ci: removing WSL for a simpler, more performant approach

alan-agius4 · alan-agius4 · commit d2edcb43b722 · 2025-08-26T15:45:50.000+02:00
We've been using a complex workflow with WSL to run our E2E tests on CI. This method, which involves building on Linux and running on Windows, has led to several issues, including:

- A complex and cumbersome setup.
- Performance overhead due to cross-OS file operations.
- Flakiness caused by symlink conversion problems.

This change overhauls the E2E test workflow to a much simpler and more stable two-step process: building natively on Linux and running natively on Windows.

This new approach significantly simplifies our CI setup by eliminating the dev-infra wsl action and the tricky symlink conversions, leading to better performance and fewer test flakes.
diff --git a/.github/shared-actions/windows-bazel-test/action.yml b/.github/shared-actions/windows-bazel-test/action.yml
@@ -1,87 +1,49 @@
-name: 'Native Windows Bazel e2e test'
-description: 'Runs an Angular CLI e2e Bazel test on native Windows (dispatched from inside WSL)'
-author: 'Angular'
+name: Native Windows Bazel E2E test
+description: Runs an Angular CLI e2e Bazel test on native Windows
+author: Angular
 
 inputs:
   test_target_name:
-    description: E2E test target name
+    description: E2E test target name.
     required: true
   test_args:
     description: |
       Text representing the command line arguments that
       should be passed to the e2e test runner.
     required: false
     default: ''
+  e2e_temp_dir:
+    description: 'The temporary directory path for E2E tests.'
+    required: false
+    # Use D:\\ by default as it's much faster
+    # See: https://devblogs.microsoft.com/commandline/share-environment-vars-between-wsl-and-windows
+    default: 'D:\\tmp_dir'
 
 runs:
-  using: composite
+  using: 'composite'
   steps:
-    - name: Initialize WSL
-      id: init_wsl
-      uses: angular/dev-infra/github-actions/setup-wsl@1ef1e98c528b9e9d0d636d1d768b6ebca195ce5d
-      with:
-        wsl_firewall_interface: 'vEthernet (WSL (Hyper-V firewall))'
-
-    - name: Install node modules in WSL (re-using from previous install/cache restore)
-      run: |
-        export NVM_DIR="$HOME/.nvm"
-        [ -s "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh" ] && \. "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh"
-
-        cd ${{steps.init_wsl.outputs.repo_path}}
-        pnpm install --frozen-lockfile
-      shell: wsl-bash {0}
-
-    - name: Build test binary for Windows (inside WSL)
-      shell: wsl-bash {0}
-      run: |
-        export NVM_DIR="$HOME/.nvm"
-        [ -s "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh" ] && \. "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh"
-
-        cd ${{steps.init_wsl.outputs.repo_path}}
-        pnpm bazel \
-          build --config=e2e //tests/legacy-cli:${{inputs.test_target_name}} --platforms=tools:windows_x64
-      env:
-        # See: https://devblogs.microsoft.com/commandline/share-environment-vars-between-wsl-and-windows
-        WSLENV: 'GOOGLE_APPLICATION_CREDENTIALS/p'
-
-    - name: Copying binary artifact to host
-      shell: wsl-bash {0}
+    - name: Set up temp directory
+      shell: bash
       run: |
-        cd ${{steps.init_wsl.outputs.repo_path}}
-        tar -cf /tmp/test.tar.gz dist/bin/tests/legacy-cli/${{inputs.test_target_name}}_
-        # Use D:/ for better performance see: https://github.com/actions/runner-images/issues/12744
-        mkdir /mnt/d/test
-        mkdir /mnt/d/tmp_dir
-        mv /tmp/test.tar.gz /mnt/d/test
-        (cd /mnt/d/test && tar -xf /mnt/d/test/test.tar.gz)
+        mkdir ${{ inputs.e2e_temp_dir }}
 
