Update docker image from Ubuntu 20.04 to Ubuntu 24.04

[jafingerhut]

Notes from antoninbas:

"The fact that the base Docker image is still Ubuntu 20.04 is going to have to be addressed eventually. Maybe it should be done sooner rather than later. I updated all dependencies (including Ubuntu, from 16.04 to 20.04) a couple of years ago: p4lang/third-party#30. It wasn't that big of a change, though I am sure it took some trial and error, and a few cycles of trying to build the image locally. Maybe someone could take a stab at it now and update all dependencies again, including Ubuntu to 24.04."

Note: because Ubuntu 20.04 is running inside a docker image, but the host OS is more recent, the Github Actions no longer supporting Ubuntu 20.04 for CI as of April 1, 2025 is NOT a hard deadline for this work.

https://github.com/p4lang/third-party/blob/3e0bf558b0c0024fb185c223687e78195d82f200/Dockerfile#L89C50-L89C56
RUN pip3 install --user --ignore-installed wheel pypcap && \

pypcap has not been updated for over 2+ years and is currently unmaintained. I am encountering installation errors when trying to install it with Python 3.12 (the default Python version in Ubuntu 24.04). We either need to migrate from pypcap to an alternative tool like scapy or downgrade the Python to version 3.11 or earlier.

[jafingerhut]

https://github.com/p4lang/third-party/blob/3e0bf558b0c0024fb185c223687e78195d82f200/Dockerfile#L89C50-L89C56

It is not clear to me whether there is anything in behavioral-model Python code that actually needs the pypcap package installed.

I would recommend commenting out the installation of the pypcap package and see how far you can go without it.

behavioral-model doesn't have dependency on pypcap. But ptf has.
https://github.com/p4lang/ptf/blob/8e0fdf8b214422ea6db6c6b41042160b9be2d8c3/README.md?plain=1#L46
* pypcap (optional - VLAN tests will fail without this)

[jafingerhut]

As the text you quote notes, it is an optional dependency. If you want to create an issue on the ptf repository suggesting that we should investigate whether it is possible to remove the optional dependency on the pypcap package in the future, that seems like a good issue to have on that repo.

in the mean time, you can build a docker image without the pypcap package and see if there are other issues that block making a useful docker image running Ubuntu 24.04, or whether that is the only one.

[antoninbas]

I personally think that there is no actual dependency on pypcap. Especially when I see this code being commented out for 10 years: https://github.com/p4lang/ptf/blob/8e0fdf8b214422ea6db6c6b41042160b9be2d8c3/src/ptf/dataplane.py#L49-L57

ptf is also only supported on Linux AFAIK, so the import pcap statement should never be used?
https://github.com/p4lang/ptf/blob/8e0fdf8b214422ea6db6c6b41042160b9be2d8c3/src/ptf/dataplane.py#L44-L47

[Sarthak-Developer-Coder]

Updating the Docker image from Ubuntu 20.04 to Ubuntu 24.04 requires several steps to ensure compatibility and stability.

Steps to Update the Dockerfile

1. Modify the Base Image

   • Update the FROM statement in the Dockerfile:

     FROM ubuntu:24.04

2. Verify Package Availability

   • Some packages or dependencies may have changed in Ubuntu 24.04, so check if the required packages are still available and update any outdated package names.
   • Run:

     docker run --rm -it ubuntu:24.04 bash

     and test installing dependencies manually before updating the Dockerfile.

3. Update apt Commands

   • Ensure the apt package manager commands are correctly formatted:

     RUN apt update && apt install -y \
         package1 package2 package3 \
         && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*

   • Some libraries may have changed names or versions.

4. Check Python & Other Tool Versions

   • If the image contains Python, GCC, or other tools, check their versions in Ubuntu 24.04.
   • Update python3 installation if necessary:

     RUN apt install -y python3 python3-pip

5. Test Build & Run

   • Build the updated image:

     docker build -t my-updated-image .

   • Run a container:

     docker run --rm -it my-updated-image bash

   • Check logs and ensure all services or scripts work correctly.

6. Update CI/CD Pipelines (if applicable)

   • If the image is used in GitHub Actions, Jenkins, or GitLab CI/CD, update the pipeline files to use the new image.

7. Push to Docker Hub / Registry

   • If maintaining an official repository, push the updated image:

     docker tag my-updated-image myrepo/myimage:latest
     docker push myrepo/myimage:latest

Potential Issues to Watch Out For

• Library Compatibility: Some libraries may be deprecated or require new versions.
• Python & GCC Versions: If your build depends on specific versions, pin them explicitly.
• Default Shell Changes: Ensure scripts using /bin/sh or /bin/bash still work as expected.

Would you like help testing this upgrade in a specific project? 🚀

[github-actions]

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