ANN: Pybots -- Python Community Buildbots

[Grig Gheorghiu]

The idea behind the Pybots project (short for "Python Community
Buildbots") is to allow people to run automated tests for their Python
projects, while using Python binaries built from the very latest source
code from the Python subversion repository.

The idea originated from Glyph, of Twisted fame. He sent out a message
to the python-dev mailing list (thanks to John J. Lee for bringing this
message to my attention), in which he said:

"I would like to propose, although I certainly don't have time to
implement, a program by which Python-using projects could contribute
buildslaves which would run their projects' tests with the latest
Python trunk. This would provide two useful incentives: Python code
would gain a reputation as generally well-tested (since there is a
direct incentive to write tests for your project: get notified when
core python changes might break it), and the core developers would have
instant feedback when a "small" change breaks more code than it was
expected to."

Well, Neal Norwitz made this happen by setting up a buildmaster process
on one of the servers maintained by the PSF. He graciously allowed me
to maintain this buildmaster, and I already added a buildslave which
runs the Twisted unit tests (in honor of Glyph, who was the originator
of this idea) every time a check-in is made in the Python trunk or in
the 2.5 branch. You can see the buildmaster's status page here:
http://www.python.org/dev/buildbot/community/all/

I strongly encourage you to contribute to the Pybots project by setting
up a buildslave for your project.

I'll post another entry with instructions on how to configure a
buildslave so that it can be coordinated by the Pybots buildmaster. I
also have a mailing list (thanks, Titus!) for people who are interested
in this project: http://lists2.idyll.org/listinfo/pybots

Please send a message to the pybots list, and I'll respond to you.

See also my blog post here for pretty much the same information as in
this message, but with more links:
http://agiletesting.blogspot.com/2006/08/pybots-python-community-buildbots.html

Thanks,

Grig Gheorghiu