March 2026 – spack/spack-packages: Monthly summary focusing on Draco package updates and packaging reliability. Key features delivered: - Draco package now supports two new versions: 7.21.0 and 7.22.0, with version-specific handling to maintain compatibility and performance as the ecosystem evolves. - Introduced version tags draco-7_21 and draco-7_22 to simplify user selection and scripting in Spack workflows. - Updated the Draco package logic (repos/spack_repo/builtin/packages/draco/package.py) per contributor guidance to reflect new versions and improve maintainability. - Refined handling of the FMA option based on Draco version to ensure optimal behavior with newer releases. - Packaging logic enhanced for future extensibility and easier incorporation of additional Draco versions. Major bugs fixed: - No explicit bug fixes recorded this month. Work focused on feature expansion and robustness of version handling, reducing edge-case failures and maintenance burden. Overall impact and accomplishments: - Enables users to install and configure the latest Draco releases with improved compatibility and performance, reducing time-to-value for projects relying on Draco. - Strengthens packaging reliability and future-proofing for Draco-related deployments, benefitting downstream teams and CI pipelines. Technologies/skills demonstrated: - Python-based packaging and Spack package development, including version management and conditional logic - Version tagging and repository update workflows - Collaborative development (co-authored changes with Richard Berger)