Update the default Emacs version to 28.1

[kaushalmodi]

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.

Emacs is used as a static site generator by many people. It could be used to convert Org mode content directly to HTML using the built-in ox-html exporter. It can also be used to first convert to Markdown and then run regular static site generators like Hugo to convert that to HTML.

I am the maintainer of one such Org to Markdown exporters: ox-hugo. I use Netlify to generate ox-hugo's website: https://ox-hugo.scripter.co/ where the entire Org mode -> Markdown -> Hugo conversion happens on your servers.

Netlify currently uses Emacs 26.3 which is quite a few years old by now. But I am still maintaining ox-hugo to keep supporting that old Emacs version.

Describe the solution you'd like

It would be great if the Emacs version installed on Netlify servers is bumped up to the latest 28.1 version. That will also bump up the built-in org-mode version that ships with Emacs. That would be a welcome change for users using the built-in ox-html exporter as well as Markdown exporters like ox-hugo.

Describe alternatives you've considered

Right now, the default Emacs 26.3 works, but I fear that the support for that old Emacs version will start getting dropped by many Emacs package developers (for e.g. I just dropped support for Emacs 25, and drop of support for Emacs 26.3 will be next).

If Netlify bumps up the Emacs version to the current latest 28.1, it doesn't have to worry about updating Emacs for about 3 more years.

Can you submit a pull request?

No.

Context

I had requested this on Netlify Forums and was asked to open an issue here:
https://answers.netlify.com/t/request-to-update-the-default-emacs-version-from-26-3-to-28-1/56574

[kaushalmodi]

Hello, can someone please look into this?

I want an Emacs package dependency for building a site on Netlify, but it needs at least Emacs 27. Its compilation fails on Emacs 26.3.

I'll really appreciate if the Emacs version can be updated on the Netlify image.

[kaushalmodi]

Pinging @ingride as the last emacs update was done in 73e5c47 .

Is it possible to update emacs-nox to emacs28-nox here:

build-image/Dockerfile

Line 50 in 9289b69

emacs-nox \

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Alternatively, can Netlify allow users to specify the Emacs version just as we can specify the Hugo version using $HUGO_VERSION?

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Reference: https://launchpad.net/~kelleyk/+archive/ubuntu/emacs?field.series_filter=focal