Release notes and known issues
Release notes and known issues for Red Hat OpenShift Dev Spaces 3.2
Abstract
Making open source more inclusive
Red Hat is committed to replacing problematic language in our code, documentation, and web properties. We are beginning with these four terms: master, slave, blacklist, and whitelist. Because of the enormity of this endeavor, these changes will be implemented gradually over several upcoming releases. For more details, see our CTO Chris Wright’s message.
Chapter 1. About Red Hat OpenShift Dev Spaces
Red Hat OpenShift Dev Spaces is a web-based integrated development environment (IDE). OpenShift Dev Spaces runs in OpenShift and is well-suited for container-based development.
OpenShift Dev Spaces provides:
- an enterprise-level cloud developer workspace server
- a browser-based IDE
- ready-to-use developer stacks for popular programming languages, frameworks, and Red Hat technologies
Red Hat OpenShift Dev Spaces 3.2 is based on Eclipse Che 7.50.
1.1. Supported deployment environments
OpenShift Dev Spaces 3.2 is available on the listed platforms with the listed supported installation methods:
Platform | Architectures | Deployment method |
---|---|---|
OpenShift Container Platform 4.10 |
| |
OpenShift Container Platform 4.11 |
| |
OpenShift Dedicated 4.10 |
| |
OpenShift Dedicated 4.11 |
| |
Red Hat OpenShift Service on AWS (ROSA) 4.10 |
| |
Red Hat OpenShift Service on AWS (ROSA) 4.11 |
|
Additional resources
1.2. Support policy
For Red Hat OpenShift Dev Spaces 3.2, Red Hat will provide support for deployment, configuration, and use of the product.
OpenShift Dev Spaces 3.2 has been tested on Chrome version 101.0.4951.54 (Official Build) (64-bit).
Additional resources
1.3. Differences between Eclipse Che and Red Hat OpenShift Dev Spaces
The main differences between OpenShift Dev Spaces and Eclipse Che are:
- OpenShift Dev Spaces is built on RHEL8 to ensure the latest security fixes are included, compared to Alpine distributions that take a longer time to update.
- OpenShift Dev Spaces uses OpenShift OAuth for user login and management.
- OpenShift Dev Spaces provides a smaller supported subset of plug-ins compared to Che.
- OpenShift Dev Spaces provides devfiles for working with other Red Hat technologies such as EAP and Fuse.
- OpenShift Dev Spaces is supported on OpenShift Container Platform, OpenShift Dedicated, and Red Hat OpenShift Service on AWS (ROSA); Eclipse Che can also run on other Kubernetes clusters.
Red Hat provides licensing, packaging, and support. Therefore, OpenShift Dev Spaces is considered a more stable product than the upstream Eclipse Che project.
Chapter 2. New features and enhancements
2.1. Dashboard samples are grouped by support level
With this update, Tech-Preview samples in the dashboard are listed after the fully suported ones.
Additional resources
2.2. Live sharing Visual Studio Code sessions in OpenShift Dev Spaces by using CodeTogether
With this update, OpenShift Dev Spaces supports the full functionality of CodeTogether, a pair-programming extension for Visual Studio Code. CodeTogether enables live sharing of Visual Studio Code sessions in OpenShift Dev Spaces workspaces.
Additional resources
2.3. New --delete-all
flag for the dsc server:delete
CLI command
With this update, you can use dsc server:delete --delete-all
to uninstall the complete Red Hat OpenShift Dev Spaces instance, which includes its operator, related resources, and the OpenShift Dev Spaces namespace. The DevWorkspace Operator will be removed as well, if no other operator depends on it, such as the Web Terminal Operator.
Additional resources
2.4. Administrators can set custom environment variables for OpenShift Dev Spaces containers
With this update, a OpenShift Dev Spaces administrator can specify custom environment variables that will be applied to the containers of the core components of OpenShift Dev Spaces. You can specify those environment variables in the CheCluster
Custom Resource.
Additional resources
2.5. Defining a default persistent storage strategy in the CheCluster Custom Resource
With this update, OpenShift Dev Spaces administrators can define a default persistent storage strategy for new workspaces by using the CheCluster
Custom Resource:
Your users might lose workspace data if you change the storage type.
