Consider Offering a Choice Between Ubuntu and Debian for GitHub Runners

[obewan]

Dear GitHub Community,

I’d like to discuss the choice of Linux runners for GitHub workflows, specifically focusing on Ubuntu and Debian. As developers, we often encounter scenarios where the choice of runner impacts our development process and workflow efficiency.

1. Version Differences:

   • Debian Stable (“bookworm”) vs. Ubuntu Lunar: Currently, Debian’s stable version closely resembles Ubuntu Lunar. However, it’s essential to note that Lunar wasn’t an LTS release and is now obsolete.
   • Debian Bookworm vs. Ubuntu Jelly: Debian bookworm is more up-to-date than Ubuntu Jelly, which is the current version used on GitHub.

2. Workflow Considerations:

   • Developing on Debian stable may require using external actions to compile specific packages at versions that don’t exist on Ubuntu Jelly.
   • This compilation process can lead to longer workflow run times (e.g., 20 minutes for compiling OpenCV).

3. Server Context:

   • Debian Stable is widely favored on Linux servers due to its stability and long-term support.
   • Offering a choice between Ubuntu and Debian as Linux runners would cater to both stability-focused and efficiency-driven workflows.

In conclusion, providing this choice aligns with the diverse needs of developers and ensures optimal performance. Let’s empower our community by allowing flexibility in selecting the most suitable runner for each project.

Happy coding and may the force be with you! 🚀🐧

[amq]

If you need a different distro, why not use containers?

[obewan]

Yes, using a custom Docker image with GitHub Actions is a valid solution for setting up a tailored environment with pre-installed libraries. However, it does involve an extra step of creating the custom Docker image and pushing it to a container registry such as Docker Hub or GitHub Container Registry.
Additionally, there might be resource constraints associated with using containers, as they require more memory and CPU than the default Ubuntu runner. And they may not be as fast as a dedicated OS runner.
Though it will be probably better in my case to build a Container, thanks for the idea.

[erik-bershel]

There is no plan to add additional Linux distros for now.