            email = owner[symbol]['email'] \
+                if owner[symbol] is not None else ''
+
+            print(self.output_fmt.format(mapfile, symbol, name, email))
+            if self.terminal:
+                mapfile = ''
+
+    OUTPUT_FORMATS = {None: set_terminal_output,
+                      'terminal': set_terminal_output,
+                      'csv': set_csv_output}
+
+
+class CountSymbolsAction:
+    ''' Logic to count symbols added since a give release '''
+    IGNORE_SECTIONS = ['EXPERIMENTAL', 'INTERNAL']
+
+    def __init__(self, mapfile_path, mapfile_parser, format_output):
+        self.path = mapfile_path
+        self.parser = mapfile_parser
+        self.format_output = format_output
+        self.symbols_count = []
+
+    def add_mapfile(self, release):
+        ''' add a version mapfile '''
+        symbol_count = experimental_count = 0
+
+        symbols = get_symbols(self.parser, release, self.path)
+
+        # which versions are present, and we care about
+        abi_vers = [abi_ver
+                    for abi_ver in symbols
+                    if abi_ver not in self.IGNORE_SECTIONS]
+
+        for abi_ver in abi_vers:
+            symbol_count += len(symbols[abi_ver])
+
+        # count experimental symbols
+        if 'EXPERIMENTAL' in symbols.keys():
+            experimental_count = len(symbols['EXPERIMENTAL'])
+
+        self.symbols_count += [symbol_count, experimental_count]
+
+    def __del__(self):
+        self.format_output.print_row(self.path.parent, self.symbols_count)
+
+
+class ListExpiredAction:
+    ''' Logic to list expired symbols between two releases '''
+
+    def __init__(self, mapfile_path, mapfile_parser, format_output):
+        self.path = mapfile_path
+        self.parser = mapfile_parser
+        self.format_output = format_output
+        self.experimental_symbols = []
+
+    def add_mapfile(self, release):
+        ''' add a version mapfile '''
+        symbols = get_symbols(self.parser, release, self.path)
+
+        if 'EXPERIMENTAL' in symbols.keys():
+            experimental = [exp.strip() for exp in symbols['EXPERIMENTAL']]
+
+            self.experimental_symbols.append(experimental)
+
+    def __del__(self):
+        if len(self.experimental_symbols) != 2:
+            return
+
+        tmp = self.experimental_symbols
+        # find symbols present in both dpdk releases
+        intersect_syms = [sym for sym in tmp[0] if sym in tmp[1]]
+
+        # check for empty set
+        if intersect_syms == []:
+            return
+
+        sym_owner = {}
+        for sym in intersect_syms:
+            sym_owner[sym] = \
+                SymbolOwner(self.path.parent, sym).find_symbol_owner()
+
+        self.format_output.print_row(self.path.parent,
+                                     intersect_syms,
+                                     sym_owner)
+
+
+SRC_DIRECTORIES = 'drivers,lib'
+
+ACTIONS = {None: CountSymbolsAction,
+           'count-symbols': CountSymbolsAction,
+           'list-expired': ListExpiredAction}
+
+ACTION_OUTPUT = {None: SymbolCountOutput,
+                 'count-symbols': SymbolCountOutput,
+                 'list-expired': ListExpiredOutput}
+
+
+def main():
+    '''Main entry point'''
+
+    dpdk_releases = get_dpdk_releases()
+
+    parser = \
+        argparse.ArgumentParser(description=DESCRIPTION.format(s=__file__),
+                                formatter_class=RawTextHelpFormatter)
+
+    parser.add_argument('mode', choices=['count-symbols', 'list-expired'])
+    parser.add_argument('--format-output', choices=['terminal', 'csv'],
+                        default='terminal')
+    parser.add_argument('--directory', choices=SRC_DIRECTORIES.split(','),
+                        default=SRC_DIRECTORIES)
+    parser.add_argument('--releases',
+                        help='2 x comma separated release tags e.g. \''
+                        + ','.join([dpdk_releases[0], dpdk_releases[-1]])
+                        + '\'')
+    args = parser.parse_args()
+
+    if args.releases is not None:
+        dpdk_releases = args.releases.split(',')
+
+    if args.mode == 'list-expired':
+        if len(dpdk_releases) < 2:
+            sys.exit('Please specify two releases to compare '
+                     'in \'list-expired\' mode.')
+        dpdk_releases = [dpdk_releases[0],
+                         dpdk_releases[len(dpdk_releases) - 1]]
+
+    action = ACTIONS[args.mode]
+    format_output = ACTION_OUTPUT[args.mode](args.format_output, dpdk_releases)
+
+    map_grammar = MAP_GRAMMAR.format(get_abi_versions())
+    map_parser = makeGrammar(map_grammar, {})
+
+    format_output.print_columns()
+
+    for src_dir in args.directory.split(','):
+        for path in Path(src_dir).rglob('*.map'):
+            release_action = action(path, map_parser, format_output)
+
+            for release in dpdk_releases:
+                release_action.add_mapfile(release)
+
+            # all the magic happens in the destructor
+            del release_action
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    main()