Persistent
per-user
pvcStrategy
:devEnvironments: storage: pvcStrategy: per-user perUserStrategyPvcConfig: claimSize: __<size>__ storageClass: __<classname>__
NoteA separate PVC is provisioned for each user’s namespace and only for that user’s workspaces. All of the storage for a workspace is mounted on subpaths in the PVC of the workspace. Users cannot run multiple workspaces concurrently.
Persistent
per-workspace
pvcStrategy
:devEnvironments: storage: pvcStrategy: per-workspace perWorkspaceStrategyPvcConfig: claimSize: __<size>__ storageClass: __<classname>__
NoteA separate PVC is provisioned for each workspace within the namespace. Users can run multiple workspaces concurrently.
OpenShift Dev Spaces also supports ephemeral
storage, which you can set as an attribute in the devfile.
Users can override the storage strategy by entering a URL parameter when starting a new workspace. See URL parameter for the workspace storage.
Additional resources
2.6. Upgrade of the Dependency Analytics plug-in
The Dependency Analytics plug-in is upgraded to version 0.3.6.
Additional resources
2.7. Improved workspace startup time
This enhancement significantly improves workspace startup time.
Additional resources
2.8. Supported Github Enterprise Server
With this update, administrators can configure OpenShift Dev Spaces to automatically connect to GitHub Enterprise Server, with subdomain isolation enabled, to retrieve and configure personal access tokens. This expands the OAuth 2.0 support that OpenShift Dev Spaces already provides for the GitHub Enterprise Cloud.
Additional resources
2.9. Updated Universal Developer Image
In OpenShift Dev Spaces 3.2, the Universal Developer Image (UDI) is updated as follows:
-
gopls
, the Go language server, is upgraded to version 0.7.2. -
golangci-lint
is removed in favor of the built-in linter ingopls
.
Additional resources
2.10. Editor selection from the sample cards in the dashboard
With this update, users can select an editor from the sample card in the dashboard. On the sample card, go to ⋮> Choose an editor and select one of the available editors.
OpenShift Dev Spaces administrators can change the default editor in the CheCluster
Custom Resource.
Additional resources
Chapter 3. Bug fixes
3.1. OpenShift Dev Spaces with DevWorkspace Operator 0.16 supports Git LFS
Before this update, Git Large File Storage (LFS) was failing on the OpenShift Dev Spaces instances that used DevWorkspace Operator 0.15. It failed because the /etc/gitconfig
file that contained the git-lfs
configuration was automatically overwritten to set the name and email in Git commits in the workspace. With this update, upgrading DevWorkspace Operator to 0.16 resolves this issue.
Additional resources
3.2. Redirection to the IDE during workspace startup
Before this update, the dashboard might fail to automatically redirect to the IDE during workspace startup, which required manually reloading the browser tab. With this update, the dashboard automatically redirects to the IDE during workspace startup.
Additional resources
3.3. DevWorkspace Operator crashloop due to multiple deployments
With this update, the OpenShift Lifecycle Manager treats the DevWorkspace Operator as a OpenShift Dev Spaces dependency, and the Red Hat OpenShift Dev Spaces Operator no longer deploys or manages the DevWorkspace Operator. This enhancement prevents occurrence of multiple deployments of the DevWorkspace Operator and avoids broken webhooks in an unsupported additional DevWorkspace Operator in the devworkspace-controller
namespace.
Additional resources
3.4. Updated migration-rollback script
Before this update, the rollback.sh
script failed to roll back the migration from Dev Spaces to CodeReady Workspaces when rollback.sh
was run directly after 1-prepare.sh
. After this update, the rollback.sh
script successfully rolls the migration back directly after 1-prepare.sh
.
Additional resources
3.5. Bitbucket API client resolves the server URI
Before this update, the Bitbucket API client failed to resolve the server URI because of the path segments. With this update, the server URI is successfully resolved with the path segments.
Additional resources
3.6. Starting new workspaces with clones of public repositories hosted on Bitbucket.org
Before this update, starting a new workspace by entering the URL of a Bitbucket.org-hosted public repository failed. With this update, you can successfully start a new workspace by entering the URL of a Bitbucket.org-hosted public repository that you want to be cloned into the workspace.
Additional resources
3.7. Admin users can deploy applications to OpenShift
Before this update, the admin
users were unable to deploy applications from a Dev Spaces workspace to OpenShift because those users' default projects were not defined. This problem affected all devfiles that projected an example command to deploy the application to OpenShift, including the Node.js devfiles. With this update, when you run the deploy command included with the sample devfile projects, the Dev Spaces workspace project is selected automatically, which resolves the issue.
