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Deprecated easyconfigs

Since EasyBuild v3.8.0, individual easyconfig files or particular (versions of) toolchains can be marked as deprecated.

Symptoms

Using an easyconfig file or toolchain that was marked as deprecated results in a warning message like:

WARNING: Deprecated functionality, will no longer work in v4.0: easyconfig file '/home/example/test.eb' is marked as deprecated:
This is an example message explaining why the easyconfig file was deprecated.
(see also http://easybuild.readthedocs.org/en/latest/Deprecated-easyconfigs.html)

Or, in case you are trying to use an easyconfig file or toolchain that was marked deprecated in a previous major version of EasyBuild:

ERROR: Failed to process easyconfig /home/example/test.eb: DEPRECATED (since v4.0) functionality used: easyconfig file '/home/example/test.eb' is marked as deprecated:
This is an example message explaining why the easyconfig file was deprecated.
(see also http://easybuild.readthedocs.org/en/latest/Deprecated-easyconfigs.html)

Reasons for deprecation

There are several possible reasons why a particular easyconfig file or toolchain was deprecated, some of which include:

  • old/obsolete versions of software or toolchain components
  • toolchains that are superseded by other toolchains
  • known installation problems that are hard to resolve (or not worth the effort to resolve)

Implications

Easyconfig files that are deprecated or which use a deprecated toolchain are not actively maintained, and are no longer included in the EasyBuild regression test (which means they may be broken by recent changes to the EasyBuild framework or relevant easyblocks).

In a future major version of EasyBuild, these easyconfig files will be archived (see also Archived easyconfigs).

Deprecated and archived toolchains

Our support policy on toolchain generations determines the lifespan of toolchains in EasyBuild repositories. Once a toolchain becomes deprecated, it will stop being actively developed and tested. Once it becomes archived, it is transferred into the easybuild-easyconfigs-archive repository.

Obsolete toolchains

Some toolchains might become obsolete, this means that they will not receive any new versions and ultimately be completely archived. Overview of obsolete toolchains:

Toolchains with CUDA

  • deprecated since: EasyBuild v4.9.0
  • will be archived in: EasyBuild v5.1.0

The following toolchains are obsolete: gcccuda, gompic, goolfc, intelcuda, iomklc.

Since the 2021a toolchain generation, CUDA is included as a regular dependency in common toolchains instead of having specific toolchains including CUDA in their definition. This approach is more flexible and avoids duplication of identical easyconfigs between CUDA and non-CUDA toolchains.

Toolchains with legacy Intel compilers

  • deprecated since: EasyBuild v4.9.0
  • will be archived in: EasyBuild v5.1.0

The following toolchains are obsolete: icc, ifort, iccifort.

Since the 2021a toolchain generation, toolchains based on legacy Intel compilers have been replaced by the new intel-compilers toolchain based on the oneAPI compilers from Intel.