add support for installing with bwrap

[smoors]

cfr. #4110

UPDATE 2026-02-27

done:

• add --bwrap-installpath option to specify the temporary install path.
• add --bwrap option: if set, EB will gather all info needed to run with bwrap.
• add rerun_with_bwrap() function in main.py which reruns EB with bwrap if --bwrap is set (and disables --bwrap for a real installation).
• require --experimental flag
• add end-to-end CI test
• also run the interactive debug shell with bwrap
• make sure it also works with easystack files

still to do (in follow-up PR):

• add deployment step: moving the installation to the final destination
• add metadata to the bwrap installation, so we can more easily know where to deploy

requires the following easyblock PRs to work for all software:

• use clean_dir instead of remove_dir on installation directory for Amber easyblock easybuild-easyblocks#3935
• use clean_dir instead of remove_dir on installation directory for Anaconda easyblock easybuild-easyblocks#3934
• use clean_dir instead of remove_dir on installation directory for FDTD_Solutions easyblock easybuild-easyblocks#3933
• use clean_dir instead of remove_dir on installation directory for GATE easyblock easybuild-easyblocks#3932
• use clean_dir instead of remove_dir on installation directory for Go easyblock easybuild-easyblocks#3931
• use clean_dir instead of remove_dir on installation directory for Molpro easyblock easybuild-easyblocks#3930
• use clean_dir instead of remove_dir on installation directory for Tkinter easyblock easybuild-easyblocks#3929
• use clean_dir instead of remove_dir on installation directory for Java easyblock easybuild-easyblocks#3928
• use clean_dir instead of remove_dir on installation directory for Binary easyblock easybuild-easyblocks#3927
• use clean_dir instead of remove_dir on installation directory for Tarball easyblock easybuild-easyblocks#3926

[boegel]

@smoors I only took a very quick look at this, but do we really need eb.py, or can we just update easybuild/main.py instead?

[smoors]

@smoors I only took a very quick look at this, but do we really need eb.py, or can we just update easybuild/main.py instead?

oh cool, i didn't think this was possible but you're right!

EDIT: done in 5595842

[boegel]

@smoors We should cover the use of --bwrap in a CI workflow...

Maybe an extra step can be added at the end of .github/workflows/end2end.yml ?

[smoors]

@smoors We should cover the use of --bwrap in a CI workflow...

Maybe an extra step can be added at the end of .github/workflows/end2end.yml ?

done in ab03bb8

successful test in https://github.com/easybuilders/easybuild-framework/actions/runs/22448778136/job/65010878984?pr=5130

it runs in a separate workflow, directly in the VM instead of a container because i couldn't get bwrap to work in a container in a github workflow.