Drop Python 3.7

Given that, after the release of 103.0 LTS, we're now on track for
bigger chances, let's start by dropping Python 3.7 support.

There are a number of features that are available on Python 3.8 and
later only. One example is the availibility of importlib.metadata
stardand library, which we intend to use to replace pkg_resources (and
then setuptools as a whole).

As for Avocado users and important platforms, we're on a good position
such as QEMU already requiring Python 3.8, and CentOS Stream 9
shipping Python 3.9.18.

Reference: avocado-framework#5754
Signed-off-by: Cleber Rosa <[email protected]>

.github/workflows/ci.yml

@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ jobs:
 
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        python-version: [3.7, 3.8, 3.9, 3.10.0, 3.11, 3.12.0]
+        python-version: [3.8, 3.9, 3.10.0, 3.11, 3.12.0]
       fail-fast: false
 
     steps:
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ jobs:
 
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        python-version: [3.7, 3.8, 3.9, 3.10.0, 3.11, 3.12.0]
+        python-version: [3.8, 3.9, 3.10.0, 3.11, 3.12.0]
       fail-fast: false
 
     steps:
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ jobs:
 
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        python-version: [3.7, 3.8, 3.9, 3.10.0, 3.11, 3.12.0]
+        python-version: [3.8, 3.9, 3.10.0, 3.11, 3.12.0]
       fail-fast: false
 
     steps:
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@ jobs:
 
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        python-version: [3.7, 3.8, 3.9, 3.10.0, 3.11, 3.12.0]
+        python-version: [3.8, 3.9, 3.10.0, 3.11, 3.12.0]
       fail-fast: false
 
     steps:

.github/workflows/release.yml

@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ jobs:
     needs: release
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        python-version: [3.7.15, 3.8.16, 3.9.16, 3.10.9, 3.11.1, 3.12.0]
+        python-version: [3.8.16, 3.9.16, 3.10.9, 3.11.1, 3.12.0]
       fail-fast: false
 
     steps:

contrib/scripts/avocado-fetch-eggs.py

@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ def get_avocado_egg_url(avocado_version=None, python_version=None):
 
 def main():
     configure_logging_settings()
-    for version in ["3.7", "3.8", "3.9", "3.10", "3.11", "3.12"]:
+    for version in ["3.8", "3.9", "3.10", "3.11", "3.12"]:
         url = get_avocado_egg_url(python_version=version)
         try:
             asset = Asset(url, cache_dirs=CACHE_DIRS)

docs/source/guides/user/chapters/installing.rst

@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ Installing from PyPI
 --------------------
 
 The simplest installation method is through ``pip``.  On most POSIX systems
-with Python 3.7 (or later) and ``pip`` available, installation can be performed
+with Python 3.8 (or later) and ``pip`` available, installation can be performed
 with a single command::
 
   $ pip3 install --user avocado-framework

requirements-dev.txt

@@ -28,7 +28,3 @@ docutils==0.17.1
 
 # For tests that check content generated by runners
 jsonschema==3.2.0
-
-# For ansible plugin nested dep, compatible with Python 3.6
-setuptools_rust==1.1.2; python_version < '3.7'
-setuptools_rust; python_version >= '3.7'

selftests/functional/plugin/spawners/lxc.py

@@ -1,9 +1,8 @@
 import asyncio
 import os
-import sys
 from unittest import mock
 
-from avocado import Test, skipIf
+from avocado import Test
 from avocado.core.job import Job
 from avocado.plugins.spawners import lxc
 from avocado.plugins.spawners.lxc import LXCSpawner
@@ -12,11 +11,6 @@
 LXC_BACKEND = mock.MagicMock()
 
 
-def incompatible_python_version():
-    return sys.version_info.major == 3 and sys.version_info.minor <= 7
-
-
-@skipIf(incompatible_python_version(), "Not compatible with Python under 3.7.0")
 @mock.patch("avocado.plugins.spawners.lxc.lxc", LXC_BACKEND)
 class LXCSpawnerTest(Test):
     def setUp(self):

setup.py

@@ -349,7 +349,6 @@ def run(self):
             "Topic :: Software Development :: Quality Assurance",
             "Topic :: Software Development :: Testing",
             "Programming Language :: Python :: 3",
-            "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.7",
             "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.8",
             "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9",
             "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.10",
@@ -482,7 +481,7 @@ def run(self):
         },
         zip_safe=False,
         test_suite="selftests",
-        python_requires=">=3.7",
+        python_requires=">=3.8",
         cmdclass={
             "clean": Clean,
             "develop": Develop,