Revert to Xenial build image after testing Focal?

Netlify site name: carbonzero
Build log snipit:

7:07:11 PM: ---------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPRECATION NOTICE: Builds using the Xenial build image will fail after November 15th, 2022.

The build image for this site uses Ubuntu 16.04 Xenial Xerus, which is no longer supported.
All Netlify builds using the Xenial build image will begin failing in the week of November 15th, 2022.

To avoid service disruption, please select a newer build image at the following link:
https://app.netlify.com/sites/carbonzero/settings/deploys#build-image-selection

For more details, visit the build image migration guide:
https://answers.netlify.com/t/please-read-end-of-support-for-xenial-build-image-everything-you-need-to-know/68239
---------------------------------------------------------------------
7:07:12 PM: build-image version: 1ac2360cf8aee6cb2695dd2682b312fefc908a7f (xenial)
7:07:12 PM: build-image tag: v3.15.0
7:07:12 PM: buildbot version: f45292fab0b32cea549baa8489f553abb9d888be

If we test our current build to see if it will work on Focal out-of-the-box and it fails, will we be able to switch it back to Xenial between now and the end-of-support date until we get a dev to look at it and make the necessary changes?

Hey @blair.carbonzero

Rather than switching a working build to a new build image, I would suggest creating a new site from the same codebase using the new build image. Then you can test make changes if necessary without potentially impacting a working production site, and when you’ve finished, delete the site.

As for switching back and forth between build images, I’ve not tried this (but it is likely possible.) NodeJS (and other) versions are pinned so they don’t change when the build image does. This means even after updating the build image, builds won’t automatically start using a new version and break.

Hi, @blair.carbonzero. To answer this specific question:

If we test our current build to see if it will work on Focal out-of-the-box and it fails, will we be able to switch it back to Xenial between now and the end-of-support date until we get a dev to look at it and make the necessary changes?

Yes, you can still change back to Xenial up to October 18th as documented here. We will not disable that option before that day. After that day any upgrade cannot be downgraded again.

The article about the end of support for Xenial images says:

October 18th, 2022 - “Sites will no longer be able to select the Xenial build image. Upgrading to Focal after this date will be final.”

@luke - is that article no longer up-to-date? The November 15th date is when “Builds using the Xenial build image will fail going forward”

1 Like

Hi, @jpsandiego. Thank you for catching that mistake. The text above did say this:

Yes, you can still change back to Xenial up to November 15th. We will not disable that option before that day.

This was incorrect and I’ve edited the reply above to correct this. @blair.carbonzero, I did quote the wrong date for when switching will stop working. It is October 18th and not November 15th as stated before.