     - name: Convert symlinks for Windows host
-      shell: wsl-bash {0}
+      shell: pwsh
       run: |
-        export NVM_DIR="$HOME/.nvm"
-        [ -s "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh" ] && \. "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh"
-
-        cd ${{steps.init_wsl.outputs.repo_path}}
-
-        runfiles_dir="/mnt/d/test/dist/bin/tests/legacy-cli/${{inputs.test_target_name}}_/${{inputs.test_target_name}}.bat.runfiles"
-
-        # Make WSL symlinks compatible on Windows native file system.
-        node scripts/windows-testing/convert-symlinks.mjs $runfiles_dir "${{steps.init_wsl.outputs.cmd_path}}"
+        $runfiles_dir = "./dist/bin/tests/legacy-cli/${{inputs.test_target_name}}_/${{inputs.test_target_name}}.bat.runfiles"
 
         # Needed for resolution because Aspect/Bazel looks for repositories at `<workspace>/external`.
         # TODO(devversion): consult with Aspect on why this is needed.
-        (cd $runfiles_dir/_main && ${{steps.init_wsl.outputs.cmd_path}} /C "mklink /D external ..")
+        Set-Location -Path "${runfiles_dir}\_main"
+        New-Item -ItemType SymbolicLink -Path "external" -Target ".."
 
-    - name: Run tests
-      # Note: This is Git Bash.
+    - name: Run CLI E2E tests
       shell: bash
       env:
         BAZEL_BINDIR: '.'
-        # Use D:/ for better performance see: https://github.com/actions/runner-images/issues/12744
-        E2E_TEMP: 'D:\\tmp_dir'
-      working-directory: "D:\\test"
+        E2E_TEMP: ${{ inputs.e2e_temp_dir }}
       run: |
-        node "${{github.workspace}}\\scripts\\windows-testing\\parallel-executor.mjs" \
-          $PWD/dist/bin/tests/legacy-cli/${{inputs.test_target_name}}_/${{inputs.test_target_name}}.bat.runfiles \
-          ${{inputs.test_target_name}} \
-          "${{inputs.test_args}}" \
+        node ./scripts/windows-testing/parallel-executor.mjs \
+          "./dist/bin/tests/legacy-cli/${{ inputs.test_target_name }}_/${{ inputs.test_target_name }}.bat.runfiles" \
+          ${{ inputs.test_target_name }} \
+          "${{ inputs.test_args }}"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -99,7 +99,38 @@ jobs:
       - name: Run CLI E2E tests
         run: pnpm bazel test --test_env=E2E_SHARD_TOTAL=6 --test_env=E2E_SHARD_INDEX=${{ matrix.shard }} --config=e2e //tests/legacy-cli:e2e.${{ matrix.subset }}_node${{ matrix.node }}
 
-  e2e_windows:
+  build-e2e-windows:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: Initialize environment
+        uses: angular/dev-infra/github-actions/npm/checkout-and-setup-node@1ef1e98c528b9e9d0d636d1d768b6ebca195ce5d
+      - name: Setup Bazel
+        uses: angular/dev-infra/github-actions/bazel/setup@1ef1e98c528b9e9d0d636d1d768b6ebca195ce5d
+      - name: Setup Bazel RBE
+        uses: angular/dev-infra/github-actions/bazel/configure-remote@1ef1e98c528b9e9d0d636d1d768b6ebca195ce5d
+        with:
+          google_credential: ${{ secrets.RBE_TRUSTED_BUILDS_USER }}
+      - name: Install node modules
+        run: pnpm install --frozen-lockfile
+      - name: Build E2E tests for Windows on Linux
+        run: |
+          pnpm bazel build \
+            --config=e2e \
+            //tests/legacy-cli:e2e.npm_node22 \
+            //tests/legacy-cli:e2e.esbuild_node22 \
+            --platforms=tools:windows_x64
+      - name: Store built Windows E2E tests
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@ea165f8d65b6e75b540449e92b4886f43607fa02 # v4.6.2
+        with:
+          name: win-e2e-build-artifacts
+          path: |
+            dist/bin/tests/legacy-cli/**
+            !**/node_modules/**
+          retention-days: 1
+          if-no-files-found: 'error'
+
+  e2e-windows:
+    needs: build-e2e-windows
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
@@ -110,16 +141,14 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
     steps:
       - name: Initialize environment
-        uses: angular/dev-infra/github-actions/npm/checkout-and-setup-node@1ef1e98c528b9e9d0d636d1d768b6ebca195ce5d
-        with:
-          disable-package-manager-cache: true
-      - name: Setup Bazel
-        uses: angular/dev-infra/github-actions/bazel/setup@1ef1e98c528b9e9d0d636d1d768b6ebca195ce5d
-      - name: Setup Bazel RBE
-        uses: angular/dev-infra/github-actions/bazel/configure-remote@1ef1e98c528b9e9d0d636d1d768b6ebca195ce5d
+        uses: angular/dev-infra/github-actions/npm/checkout-and-setup-node@029d16b075db696b35d0d661d0fd3a0552a4b452
+      - name: Install node modules
+        run: pnpm install --frozen-lockfile
+      - name: Download built Windows E2E tests
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@abefc31eafcfbdf6c5336127c1346fdae79ff41c # v4.3.0
         with:
-          allow_windows_rbe: true
-          google_credential: ${{ secrets.RBE_TRUSTED_BUILDS_USER }}
+          name: win-e2e-build-artifacts
+          path: dist/bin/tests/legacy-cli/
       - name: Run CLI E2E tests
         uses: ./.github/shared-actions/windows-bazel-test
         with:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pr.yml b/.github/workflows/pr.yml
@@ -127,27 +127,53 @@ jobs:
       - name: Run CLI E2E tests
         run: pnpm bazel test --test_env=E2E_SHARD_TOTAL=6 --test_env=E2E_SHARD_INDEX=${{ matrix.shard }} --config=e2e //tests/legacy-cli:e2e.${{ matrix.subset }}_node${{ matrix.node }}
 
