VSC Software Stack

Central repository of easyconfigs used in the software installations on VSC clusters.

Repository structure

The organization of this repo is structured in standard git branches, each one providing a different degree of reliability:

• vsc: main branch with software installations validated and tested by multiple VSC sites
• site-kul: software installations specific to clusters managed by KU Leuven
• site-ua: software installations specific to clusters managed by UAntwerp
• site-ugent: software installations specific to clusters managed by UGent
• site-vub: software installations specific to clusters managed by VUB
• wip: software installations on any site that are work-in-progress

Bootstrap

Users of this repo are encouraged to work with git worktrees. This approach allows to have all easyconfigs available in the VSC Software Stack across all its branches under a single folder in your local system.

1. Create a new folder for this repo

   $ mkdir vsc-software-stack

2. Clone the bare repository (we keep it in a hidden folder as it won't be used directly)

   $ git clone --bare git@github.com:vscentrum/vsc-software-stack.git vsc-software-stack/.bare

3. Point git to the bare repo already from the root folder

   $ echo "gitdir: ./.bare" > vsc-software-stack/.git

4. Add worktrees for each branch in their own folder

   $ cd vsc-software-stack
   $ git worktree add vsc
   $ git worktree add wip

Commits with worktrees

Pushing/pulling changes in worktrees is no different than in a regular repo. As soon as you change directory into a worktree folder, you can work as if you were on a regular repo. There will be an active branch, you can create/checkout other branches and commit to any branch as usual.

Unreviewed branches

Branches such as wip or the site-* branches do not require PRs and reviews to push changes.

1. Enter the target worktree/branch

   $ cd vsc-software-stack/wip

2. Fetch updates in this branch from remote repository

   $ git fetch origin
   $ git pull origin wip

3. Add and commit the files affected by this change

   $ git add 000_example/example.eb
   $ git commit -m "adding WIP easyconfig example.eb"

4. Push new commit to remote branch in vsc-software-stack repo

   $ git push origin wip

Reviewed branches

The vsc branch requires a PR and a positive review (+ working test report) to merge changes into it. PRs should be open from a fork of the vsc-software-stack repo.

In the following we assume the following names for the remote repos:

• origin: vsc-software-stack repo in vscentrum
• personal: your fork of vsc-software-stack

1. Enter the target worktree/branch

   $ cd vsc-software-stack/vsc

2. Fetch updates in this branch from remote repository

   $ git fetch origin
   $ git pull origin vsc
   $ git push personal vsc

3. Create a new local branch to work on the changes

   $ git checkout -b 000_example

4. Add new easyconfigs from another worktree

   $ cp ../wip/000_example/example.eb e/example/example.eb

5. Add and commit the files affected by this change

   $ git add e/example/example.eb
   $ git commit -m "adding easyconfig example.eb"

6. Push local branch to your fork of the vsc-software-stack repo

   $ git push personal 000_example

7. Create a new PR in GitHub from the branch 000_example in your fork of the vsc-software-stack to the vsc branch in the main vscentrum repo.

Links

• EasyBuild documentation: https://docs.easybuild.io
• EasyBuild tutorial: https://easybuild.io/tutorial
• VSC Slack: https://vscentrum.slack.com
  • Recommended to use the #software channel.
  • Requires invitation, ask Kenneth (HPC-UGent) or Sam (VUB-HPC), or anyone already in the VSC Slack.