New release v2.18.0rc1 (#84122)

changelogs/CHANGELOG-v2.18.rst

@@ -4,6 +4,38 @@ ansible-core 2.18 "Fool in the Rain" Release Notes
 
 .. contents:: Topics
 
+v2.18.0rc1
+==========
+
+Release Summary
+---------------
+
+| Release Date: 2024-10-14
+| `Porting Guide <https://docs.ansible.com/ansible-core/2.18/porting_guides/porting_guide_core_2.18.html>`__
+
+Minor Changes
+-------------
+
+- ansible-test - Default to Python 3.13 in the ``base`` and ``default`` containers.
+- ansible-test - Disable the ``deprecated-`` prefixed ``pylint`` rules as their results vary by Python version.
+- ansible-test - Improve container runtime probe error handling. When unexpected probe output is encountered, an error with more useful debugging information is provided.
+- ansible-test - Update ``pylint`` sanity test to use version 3.3.1.
+- ansible-test - Update the ``base`` and ``default`` containers.
+
+Bugfixes
+--------
+
+- Errors now preserve stacked error messages even when YAML is involved.
+- Fix disabling SSL verification when installing collections and roles from git repositories. If ``--ignore-certs`` isn't provided, the value for the ``GALAXY_IGNORE_CERTS`` configuration option will be used (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/83326).
+- Improve performance on large inventories by reducing the number of implicit meta tasks.
+- Use the requested error message in the ansible.module_utils.facts.timeout timeout function instead of hardcoding one.
+- ``package``/``dnf`` action plugins - provide the reason behind the failure to gather the ``ansible_pkg_mgr`` fact to identify the package backend
+- ansible-test - Enable the ``sys.unraisablehook`` work-around for the ``pylint`` sanity test on Python 3.11. Previously the work-around was only enabled for Python 3.12 and later. However, the same issue has been discovered on Python 3.11.
+- debconf - set empty password values (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/83214).
+- dnf5 - fix traceback when ``enable_plugins``/``disable_plugins`` is used on ``python3-libdnf5`` versions that do not support this functionality
+- facts - skip if distribution file path is directory, instead of raising error (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/84006).
+- user module now avoids changing ownership of files symlinked in provided home dir skeleton
+
 v2.18.0b1
 =========
 

changelogs/changelog.yaml

@@ -530,3 +530,57 @@ releases:
         name: vaulted_file
         namespace: null
     release_date: '2024-09-24'
+  2.18.0rc1:
+    changes:
+      bugfixes:
+      - Errors now preserve stacked error messages even when YAML is involved.
+      - Fix disabling SSL verification when installing collections and roles from
+        git repositories. If ``--ignore-certs`` isn't provided, the value for the
+        ``GALAXY_IGNORE_CERTS`` configuration option will be used (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/83326).
+      - Improve performance on large inventories by reducing the number of implicit
+        meta tasks.
+      - Use the requested error message in the ansible.module_utils.facts.timeout
+        timeout function instead of hardcoding one.
+      - '``package``/``dnf`` action plugins - provide the reason behind the failure
+        to gather the ``ansible_pkg_mgr`` fact to identify the package backend'
+      - ansible-test - Enable the ``sys.unraisablehook`` work-around for the ``pylint``
+        sanity test on Python 3.11. Previously the work-around was only enabled for
+        Python 3.12 and later. However, the same issue has been discovered on Python
+        3.11.
+      - debconf - set empty password values (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/83214).
+      - dnf5 - fix traceback when ``enable_plugins``/``disable_plugins`` is used on
+        ``python3-libdnf5`` versions that do not support this functionality
+      - facts - skip if distribution file path is directory, instead of raising error
+        (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/84006).
+      - user module now avoids changing ownership of files symlinked in provided home
+        dir skeleton
+      minor_changes:
+      - ansible-test - Default to Python 3.13 in the ``base`` and ``default`` containers.
+      - ansible-test - Disable the ``deprecated-`` prefixed ``pylint`` rules as their
+        results vary by Python version.
+      - ansible-test - Improve container runtime probe error handling. When unexpected
+        probe output is encountered, an error with more useful debugging information
+        is provided.
+      - ansible-test - Update ``pylint`` sanity test to use version 3.3.1.
+      - ansible-test - Update the ``base`` and ``default`` containers.
+      release_summary: '| Release Date: 2024-10-14
+
+        | `Porting Guide <https://docs.ansible.com/ansible-core/2.18/porting_guides/porting_guide_core_2.18.html>`__
+
+        '
+    codename: Fool in the Rain
+    fragments:
+    - 2.18.0rc1_summary.yaml
+    - ansible-test-probe-error-handling.yml
+    - ansible-test-pylint-fix.yml
+    - ansible-test-update.yml
+    - debconf_empty_password.yml
+    - dnf5-plugins-compat.yml
+    - fix-ansible-galaxy-ignore-certs.yml
+    - fix-module-utils-facts-timeout.yml
+    - fix_errors.yml
+    - os_family.yml
+    - package-dnf-action-plugins-facts-fail-msg.yml
+    - skip-implicit-flush_handlers-no-notify.yml
+    - user_action_fix.yml
+    release_date: '2024-10-14'

changelogs/fragments/2.18.0rc1_summary.yaml

@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+release_summary: |
+   | Release Date: 2024-10-14
+   | `Porting Guide <https://docs.ansible.com/ansible-core/2.18/porting_guides/porting_guide_core_2.18.html>`__

lib/ansible/release.py

@@ -17,6 +17,6 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
-__version__ = '2.18.0b1.post0'
+__version__ = '2.18.0rc1'
 __author__ = 'Ansible, Inc.'
 __codename__ = "Fool in the Rain"