sync changes from main

docs/easybuild-v5/5.0.0beta1.md

@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+# Beta release `5.0.0beta1` (24 Dec 2024)
+
+!!! danger
+    This is an older beta release of EasyBuild v5.0.0,
+    which should no longer be used.
+
+    Use [EasyBuild v5.0.0beta2](release-candidates.md#beta2) instead.
+
+!!! warning
+    This is an early pre-release that includes the majority of changes that will be included
+    in EasyBuild v5.0.0.
+
+    It can be used for testing and providing feedback (reporting bugs or unexpected behaviour, etc.).
+
+    Additional changes can still be made before the release of EasyBuild v5.0.0, [see below][beta1_planned_changes].
+
+## Highlighted changes
+
+EasyBuild v5.0.0 will include some significant changes compared to EasyBuild v4.x.
+
+Some of those changes are internal improvements and will be invisible to most users, but many others may need special attention
+as they incorporate new features, changes of behavior or deprecations that can impact your workflow.
+
+This includes (but is not limited to):
+
+- **Python >= 3.6** is required to run EasyBuild (Python >= 3.9 is recommended);
+- using **Lmod >= v8.0** or **Environment Modules >= v4.3.0** is required as modules tool (check with `module --version`);
+- a new function named `run_shell_cmd` is used to run shell commands like `cmake`, `make`, `pip`, etc. (more info [here](run_shell_cmd.md));
+- the **default setting of some configuration options has changed**:
+    - **RPATH linking** is used by default (can be disabled with `--disable-rpath`);
+    - **trace output** is enabled by default (can be disabled with `--disable-trace`);
+    - Lua module files generated by EasyBuild will by default:
+        - use `depends_on` rather than `load` (can be disabled with `--disable-module-depends-on`);
+        - include an `extensions` statement to expose the list of included extensions (can be disabled with `--disable-module-extensions`);
+    - reproducible creation of source tarballs from Git repositories via `git_config` in `sources` easyconfig parameter (when using Python >= 3.9);
+    - the `use_pip` and `sanity_pip_check` custom easyconfig parameters used by the `PythonPackage` and `PythonBundle` easyblocks are enabled by default;
+- **some functionality has been deprecated**, including the use of the `run_cmd` and `run_cmd_qa` functions (`run_shell_cmd` should be used instead);
+- easyconfigs using an old [unsupported toolchain](../policies/toolchains.md) have been moved to the [easyconfigs archive](https://github.com/easybuilders/easybuild-easyconfigs-archive);
+
+## Installation
+
+To install the initial beta release of EasyBuild v5.0.0 (`5.0.0beta1`), you can either:
+
+- use the [provided easyconfig file](https://github.com/easybuilders/easybuild-easyconfigs/pull/22049), for example using:
+
+    ```shell
+    eb --from-pr 22049
+    ```
+
+- install into a Python virtual environment:
+
+    ```shell
+    venv_name='venv-eb-5.0.0beta1'
+    python3 -m venv ${venv_name}
+    unset PYTHONPATH
+    source ${venv_name}/bin/activate
+
+    tag='5.0.0beta1'
+    pip install https://github.com/easybuilders/easybuild-framework/archive/easybuild-framework-v${tag}.tar.gz
+    pip install https://github.com/easybuilders/easybuild-easyblocks/archive/easybuild-easyblocks-v${tag}.tar.gz
+    pip install https://github.com/easybuilders/easybuild-easyconfigs/archive/easybuild-easyconfigs-v${tag}.tar.gz
+    # optional dependencies for EasyBuild
+    pip install archspec rich
+    ```
+
+## Planned additional changes {: #beta1_planned_changes }
+
+A couple of additional changes that will be included in EasyBuild v5.0.0 are still a work-in-progress,
+including (but not limited to):
+
+- deprecating of `module_req_guess` method (see [framework PR #4653](https://github.com/easybuilders/easybuild-framework/pull/4653));
+- deprecating of `parallel` easyconfig parameter (see [framework PR #4580](https://github.com/easybuilders/easybuild-framework/pull/4580));
+
+For a complete overview of planned changes, see the [GitHub dashboard for EasyBuild v5.0](https://github.com/orgs/easybuilders/projects/18/views/2).

docs/easybuild-v5/release-candidates.md

@@ -1,19 +1,19 @@
 # Beta releases and release candidates for EasyBuild v5.0
 
 Due to the large amount of changes in the upcoming EasyBuild v5.0 release,
-we will tag a couple of beta releases and release candidates before releasing EasyBuild v5.0.0.
+we will tag a couple of pre-releases before releasing EasyBuild v5.0.0.
 
 **Please consider testing these and providing feedback!**
 
-## Beta release `5.0.0beta1` (24 Dec 2024)
+## Beta release `5.0.0beta2` (24 Feb 2025) {: #beta2 }
 
 !!! warning
-    This is an early pre-release that includes the majority of changes that will be included
+    This is a pre-release that includes the majority of changes that will be included
     in EasyBuild v5.0.0.
 
     It can be used for testing and providing feedback (reporting bugs or unexpected behaviour, etc.).
 
-    Additional changes can still be made before the release of EasyBuild v5.0.0, [see below][beta1_planned_changes].
+    Additional changes can still be made before the release of EasyBuild v5.0.0, [see below][beta2_planned_changes].
 
