ci(gh_actions): fix python version in github actions

Author: peterdragun

.github/workflows/build_esptool.yml

@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ jobs:
         name: Build and test in ${{ matrix.platform }}
         with:
           arch: ${{ matrix.platform }}
-          distro: ubuntu20.04
+          distro: ubuntu22.04
           shell: /bin/bash
           # Not required, but speeds up builds by storing container images in
           # a GitHub package registry.
@@ -31,17 +31,20 @@ jobs:
           dockerRunArgs: --volume "${PWD}/${{ env.DISTPATH }}:/${{ env.DISTPATH }}"
           install: |
             apt-get update -y
-            apt-get install --ignore-missing -y python3 python3-pip python3-setuptools python-is-python3 pkg-config openssl libffi-dev libssl-dev cargo rustc
+            apt-get install -y software-properties-common
+            add-apt-repository -y ppa:deadsnakes/ppa
+            apt-get update -y
+            apt-get install --ignore-missing -y python3.11 python3.11-dev python3-pip pkg-config openssl libffi-dev libssl-dev cargo rustc
+            python3.11 -m pip install --upgrade pip setuptools wheel
           run: |
+            python3.11 -m pip install --upgrade cffi
             adduser --disabled-password --gecos "" builder
             chmod -R a+rwx /home/runner/work/esptool
             su builder <<EOF
             export PATH=\$PATH:/home/builder/.local/bin
             # Install dependencies
-            python -m pip install --upgrade pip
-            # PyInstaller >=6.0 results in significantly more antivirus false positives
-            pip install pyinstaller==5.13.2
-            pip install --user -e .
+            python3.11 -m pip install pyinstaller==6.11.1
+            python3.11 -m pip install --user -e .
 
             # Build with PyInstaller
             pyinstaller --distpath ./${{ env.DISTPATH }} -F --icon=ci/espressif.ico --add-data="${{ env.STUBS_DIR }}1/*.json:${{ env.STUBS_DIR }}1/" --add-data="${{ env.STUBS_DIR }}2/*.json:${{ env.STUBS_DIR }}2/" esptool.py
@@ -87,7 +90,7 @@ jobs:
         - platform: linux-amd64
           TARGET: linux-amd64
           SEPARATOR: ':'
-          RUN_ON: ubuntu-20.04
+          RUN_ON: ubuntu-22.04
     env:
       DISTPATH: esptool-${{ matrix.TARGET }}
       STUBS_DIR: ./esptool/targets/stub_flasher/
@@ -96,15 +99,14 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - name: Checkout repository
         uses: actions/checkout@master
-      - name: Set up Python 3.8
+      - name: Set up Python 3.11
         uses: actions/setup-python@master
         with:
-          python-version: 3.8
+          python-version: "3.11"
       - name: Install dependencies
-        # PyInstaller >=6.0 results in significantly more antivirus false positives
         run: |
           python -m pip install --upgrade pip
-          pip install pyinstaller==5.13.2
+          pip install pyinstaller==6.11.1
           pip install --user -e .
       - name: Build with PyInstaller
         run: |

.github/workflows/test_esptool.yml

@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ jobs:
         - name: Set up Python 3.10
           uses: actions/setup-python@master
           with:
-            python-version: 3.10
+            python-version: "3.10"
 
         - name: Run pre-commit hooks
           run: |

docs/en/installation.rst

@@ -46,6 +46,25 @@ Creating a virtual environment (venv) is a good practice. This is particularly h
 - When you're done using ``esptool.py``, deactivate the virtual environment: ``deactivate``. The environment can be reused by activating it again.
 - If you no longer need the virtual environment, you can remove it by deleting the ``esptoolenv`` directory.
 
+Binary Releases
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+If you do not want to install Python and all the dependencies, you can use the pre-built binaries from the `GitHub Releases <https://github.com/espressif/esptool/releases>`_.
+
+Please note that the binaries might have some limitations:
+
+- The binaries might rely on some system libraries that are not available on all systems.
+- The binaries are available only for selected operating systems - currently macOS (x86_64, arm64), Linux (x86_64, armv7,aarch64) and Windows (x86_64).
+- The binaries might get reported as malware by your antivirus software.
+- The application is larger in size compared to the Python package installation, as it includes all dependencies.
+- The application has slower startup time compared to running the Python script directly.
+- The application cannot be imported as a Python module in other Python applications.
+
+.. note::
+
+   For Linux, the binaries are built using Ubuntu 22.04 as the base image. That means any version older than Ubuntu 22.04 (or any other distribution that uses ``glibc<2.35``) might not work.
+   For using on Ubuntu 20.04, please use the Python package installation or ``v4.*`` release.
+
 How to Update
 -------------
 

docs/en/migration-guide.rst

@@ -180,3 +180,12 @@ The ``make_image`` command for the ESP8266 has been **removed in v5**. This comm
 **Migration Steps:**
 
 1. Replace any ``make_image`` workflows with the recommended way of assembling firmware images using **objcopy** and ``elf2image``.
+
+Using Binary from GitHub Releases on Linux
+******************************************
+
+The ``esptool.py`` binary from GitHub Releases on Linux is now using Ubuntu 22.04 as the base image. That means the image is using ``glibc`` 2.35, which is not fully compatible with the ``glibc`` 2.28 from Ubuntu 20.04 (the base image for ``v4.*``).
+
+**Migration Steps:**
+
+1. Update your operating system to a newer version which bundles ``glibc`` 2.35 or later