Migration of Simulation Systems to Git ecosystem - 1 #337
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Thanks for this. Can you elaborate on what this will mean for workflows currently based on Cylc 7, FCM and UM-based code? Will they be expected to migrate to Cylc 8 and FAB, and over what time scales? How will partner testing be managed? |
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Hi folks, just looking at the latter part of the the proposed timeline:
Does this mean there will be a 3 month interval where no model code-development can take place??? (since all branches on FCM/trac will be frozen in October and therefore can't be committed to, but we won't be able to resume UM and LFRic code-development in github until the "go live" in January?) |
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News
Published in: NGMS Newsletter - February 2025 - Issue 7
The NGMS Programme Board, with strong support from Momentum® partners, approved the migration of remaining NGMS codes on Subversion/Trac (Science Repository Service, SRS) like LFRic to Git and GitHub in approximately late 2025, subject to avoiding any knock-on impact on LFRic GPU/HPC benchmarking. This is a really positive step forward for collaborative software development across the Momentum partnership, but it is a big change.
Rationale
The Met Office have been using Subversion and Trac systems as source control management tools for many years, and this provided a solid platform for scientific code development of delivery of high impact products such as the UM. However, Subversion and Trac development have declined to the point of no releases in the last ~4 years, single digit contributors, and their survivability as maintained projects in the late 2020s is under threat. Transitioning to Git and GitHub will allow us to transform our current version control system capabilities to the modern productive tooling standard improving usability of systems and technical maintainability, reducing overheads for external collaboration as we move to NGMS.
Why move to the Git ecosystem
Improved performance, enhanced collaboration and simplified workflows
The shift to Git and GitHub will bring significant advantages to the Met Office's development environment by improving performance, boosting collaboration, and streamlining workflows. Git’s distributed structure offers faster branching and merging, making it more modern and flexible compared to current systems. Its extensive community support and superior scalability will make our version control processes more efficient and responsive. This transition allows us to improve our development process, enhancing both productivity and collaboration across our teams and Momentum® partners.
GitHub, designed as an integrated platform for the Git ecosystem, offers a richer suite of tools than our current Trac-based system. While Trac has served well for issue tracking and basic project management, GitHub brings advanced collaboration features such as Pull Requests, Issues, Project Boards, and Discussions. Additionally, its built-in continuous integration and deployment (CI/CD) capabilities provide a robust system for automated building, testing, and deploying of code and documentation, which aligns perfectly with our future-oriented development needs.
What will this transition include
The transition will affect the science repositories that include our key Met Office Simulation systems. This includes:
Throughout the transition, we will maintain open communication on change management, ensuring stakeholders stay informed and engaged.
How will we achieve this
The transition to Git and GitHub involves a carefully planned, multi-step approach:
When will the transition take place
Assuming we have completed the UM Physics fork and a stable version of Fab build system, tentative timeline for this migration is as follows with an aim for March 2026 completion (subject to change).
Risks and Mitigation
Key challenges in this transition include migrating workflows smoothly from FCM to Fab, managing potential SRS outages, and synchronizing the workflow migration with parallel suite operations. A comprehensive mitigation plan will be implemented to minimize disruptions and address any issues that arise.
This move to Git and GitHub represents an exciting step forward for the Met Office, equipping us with a scalable, modern development platform that will support our scientific and operational goals well into the future.
What does this mean for partners?
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