 ### Highlighted changes
 
@@ -27,52 +27,62 @@ This includes (but is not limited to):
 - **Python >= 3.6** is required to run EasyBuild (Python >= 3.9 is recommended);
 - using **Lmod >= v8.0** or **Environment Modules >= v4.3.0** is required as modules tool (check with `module --version`);
 - a new function named `run_shell_cmd` is used to run shell commands like `cmake`, `make`, `pip`, etc. (more info [here](run_shell_cmd.md));
+- reproducible creation of source tarballs from Git repositories via `git_config` in `sources` easyconfig parameter (when using Python >= 3.9);
+- additional configuration options (`module-search-path-headers` and `search-path-cpp-headers`) to control which paths are used to specify the location of header files;
+- the `module_load_environment` variable in easyblocks to specify which environment variables should be updated by the generated environment module file;
 - the **default setting of some configuration options has changed**:
     - **RPATH linking** is used by default (can be disabled with `--disable-rpath`);
     - **trace output** is enabled by default (can be disabled with `--disable-trace`);
     - Lua module files generated by EasyBuild will by default:
         - use `depends_on` rather than `load` (can be disabled with `--disable-module-depends-on`);
         - include an `extensions` statement to expose the list of included extensions (can be disabled with `--disable-module-extensions`);
-    - reproducible creation of source tarballs from Git repositories via `git_config` in `sources` easyconfig parameter (when using Python >= 3.9);
     - the `use_pip` and `sanity_pip_check` custom easyconfig parameters used by the `PythonPackage` and `PythonBundle` easyblocks are enabled by default;
-- **some functionality has been deprecated**, including the use of the `run_cmd` and `run_cmd_qa` functions (`run_shell_cmd` should be used instead);
+- **some functionality has been deprecated**, including:
+    - `run_cmd` and `run_cmd_qa` functions (`run_shell_cmd` should be used instead);
+    - `make_module_req_guess` method in easyblocks (`module_load_environment` should be used instead);
+    - `parallel` easyconfig parameter (`maxparallel` easyconfig parameter or `parallel` property in easyblocks should be used instead);
 - easyconfigs using an old [unsupported toolchain](../policies/toolchains.md) have been moved to the [easyconfigs archive](https://github.com/easybuilders/easybuild-easyconfigs-archive);
 
 ### Installation
 
-To install the initial beta release of EasyBuild v5.0.0 (`5.0.0beta1`), you can either:
+To install the 2nd beta release of EasyBuild v5.0.0 (`5.0.0beta2`), you can either:
 
-- use the [provided easyconfig file](https://github.com/easybuilders/easybuild-easyconfigs/pull/22049), for example using:
+- use the [provided easyconfig file](https://github.com/easybuilders/easybuild-easyconfigs/pull/22385), for example using:
 
     ```shell
-    eb --from-pr 22049
+    eb --from-pr 22385
     ```
 
 - install into a Python virtual environment:
 
     ```shell
-    venv_name='venv-eb-5.0.0beta1'
+    tag='5.0.0beta2'
+
+    venv_name="venv-eb-${tag}"
     python3 -m venv ${venv_name}
     unset PYTHONPATH
     source ${venv_name}/bin/activate
 
-    tag='5.0.0beta1'
     pip install https://github.com/easybuilders/easybuild-framework/archive/easybuild-framework-v${tag}.tar.gz
     pip install https://github.com/easybuilders/easybuild-easyblocks/archive/easybuild-easyblocks-v${tag}.tar.gz
     pip install https://github.com/easybuilders/easybuild-easyconfigs/archive/easybuild-easyconfigs-v${tag}.tar.gz
     # optional dependencies for EasyBuild
     pip install archspec rich
     ```
 
-### Planned additional changes {: #beta1_planned_changes }
+### Planned additional changes {: #beta2_planned_changes }
 
 A couple of additional changes that will be included in EasyBuild v5.0.0 are still a work-in-progress,
 including (but not limited to):
 
-- deprecating of `module_req_guess` method (see [framework PR #4653](https://github.com/easybuilders/easybuild-framework/pull/4653));
-- deprecating of `parallel` easyconfig parameter (see [framework PR #4580](https://github.com/easybuilders/easybuild-framework/pull/4580));
+- avoid hardcoding of `'CPATH'` in `modextrapaths` in easyconfig files, take into account `module-search-path-headers` configuration setting
+  to determine whether `$CPATH` or `$_INCLUDE_PATH`/`$CPLUS_INCLUDE_PATH`/`$INCLUDE` should be updated by the generated
+  module file;
+- enhance LLVM easyblock for compilation of clang/flang + other llvm-projects (see [easyblocks PR #3373](https://github.com/easybuilders/easybuild-easyblocks/pull/3373));
+- add support for copying build log and build directory to a permanent location after installation failure (see
+  [framework PR #4601](https://github.com/easybuilders/easybuild-framework/pull/4601));
 
-For a complete overview of planned changed, see the [GitHub dashboard for EasyBuild v5.0](https://github.com/orgs/easybuilders/projects/18/views/2).
+For a complete overview of planned changes, see the [GitHub dashboard for EasyBuild v5.0](https://github.com/orgs/easybuilders/projects/18/views/2).
 
 ### Providing feedback & reporting problems
 
@@ -92,7 +102,13 @@ You should include:
 
 Also positive feedback is welcome!
 
-### FAQ
+## Beta release `5.0.0beta1` *(obsolete)*
+
+For more information on the now obsolete `5.0.0beta1` release,
+[see the dedicated page for it](5.0.0beta1.md).
+
+
+## FAQ
 
 - *Do I need to reinstall all software that was installed with EasyBuild v4.x when I want to start using EasyBuild v5.x?*
-  No, you do not. You can install additional software using EasyBuild v5.x on top of installations performed with EasyBuild v4.x.
+  **No, you do not.** You can install additional software using EasyBuild v5.x on top of installations performed with EasyBuild v4.x.