♻️CI: modularizing CI workflow towards faster feedback

.github/actions/download-load-docker-images/action.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+name: 'Download and Load Docker Images'
+description: 'Downloads and loads Docker images for integration/system tests'
+
+inputs:
+  artifact-name-pattern:
+    description: 'Artifact name pattern for docker images (e.g., backend, or * for all)'
+    required: false
+    default: 'backend'
+
+  download-path:
+    description: 'Path to download artifacts to'
+    required: false
+    default: '/${{ runner.temp }}/build'
+
+runs:
+  using: 'composite'
+  steps:
+    # FIXME: Workaround for https://github.com/actions/download-artifact/issues/249
+    - name: download docker images with retry
+      uses: Wandalen/wretry.action@master
+      with:
+        action: actions/download-artifact@v4
+        with: |
+          ${{ inputs.artifact-name-pattern == '*' && 'pattern' || 'name' }}: docker-buildx-images-${{ runner.os }}-${{ github.sha }}-${{ inputs.artifact-name-pattern }}
+          path: ${{ inputs.download-path }}
+        attempt_limit: 5
+        attempt_delay: 1000
+
+    - name: load docker images
+      shell: bash
+      run: make load-images local-src=${{ inputs.download-path }}

.github/actions/setup-simcore-env/action.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+name: 'Setup SimCore Environment'
+description: 'Sets up the common environment for SimCore CI jobs'
+
+inputs:
+  python-version:
+    description: 'Python version to use'
+    required: false
+    default: '3.11'
+
+  uv-version:
+    description: 'UV version to use'
+    required: false
+    default: '0.6.x'
+
+  cache-dependency-glob:
+    description: 'Glob pattern for cache dependency files'
+    required: false
+    default: ''
+
+  setup-docker:
+    description: 'Whether to setup Docker BuildX'
+    required: false
+    default: 'true'
+
+  show-system-versions:
+    description: 'Whether to show system versions'
+    required: false
+    default: 'true'
+
+  expose-github-runtime:
+    description: 'Whether to expose GitHub runtime for buildx (needed for some integration tests)'
+    required: false
+    default: 'true'
+
+runs:
+  using: 'composite'
+  steps:
+    - name: Setup Docker BuildX
+      if: inputs.setup-docker == 'true'
+      id: buildx
+      uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
+      with:
+        driver: docker-container
+
+    - name: Expose GitHub runtime for BuildX
+      if: inputs.expose-github-runtime == 'true'
+      uses: crazy-max/ghaction-github-runtime@v3
+
+    - name: Setup Python environment
+      uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+      with:
+        python-version: ${{ inputs.python-version }}
+
+    - name: Install UV
+      uses: astral-sh/setup-uv@v6
+      with:
+        version: ${{ inputs.uv-version }}
+        enable-cache: false
+        cache-dependency-glob: ${{ inputs.cache-dependency-glob }}
+
+    - name: Show system versions
+      if: inputs.show-system-versions == 'true'
+      shell: bash
+      run: ./ci/helpers/show_system_versions.bash

.github/workflows/_reusable-build-images.yml

@@ -26,15 +26,11 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ${{ inputs.os }}
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      - name: setup docker buildx
-        id: buildx
-        uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
+      - name: Setup SimCore environment
+        uses: ./.github/actions/setup-simcore-env
         with:
-          driver: docker-container
-      - name: expose github runtime for buildx
-        uses: crazy-max/ghaction-github-runtime@v3
-      - name: show system environs
-        run: ./ci/helpers/show_system_versions.bash
+          python-version: ${{ inputs.python-version }}
+          expose-github-runtime: 'true'
       - name: build backend images
         if: ${{ inputs.build-backend }}
         run: |