Additional resources
Chapter 4. Technology preview
Technology Preview features provide early access to upcoming product innovations, enabling you to test functionality and provide feedback during the development process. However, these features are not fully supported under Red Hat Subscription Level Agreements, may not be functionally complete, and are not intended for production use. As Red Hat considers making future iterations of Technology Preview features generally available, we will attempt to resolve any issues that customers experience when using these features. See: Technology preview support scope.
4.1. Visual Studio Code is available in OpenShift Dev Spaces as Technology Preview
With this update, Visual Studio Code is available as an alternative editor as Technology Preview for non-restricted environments.
In Visual Studio Code, commands that are defined in the devfile appear as tasks. To execute such command, go to Command Palette and type task
to see a drop-down list of available task-related commands.
Visual Studio Code availability is a Technology Preview feature only. Technology Preview features are not supported with Red Hat production service level agreements (SLAs) and might not be functionally complete. Red Hat does not recommend using them in production. These features provide early access to upcoming product features, enabling customers to test functionality and provide feedback during the development process. For more information about the support scope of Red Hat Technology Preview features, see https://access.redhat.com/support/offerings/techpreview.
Additional resources
Chapter 5. Deprecated functionalities
5.1. Planned deprecation of the Eclipse Theia editor in OpenShift Dev Spaces
In OpenShift Dev Spaces 3.4, the Eclipse Theia editor will be deprecated and its extensions will no longer be maintained. Eclipse Theia will be removed in a later release of OpenShift Dev Spaces. Red Hat will no longer provide bug fixes and support for Eclipse Theia in OpenShift Dev Spaces but will provide security fixes until its removal from OpenShift Dev Spaces. Although your users can continue to optionally use Eclipse Theia until its removal, you must prepare to migrate your users to Visual Studio Code - Open Source, which will be introduced as the new default editor in OpenShift Dev Spaces 3.3. Visual Studio Code - Open Source is already available as Technology Preview in OpenShift Dev Spaces 3.2 on non-air-gapped clusters and will receive air gap support in OpenShift Dev Spaces 3.3.
Additional resources
Chapter 6. Removed functionalities
6.1. Removed devfile samples
In OpenShift Dev Spaces 3.2, the following devfile samples have been removed:
- Java 11 with JBoss EAP XP 3.0 Bootable Jar
- Java 11 with Red Hat Fuse
- Java 11 with Vert.x Booster
- Java 11 with Vert.x Demo
- Java 8 with Spring Boot
- NodeJS 16 with ConfigMap
- .NET 3.1
Bug fixes and support are provided only through the end of the OpenShift Dev Spaces 3.1 lifecycle.
Additional resources
Chapter 7. Known issues
7.1. Redeploying the DevWorkspace Operator might fail
Currently, redeploying the DevWorkspace Operator fails after running the dsc server:delete --delete-all
command.
Workaround
Delete the remaining DevWorkspace Operator resources:
workspaces=$(oc get devworkspaces --all-namespaces | awk 'NR>1 {print $1}') \ && for workspace in $workspaces ; do \ oc patch devworkspaces/$workspace -p '{ "metadata": { "finalizers": null }}' --type merge || true; \ oc delete devworkspaces/$workspace || true; \ done \ && oc delete crd/devworkspaces.workspace.devfile.io
NoteIf the
oc delete crd/devworkspaces.workspace.devfile.io
command fails, you must deep clean your OpenShift cluster.- Redeploy the DevWorkspace Operator.
Additional resources
7.2. Visual Studio Code behavior when starting workspaces with the same name
Currently, there is a known issue with the in-browser Visual Studio Code editor in workspaces. This happens when you create more than one workspace with the same name. Visual Studio Code does not display pop-up notifications about recommended extensions and the dialog Do you trust the authors of the files in this folder?. Also, Visual Studio Code automatically reopens the last opened files from the previous workspace of the same name. There is currently no workaround for this issue.
Additional resources
7.3. New workspaces might fail to start with Visual Studio Code
Currently, starting a new workspace fails when entering the URL of a Git repository that does not contain a devfile and specifying the Technology Preview editor, Visual Studio Code. The error message states the following reason: Unable to resolve che-code plugins: Not able to find any dev container component in DevWorkspace. There is currently no workaround for this issue.
