[4.0.0] Drop Ansible 2.9 and ansible-base 2.10 compatibility

.azure-pipelines/azure-pipelines.yml

@@ -103,35 +103,6 @@ stages:
             - test: 4
             - test: 5
 
-  - stage: Sanity_2_10
-    displayName: Sanity 2.10
-    dependsOn: []
-    jobs:
-      - template: templates/matrix.yml
-        parameters:
-          nameFormat: Test {0}
-          testFormat: 2.10/sanity/{0}
-          targets:
-            - test: 1
-            - test: 2
-            - test: 3
-            - test: 4
-            - test: 5
-
-  - stage: Sanity_2_9
-    displayName: Sanity 2.9
-    dependsOn: []
-    jobs:
-      - template: templates/matrix.yml
-        parameters:
-          nameFormat: Test {0}
-          testFormat: 2.9/sanity/{0}
-          targets:
-            - test: 1
-            - test: 2
-            - test: 3
-            - test: 4
-            - test: 5
 ### Units
   - stage: Units_devel
     displayName: Units devel
@@ -186,38 +157,6 @@ stages:
             - test: 3.8
             - test: 3.9
 
-  - stage: Units_2_10
-    displayName: Units 2.10
-    dependsOn: []
-    jobs:
-      - template: templates/matrix.yml
-        parameters:
-          nameFormat: Python {0}
-          testFormat: 2.10/units/{0}/1
-          targets:
-            - test: 2.6
-            - test: 2.7
-            - test: 3.5
-            - test: 3.6
-            - test: 3.7
-            - test: 3.8
-            - test: 3.9
-
-  - stage: Units_2_9
-    displayName: Units 2.9
-    dependsOn: []
-    jobs:
-      - template: templates/matrix.yml
-        parameters:
-          nameFormat: Python {0}
-          testFormat: 2.9/units/{0}/1
-          targets:
-            - test: 2.6
-            - test: 2.7
-            - test: 3.5
-            - test: 3.6
-            - test: 3.7
-            - test: 3.8
 ### Cloud
   - stage: Cloud_devel
     displayName: Cloud devel
@@ -267,27 +206,6 @@ stages:
           targets:
             - test: 3.8
 
-  - stage: Cloud_2_10
-    displayName: Cloud 2.10
-    dependsOn: []
-    jobs:
-      - template: templates/matrix.yml
-        parameters:
-          nameFormat: Python {0}
-          testFormat: 2.10/cloud/{0}/1
-          targets:
-            - test: 3.6
-
-  - stage: Cloud_2_9
-    displayName: Cloud 2.9
-    dependsOn: []
-    jobs:
-      - template: templates/matrix.yml
-        parameters:
-          nameFormat: Python {0}
-          testFormat: 2.9/cloud/{0}/1
-          targets:
-            - test: 3.5
 ### Finally
   - stage: Summary
     condition: succeededOrFailed()
@@ -296,19 +214,13 @@ stages:
       - Sanity_2_13
       - Sanity_2_12
       - Sanity_2_11
-      - Sanity_2_10
-      - Sanity_2_9
       - Units_devel
       - Units_2_13
       - Units_2_12
       - Units_2_11
-      - Units_2_10
-      - Units_2_9
       - Cloud_devel
       - Cloud_2_13
       - Cloud_2_12
       - Cloud_2_11
-      - Cloud_2_10
-      - Cloud_2_9
     jobs:
       - template: templates/coverage.yml

README.md

@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ For more information about communication, refer to the [Ansible communication gu
 
 ## Tested with Ansible
 
-Tested with the Ansible 2.9, 2.10, 2.11, 2.12, and 2.13 releases, and the current development version of Ansible. Ansible versions before 2.9.10 are not supported.
+Tested with the Ansible 2.11, 2.12, and 2.13 releases, and the current development version of Ansible. Ansible-core versions before 2.11.0 are not supported. In particular, ansible-base 2.10 and Ansible 2.9 are not supported. Use community.network 3.x.y if you are using Ansible 2.9 or ansible-base 2.10.
 
 ### Supported connections
 The community network collection supports `network_cli`  and `httpapi` connections.

changelogs/fragments/426-remove-2.9-2.10-compatibility.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+major_changes:
+  - The community.network collection no longer supports Ansible 2.9 and ansible-base 2.10. While we take no active measures to prevent usage, we will remove compatibility code and other compatility measures that will effectively prevent using most content from this collection with Ansible 2.9, and some content of this collection with ansible-base 2.10. Both Ansible 2.9 and ansible-base 2.10 will very soon be End of Life and if you are still using them, you should consider upgrading to ansible-core 2.11 or later as soon as possible (https://github.com/ansible-collections/community.network/pull/426).