New release v2.16.0rc1 (#81986)

changelogs/CHANGELOG-v2.16.rst

@@ -5,6 +5,39 @@ ansible-core 2.16 "All My Love" Release Notes
 .. contents:: Topics
 
 
+v2.16.0rc1
+==========
+
+Release Summary
+---------------
+
+| Release Date: 2023-10-16
+| `Porting Guide <https://docs.ansible.com/ansible-core/2.16/porting_guides/porting_guide_core_2.16.html>`__
+
+
+Minor Changes
+-------------
+
+- ansible-test - Make Python 3.12 the default version used in the ``base`` and ``default`` containers.
+
+Deprecated Features
+-------------------
+
+- Old style vars plugins which use the entrypoints `get_host_vars` or `get_group_vars` are deprecated. The plugin should be updated to inherit from `BaseVarsPlugin` and define a `get_vars` method as the entrypoint.
+
+Bugfixes
+--------
+
+- Cache host_group_vars after instantiating it once and limit the amount of repetitive work it needs to do every time it runs.
+- Call PluginLoader.all() once for vars plugins, and load vars plugins that run automatically or are enabled specifically by name subsequently.
+- Fix ``run_once`` being incorrectly interpreted on handlers (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/81666)
+- Properly template tags in parent blocks (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/81053)
+- ansible-galaxy - Provide a better error message when using a requirements file with an invalid format - https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/81901
+- ansible-inventory - index available_hosts for major performance boost when dumping large inventories
+- ansible-test - Add a ``pylint`` plugin to work around a known issue on Python 3.12.
+- ansible-test - Include missing ``pylint`` requirements for Python 3.10.
+- ansible-test - Update ``pylint`` to version 3.0.1.
+
 v2.16.0b2
 =========
 
@@ -313,4 +346,3 @@ Known Issues
 
 - ansible-galaxy - dies in the middle of installing a role when that role contains Java inner classes (files with $ in the file name).  This is by design, to exclude temporary or backup files. (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/pull/81553).
 - ansible-test - The ``pep8`` sanity test is unable to detect f-string spacing issues (E201, E202) on Python 3.10 and 3.11. They are correctly detected under Python 3.12. See (https://github.com/PyCQA/pycodestyle/issues/1190).
-- ansible-test - The ``pylint`` sanity test is not supported on Python 3.12. Use Python 3.10 or 3.11 instead.

changelogs/changelog.yaml

@@ -290,8 +290,6 @@ releases:
       - ansible-test - The ``pep8`` sanity test is unable to detect f-string spacing
         issues (E201, E202) on Python 3.10 and 3.11. They are correctly detected under
         Python 3.12. See (https://github.com/PyCQA/pycodestyle/issues/1190).
-      - ansible-test - The ``pylint`` sanity test is not supported on Python 3.12.
-        Use Python 3.10 or 3.11 instead.
       minor_changes:
       - Add Python type hints to the Display class (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/80841)
       - Add ``GALAXY_COLLECTIONS_PATH_WARNING`` option to disable the warning given
@@ -563,7 +561,6 @@ releases:
     - ansible-test-long-timeout-fix.yml
     - ansible-test-minimum-setuptools.yml
     - ansible-test-nios-container.yml
-    - ansible-test-pylint-python-3.12.yml
     - ansible-test-pylint-update.yml
     - ansible-test-pytest-forked.yml
     - ansible-test-python-3.12.yml
@@ -713,3 +710,44 @@ releases:
     - import_role_goes_public.yml
     - winrm-send-input.yml
     release_date: '2023-10-03'
+  2.16.0rc1:
+    changes:
+      bugfixes:
+      - Cache host_group_vars after instantiating it once and limit the amount of
+        repetitive work it needs to do every time it runs.
+      - Call PluginLoader.all() once for vars plugins, and load vars plugins that
+        run automatically or are enabled specifically by name subsequently.
+      - Fix ``run_once`` being incorrectly interpreted on handlers (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/81666)
+      - Properly template tags in parent blocks (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/81053)
+      - ansible-galaxy - Provide a better error message when using a requirements
+        file with an invalid format - https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/81901
+      - ansible-inventory - index available_hosts for major performance boost when
+        dumping large inventories
+      - ansible-test - Add a ``pylint`` plugin to work around a known issue on Python
+        3.12.
+      - ansible-test - Include missing ``pylint`` requirements for Python 3.10.
+      - ansible-test - Update ``pylint`` to version 3.0.1.
+      deprecated_features:
+      - Old style vars plugins which use the entrypoints `get_host_vars` or `get_group_vars`
+        are deprecated. The plugin should be updated to inherit from `BaseVarsPlugin`
+        and define a `get_vars` method as the entrypoint.
+      minor_changes:
+      - ansible-test - Make Python 3.12 the default version used in the ``base`` and
+        ``default`` containers.
+      release_summary: '| Release Date: 2023-10-16
+
+        | `Porting Guide <https://docs.ansible.com/ansible-core/2.16/porting_guides/porting_guide_core_2.16.html>`__
+
+        '
+    codename: All My Love
+    fragments:
+    - 2.16.0rc1_summary.yaml
+    - 79945-host_group_vars-improvements.yml
+    - 81053-templated-tags-inheritance.yml
+    - 81666-handlers-run_once.yml
+    - 81901-galaxy-requirements-format.yml
+    - ansible-test-pylint3-update.yml
+    - ansible-test-python-3.12-compat.yml
+    - ansible-test-python-default.yml
+    - inv_available_hosts_to_frozenset.yml
+    release_date: '2023-10-16'

changelogs/fragments/2.16.0rc1_summary.yaml

@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+release_summary: |
+   | Release Date: 2023-10-16
+   | `Porting Guide <https://docs.ansible.com/ansible-core/2.16/porting_guides/porting_guide_core_2.16.html>`__

lib/ansible/release.py

@@ -19,6 +19,6 @@
 from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function)
 __metaclass__ = type
 
-__version__ = '2.16.0b2.post0'
+__version__ = '2.16.0rc1'
 __author__ = 'Ansible, Inc.'
 __codename__ = "All My Love"