Bacalhau v1.5 Release Notes

We're thrilled to announce the release of Bacalhau 1.5.0, a significant update that introduces powerful new features and enhancements. Building on the momentum from our previous releases, Bacalhau 1.5 focuses on simplifying configuration, improving visibility, and enhancing overall performance.

Key Features and Improvements

Simplified Configuration Management

• New File-Based Configuration System: We've introduced a more intuitive file-based configuration system, replacing complex CLI flags. This change makes setting up and managing Bacalhau networks more straightforward and less error-prone.
• Flexible Configuration Options: Users can now provide:
  • A single config file
  • Multiple config files that are merged
  • Key-value pairs directly via the -c - flag (e.g., -c key=value)
• Decoupled Configuration: Configuration is now decoupled from the repo (now called data dir), allowing for more flexible setups.

Enhanced Data Directory Structure

• Improved Organization: We've clearly separated compute and orchestrator related data, providing a cleaner structure.
• Consolidated Metadata: System metadata is now consolidated into a single system_metadata.json file for easier management.

New WebUI

• Embedded Management Interface: Introduced a comprehensive WebUI for easier management and monitoring of your Bacalhau network. This significant feature allows users to visualize and interact with their Bacalhau deployment without relying solely on the CLI.

Enhanced Job Visibility and Reporting

• Granular Event Reporting: Improved reporting on job progress, including detailed scheduling actions, failures, and retries.
• Better Error Messages: Enhanced error reporting system with meaningful messages and debugging hints.

API Enhancements

• Pagination for Job History: Implemented pagination support for job history, improving the user experience when dealing with a large jobs and making it easier to navigate through job and execution history events.

Upgrade Notes and Backward Compatibility

While Bacalhau 1.5.0 introduces some breaking changes, we've ensured a smooth upgrade path:

• Most CLI flags have been removed in favor of configuration files, but we gracefully handle deprecated flags for backward compatibility.
• The structure of the data directory has changed, but we automatically handle the migration when you first run the new Bacalhau version.
• Many old configuration options have been deprecated in favor of the new structure and config keys.

Please refer to our [updated documentation](https://docs.bacalhau.org/) for detailed instructions on upgrading to Bacalhau 1.5.0 and taking advantage of the new configuration system.

We're excited for you to explore the new features and enhancements in Bacalhau 1.5.0. Whether you're a seasoned Bacalhau user or just getting started, this update will empower you to build and run distributed compute networks more effectively than ever before.