PostGIS test matrix

Django Internals
1

There is a GitHub action that runs the test suite across three PostGIS Docker images. See workflow.

When this was introduced Natalia noted the images differ and give coverage across different GeoSpatial libraries. From the commit message at the time:

For example, at the time of this branch:

* latest stable in debian:
    * POSTGIS="3.5.2 dea6d0a"
    * GEOS="3.9.0-CAPI-1.16.2"
    * PROJ="7.2.1"
* latest stable in alpine:
    * POSTGIS="3.5.3 0"
    * GEOS="3.13.1-CAPI-1.19.2"
    * PROJ="9.6.0
* latest development branch:
    * POSTGIS="3.6.0dev 3.6.0beta1-29-g7c8cfe07d"
    * GEOS="3.14.0beta2-CAPI-1.20.1"
    * PROJ="9.7.0"

The current matrix is ā€œlatestā€, ā€œ18-3.6-alpineā€ and ā€œ17-masterā€. In addition we run PostGIS over on djangoci.com

In table format this currently gives:

Environment OS PostgreSQL PostGIS GDAL GEOS PROJ
pull-requests-noble Ubuntu 24.04 15 3.6 3.8.4 3.12.1 9.4.0
latest Debian 11 17 3.5.2 3.2 3.9 7.2
18-3.6-alpine Alpine 3.22 18 3.6.1 3.10 3.13 9.6
17-master Debian 11 17 dev 3.13dev 3.15dev 9.8

PostGIS docker hub - postgis/postgis - Docker Image

Currently the workflow is based upon Ubuntu and uses the PostGIS image for the database service. This means we get good coverage of multiple Postgres databases versions, PostGIS and geospatial libraries. However, those differing versions are only installed in the database service. The GIS tests that test the Python bindings with the C libraries are all using the versions of the packages available with Ubuntu 24.04.

This means, when I added a test which required a more modern version of GDAL in one of my PRs this week the CI passed even though it contained a typo.

Iā€™d like to propose we alter the PostGIS workflow to run the test suite in those images as well as providing the database service. The aim is to enhance test coverage against multiple versions of geospatial libraries.

I propose the following matrix.

Environment OS PostgreSQL PostGIS GDAL GEOS PROJ Source
pull-requests-noble Ubuntu 24.04 15 3.6 3.8.4 3.12.1 9.4.0
16-3.5-alpine Alpine 3.22 16 3.5.4 3.10 3.13 9.6
18-3.6-alpine Alpine 3.22 18 3.6.1 3.10 3.13 9.6
17-master Debian 11 17 dev 3.13dev 3.15dev 9.8

This change proposes to:

  • Remove the ā€˜latestā€™ image. That contains GDAL 3.2 which Django has now dropped support for.
  • Add an image to test against PostgreSQL 16. This gives additional coverage of PostgreSQL and PostGIS versions.

If there is support, I would then like to continue work on moving the test suite to being run inside of these containers. Current work in progress is here. I have managed to get the 17-master image close to working (one minor test fail) with a few fails on the Alpine image related to the JPEG OGR driver.

2

Thank you @smithdc1, Iā€™m very much in favor of this. Just a minor clarification for other readers, this GHA workflow is run only when a specific label is added to the PR (geodjango).

@jacobtylerwalls @claudep what do you think?

1 Like
3

Iā€™ve nothing more to add here. We know that weā€™ll never cover every possible combinations, but improving the current state is surely welcome. Thanks!

4

Sounds like a good plan. Leaving EOL geo libs in place will only confuse contributors.