Setup script vs custom image

[Don McIntosh]

I want to set up a CI environment for a python project. The bamboo Amazon image does have python (although you have to configure it as a command) but it doesn't have all the extra python modules that a need installed. If I add these modules using a setup script, does that mean that every time an image is restarted (which as I understand it will happen if no build has been executed in the last ten mins or so), this script will need to be rerun? It's going to take a bit of time to download and install all the modules, so if that is the case, I'd rather set up a custom image.

[Przemek Bruski · Accepted solution]

Yes, they will be redownloaded on each restart. Instead of creating a custom image, consider providing an EBS with the data you need.

[Don McIntosh]

Thanks for the tip. I did that on the weekend and am almost there. In general, that approach works well and sounds preferable to creating a custom image given it means we can continue to work with an Atlassian supported image. I created a virtual python environment on an EBS and it's easy enough to add packages to it and update the EBS when we need to.