From 127cc357a4bbedb6e38d970ef62932b65ae74c2d Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Matt Davis <6775756+nitzmahone@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Tue, 8 Jul 2025 16:27:57 -0700
Subject: [PATCH] New release v2.18.7rc1 (#85454)

---
 changelogs/CHANGELOG-v2.18.rst              | 26 ++++++++++++++++
 changelogs/changelog.yaml                   | 33 +++++++++++++++++++++
 changelogs/fragments/2.18.7rc1_summary.yaml |  3 ++
 lib/ansible/release.py                      |  2 +-
 pyproject.toml                              |  2 +-
 5 files changed, 64 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)
 create mode 100644 changelogs/fragments/2.18.7rc1_summary.yaml

diff --git a/changelogs/CHANGELOG-v2.18.rst b/changelogs/CHANGELOG-v2.18.rst
index 2f520c365eb..5a975825b13 100644
--- a/changelogs/CHANGELOG-v2.18.rst
+++ b/changelogs/CHANGELOG-v2.18.rst
@@ -4,6 +4,32 @@ ansible-core 2.18 "Fool in the Rain" Release Notes
 
 .. contents:: Topics
 
+v2.18.7rc1
+==========
+
+Release Summary
+---------------
+
+| Release Date: 2025-07-08
+| `Porting Guide <https://docs.ansible.com/ansible-core/2.18/porting_guides/porting_guide_core_2.18.html>`__
+
+Minor Changes
+-------------
+
+- ansible-test - Add RHEL 10.0 as a remote platform for testing.
+
+Bugfixes
+--------
+
+- ansible-doc will no longer ignore docs for modules without an extension (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/85279).
+- ansible-pull change detection will now work independently of callback or result format settings.
+- ansible-test - Fix Python relative import resolution from ``__init__.py`` files when using change detection.
+- dnf5 - handle all libdnf5 specific exceptions (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/84634)
+- meta - avoid traceback when retrieving the meta task name (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/85367).
+- password lookup - fix acquiring the lock when human-readable FileExistsError error message is not English.
+- user - Set timeout for passphrase interaction.
+- user - Update prompt for SSH key passphrase (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/84484).
+
 v2.18.6
 =======
 
diff --git a/changelogs/changelog.yaml b/changelogs/changelog.yaml
index dd0aeb8fc12..9d6a745e6e7 100644
--- a/changelogs/changelog.yaml
+++ b/changelogs/changelog.yaml
@@ -865,3 +865,36 @@ releases:
     - ensure_remote_perms.yml
     - win-script-become.yml
     release_date: '2025-05-12'
+  2.18.7rc1:
+    changes:
+      bugfixes:
+      - ansible-doc will no longer ignore docs for modules without an extension (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/85279).
+      - ansible-pull change detection will now work independently of callback or result
+        format settings.
+      - ansible-test - Fix Python relative import resolution from ``__init__.py``
+        files when using change detection.
+      - dnf5 - handle all libdnf5 specific exceptions (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/84634)
+      - meta - avoid traceback when retrieving the meta task name (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/85367).
+      - password lookup - fix acquiring the lock when human-readable FileExistsError
+        error message is not English.
+      - user - Set timeout for passphrase interaction.
+      - user - Update prompt for SSH key passphrase (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/84484).
+      minor_changes:
+      - ansible-test - Add RHEL 10.0 as a remote platform for testing.
+      release_summary: '| Release Date: 2025-07-08
+
+        | `Porting Guide <https://docs.ansible.com/ansible-core/2.18/porting_guides/porting_guide_core_2.18.html>`__
+
+        '
+    codename: Fool in the Rain
+    fragments:
+    - 2.18.7rc1_summary.yaml
+    - 84634-dnf5-all-exceptions.yml
+    - adoc_noext_fix.yml
+    - ansible-test-change-detection-fix.yml
+    - ansible-test-rhel-10.yml
+    - fix-lookup-password-lock-acquisition.yml
+    - meta_raw_params.yml
+    - pull_changed_fix.yml
+    - user_passphrase.yml
+    release_date: '2025-07-08'
diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/2.18.7rc1_summary.yaml b/changelogs/fragments/2.18.7rc1_summary.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d7aae122250
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/2.18.7rc1_summary.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+release_summary: |
+   | Release Date: 2025-07-08
+   | `Porting Guide <https://docs.ansible.com/ansible-core/2.18/porting_guides/porting_guide_core_2.18.html>`__
diff --git a/lib/ansible/release.py b/lib/ansible/release.py
index 71b85edc571..f3a70caaa6d 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/release.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/release.py
@@ -17,6 +17,6 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
-__version__ = '2.18.6.post0'
+__version__ = '2.18.7rc1'
 __author__ = 'Ansible, Inc.'
 __codename__ = "Fool in the Rain"
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index bb08254c48a..a40ebfa2868 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 [build-system]
-requires = ["setuptools >= 66.1.0, <= 80.7.1", "wheel == 0.45.1"]  # lower bound to support controller Python versions, upper bound for latest version tested at release
+requires = ["setuptools >= 66.1.0, <= 80.9.0", "wheel == 0.45.1"]  # lower bound to support controller Python versions, upper bound for latest version tested at release
 build-backend = "setuptools.build_meta"
 
 [project]