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BOINC compatibility matrix

This page defines the BOINC client branches boincrs actively validates. The matrix is about GUI RPC compatibility for local clients, not every historical BOINC installer that has ever existed upstream.

Supported targets​

BOINC targetTypical host OS combinationsValidation statusKnown notes
7.16.xLegacy macOS 10.9–12.x installs and older Windows/macOS hosts still pinned to 7.16Supported with fixture coverage and manual legacy-host smoke when BOINC-facing code changesOlder clients may require CA bundle updates to reach some projects; replies commonly use tags like active_task_state, last_bytes_xferred, and error.
7.20.xmacOS 10.10–12.x transition hosts that cannot move to 8.x yetSupported with fixture coverage and manual smoke on a matching macOS host when BOINC-facing code changesSome replies expose app identity via plan_class and mode values under nested <mode> tags.
8.2.xLinux x64 / ARM64, macOS 10.13+, Windows 10/11 x64Supported current branch with fixture coverage plus automated host-OS CI on Linux, macOS, and WindowsUpstream's current mainstream branch; boincrs validates GUI RPC behavior, not optional Docker/host packaging features.

Automated validation​

Each supported BOINC branch has a dedicated fixture-backed compatibility test:

cargo test --test compatibility_matrix_tests boinc_7_16_fixture_compatibility
cargo test --test compatibility_matrix_tests boinc_7_20_fixture_compatibility
cargo test --test compatibility_matrix_tests boinc_8_2_fixture_compatibility

Fixtures live under tests/fixtures/compatibility/ and deliberately cover the parser fallbacks that vary across BOINC releases, including alternate task-state, transfer, application, and mode encodings.

GitHub Actions also runs a host-OS build/test matrix on:

  • ubuntu-latest
  • macos-latest
  • windows-latest

That host matrix validates that boincrs itself still builds and passes tests on the common desktop environments used with local BOINC clients.

Manual validation​

Automation does not replace a live daemon check. Before a release:

  1. Install or launch the target BOINC client version on the intended host OS.
  2. Run the ignored live read-surface test: 
    BOINCRS_PASSWORD_FILE=/path/to/gui_rpc_auth.cfg \
      cargo test --test live_local_boinc -- --ignored --nocapture
  3. Run cargo run and complete the smoke checklist.
  4. Record the host OS, BOINC version, and outcome in the release sign-off notes.

If the change touched BOINC protocol parsing, auth, transport, or controller refresh logic, repeat the live check on one legacy branch target (7.16.x or 7.20.x) in addition to the current 8.2.x branch.

Known limitations and quirks​

  • boincrs currently supports local GUI RPC workflows. Remote profile management is outside this compatibility matrix.
  • BOINC versions before 7.18 can need upstream certificate bundle fixes to contact some projects; boincrs does not patch that at runtime.
  • GUI RPC password file locations vary by packaging and OS. Common examples are /etc/boinc-client/gui_rpc_auth.cfg on Linux and BOINC-managed app data paths on macOS or Windows installs.
  • New BOINC fields may appear without breaking boincrs, but missing or renamed fields still need fixture updates before a new BOINC branch is promoted to "supported".

Maintenance​

When BOINC-facing behavior changes:

  1. Update or add fixtures under tests/fixtures/compatibility/.
  2. Keep this matrix in sync with the targets covered by CI.
  3. Update the release checklist and this page if support policy changes.