Python toolchain build failure: configure: error: in `/Python-3.8.6': 236.6 configure: error: cannot compute sizeof (long double)

[benfrancis]

In working on upgrading the add-on builder to support Node.js 20 I have discovered that the add-on builder Docker image for Python is now failing to build.

configure: error: in `/Python-3.8.6':
236.6 configure: error: cannot compute sizeof (long double)

It appears that the Docker images for the Python toolchain actually download and compile specific versions of Python from source, and compiling (now quite oudated) older versions of Python on Debian Bookworm is failing.

I would also like to upgrade the version of Python used in the OS image of WebThings Gateway and add support for a newer version (3.11.2?) to the add-on builder to match.

The Node.js images use nvm to install a specific version of Node.js and I'm wondering why the Python images compile Python from source. Would it be better to use something like venv for Python rather than trying to build from source? I'm not sure if there's a reason that the Docker images compile Python from source, e.g. if there weren't pre-built packages for some of the architectures we support?

[benfrancis]

Note that I've temporarily disabled the builds of the Python toolchain Docker images in CI in order to let the Node.js builds finish successfully. The Python toolchain images can still be built locally until we get them working again.

I suggest discussing the current build issue in this issue and the upgrade to Python 3.11 in #57

[benfrancis]

It appears that the Docker images for the Python toolchain actually download and compile specific versions of Python from source, and compiling (now quite oudated) older versions of Python on Debian Bookworm is failing.

I've noticed the linux-arm python toolchain is still using buster.

A next step might be to change all the base images to the official Debian Bookworm images like I've done with the node toolchains, which seemed to fix some things.