Additional resources
7.4. Cloning private Git repositories is failing for specified Git revisions
There is currently a known issue when starting workspaces that clone private Git repositories. After successfully cloning and reading the remote Git repository, the project-clone container fails to checkout a specified Git revision, for example a feature branch or PR branch. As a result of this error, the remote Git repository is cloned into a temporary directory named project-clone-<random_characters>.
In OpenShift Dev Spaces, users have two ways to specify a Git revision for a new workspace:
-
By adding a
checkoutFrom
section in the devfile. - By visiting or entering the URL of a feature branch or pull request in the browser or in the OpenShift Dev Spaces dashboard.
Workaround
If you are using a
checkoutFrom
section in the devfile, then do as follows:-
Before starting a new workspace, remove or comment out the
checkoutFrom
section from the devfile. - After the repository is cloned, switch to the desired revision.
-
Before starting a new workspace, remove or comment out the
If you are using the URL of a feature branch or pull request to start a new workspace, then do as follows:
- When starting a new workspace, enter the URL of the repository without any branch syntax.
- After the repository is cloned, switch to the desired revision.
Additional resources
7.5. Private container images cannot be pulled from added container registries
Currently, pulling of a private container image fails when the image is pulled from a container registry that was added in the dashboard,
→ .Workaround
Delete the
devworkspace-container-registry-dockercfg
Secret:$ oc delete secret devworkspace-container-registry-dockercfg -n <openshift_project>
Create a new
devworkspace-container-registry-dockercfg
Secret:$ oc create secret docker-registry devworkspace-container-registry-dockercfg --docker-username=<username> --docker-password=<password> -n <openshift_project>
Edit the metadata of the new Secret:
labels: controller.devfile.io/devworkspace_pullsecret: 'true' controller.devfile.io/watch-secret: 'true'
Additional resources
7.6. Workspace starting and deletion might fail
Currently, a workspace might fail to start, and then you might be unable to delete it. This is caused by a persistent volume claim (PVC) issue. Subsequently, the same problem occurs with other workspaces.
Workaround
-
Remove the
DevWorkspace
object of the first stuck workspace. - Remove the PVC that is bound to the invalid volume.
Additional resources
7.7. Java Gradle sample fails in restricted environments
Currently, there is a known issue with the Java Gradle sample in restricted environments. Running the 1-build
command to build an application might result in the FAILURE: Build failed with an exception error and failure to load a native library or not resolving a plug-in artifact in plug-in repositories. There is currently no workaround for this issue.
Additional resources
7.8. CheCluster
custom resource retains its pre-upgrade name
Currently, the name of the CheCluster
custom resource remains the same as before upgrading from CodeReady Workspaces 2.15 to OpenShift Dev Spaces 3.2. Customers whose Checluster
custom resource name is codeready-workspaces
before the upgrade will find the same name after the upgrade. There is currently no workaround for this issue.
Additional resources
7.9. Users cannot edit profile information in the dashboard
Currently, the Account page in the dashboard remains for display purposes only. To edit user profile, users must do so within OpenShift, because OpenShift OAuth is used for user management in OpenShift Dev Spaces.
Additional resources
Chapter 8. Frequently asked questions
- Is it possible to deploy applications to an OpenShift cluster from OpenShift Dev Spaces?
-
Yes. The user must log in to the OpenShift cluster from their running workspace using
oc login
. - For best performance, what is the recommended storage to use for Persistent Volumes used with OpenShift Dev Spaces?
- Use block storage.
- Is it possible to deploy more than one OpenShift Dev Spaces instance on the same cluster?
- It is not recommended. This feature is subject to removal in a future release.
- Is it possible to install OpenShift Dev Spaces offline (that is, disconnected from the internet)?
- Yes. See Installing Red Hat OpenShift Dev Spaces in restricted environments on OpenShift.
- Is it possible to use non-default certificates with OpenShift Dev Spaces?
- Yes, you can use self-signed or public certificates. See Importing untrusted TLS certificates.
- Is it possible to run multiple workspaces simultaneously?
- Yes. See Enabling users to run multiple workspaces simultaneously.
- What specific changes have been implemented for IBM Power Systems?
The memory limit for some plug-ins has been increased, to give Pods sufficient RAM to run.
Table 8.1. Example memory limits differences between IBM Power System and other architectures Plug-in IBM Power System Other architectures Che-Theia editor
2G
512M
OpenShift connector
2.5G
1.5G