-  e2e-windows-subset:
-    needs: build
-    runs-on: windows-2025
+  build-e2e-windows-subset:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - name: Initialize environment
         uses: angular/dev-infra/github-actions/npm/checkout-and-setup-node@1ef1e98c528b9e9d0d636d1d768b6ebca195ce5d
-        with:
-          disable-package-manager-cache: true
       - name: Setup Bazel
         uses: angular/dev-infra/github-actions/bazel/setup@1ef1e98c528b9e9d0d636d1d768b6ebca195ce5d
       - name: Setup Bazel RBE
         uses: angular/dev-infra/github-actions/bazel/configure-remote@1ef1e98c528b9e9d0d636d1d768b6ebca195ce5d
+      - name: Install node modules
+        run: pnpm install --frozen-lockfile
+      - name: Build E2E tests for Windows on Linux
+        run: |
+          pnpm bazel build \
+            --config=e2e \
+            //tests/legacy-cli:e2e.esbuild_node22 \
+            --platforms=tools:windows_x64
+      - name: Store built Windows E2E tests
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@ea165f8d65b6e75b540449e92b4886f43607fa02 # v4.6.2
+        with:
+          name: win-e2e-build-artifacts
+          path: |
+            dist/bin/tests/legacy-cli/**
+            !**/node_modules/**
+          retention-days: 1
+          if-no-files-found: 'error'
+
+  e2e-windows-subset:
+    needs: build-e2e-windows-subset
+    runs-on: windows-2025
+    steps:
+      - name: Initialize environment
+        uses: angular/dev-infra/github-actions/npm/checkout-and-setup-node@029d16b075db696b35d0d661d0fd3a0552a4b452
+      - name: Install node modules
+        run: pnpm install --frozen-lockfile
+      - name: Download built Windows E2E tests
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@abefc31eafcfbdf6c5336127c1346fdae79ff41c # v4.3.0
         with:
-          allow_windows_rbe: true
+          name: win-e2e-build-artifacts
+          path: dist/bin/tests/legacy-cli/
       - name: Run CLI E2E tests
         uses: ./.github/shared-actions/windows-bazel-test
+        with:
+          test_target_name: e2e.esbuild_node22
+          test_args: --glob "tests/basic/{build,rebuild}.ts"
         env:
           E2E_SHARD_TOTAL: 1
-        with:
-          test_target_name: e2e_node22
-          test_args: --esbuild --glob "tests/basic/{build,rebuild}.ts"
 
   e2e-package-managers:
     needs: build
diff --git a/scripts/windows-testing/convert-symlinks.mjs b/scripts/windows-testing/convert-symlinks.mjs
