[Biopython-dev] Using TravisCI stages for continuous integration

[Peter Cock]

Hi all,

TravisCI have just released new build stages, which can be
used for things like tests and then automated deployment:

https://blog.travis-ci.com/2017-05-11-introducing-build-stages

I've just updated the GitHub repository's TravisCI recipe to
take advantage of the new build stages functionality:

https://github.com/biopython/biopython/commit/4154a48c1531582d332bb1b8d4050838bdc6969b
https://travis-ci.org/biopython/biopython/builds/232880583

This is setup with two stages, first we run the quick basic style
and packaging steps (each about 1.5 minute, run in parallel)
and then if those pass, the main tests as the second stage
(which are slow, around 10 minutes).

The downside: On a clean run, the two-stage process will
take ~1.5 minute longer.

The upsides: Many recent jobs have failed the style check,
so there was little value in running all the computationally
expensive functional tests. We were wasting lots of donated
compute time. Now those failures will stop after the basic
tests, giving a quick negative result.

Peter