Add cvmfsexec and tidy up

Author: ocaisa

docs/getting-access.md

@@ -12,9 +12,10 @@ of the EESSI repository.
 ## Is EESSI accessible?
 
 EESSI can be accessed via [a native (CernVM-FS) installation](#native-installation),
-or via [a container that includes CernVM-FS](#eessi-via-a-container).
+via [a container that includes CernVM-FS](#eessi-via-a-container), or via a dedicated user-space tool called
+[`cvmfsexec`](#eessi-via-cvmfsexec).
 
-Before you look into these options, check if EESSI is already accessible on your system.
+Before you look into other options, check if EESSI is already accessible on your system.
 
 Run the following command:
 ``` { .bash .copy }
@@ -41,23 +42,20 @@ ls: /cvmfs/software.eessi.io: No such file or directory
 ```
 No worries, you don't need to be a :mage: to get access to EESSI.
 
-Continue reading about the [Native installation](#native-installation) of EESSI,
-or accessing [EESSI via a container](#eessi-via-a-container).
+Continue reading about the [Native installation](#native-installation) of EESSI, or
+accessing EESSI via a [container](#eessi-via-a-container) or via [`cvmfsexec`](#eessi-via-cvmfsexec).
 
 ## Native installation
 
 Setting up native access to EESSI, that is a system-wide deployment that does not require workarounds like
 [using a container](#eessi-via-a-container), requires the installation and configuration of [CernVM-FS](https://cernvm.cern.ch/fs).
 
-This requires **admin privileges**, since you need to install CernVM-FS as an OS package.
+This requires **administrator privileges**, since you need to install CernVM-FS as an OS package.
 
 The following actions must be taken for a (basic) native installation of EESSI:
 
 * Installing CernVM-FS itself, ideally using the OS packages provided by the CernVM-FS project
   (although installing from source is also possible);
-* Installing the EESSI configuration for CernVM-FS, which can be done by installing the ``cvmfs-config-eessi``
-  package that we provide for the most popular Linux distributions
-  (more information available [here](https://github.com/EESSI/filesystem-layer/));
 * Creating a small client configuration file for CernVM-FS (``/etc/cvmfs/default.local``);
   see also the [CernVM-FS documentation](https://cvmfs.readthedocs.io/en/stable/cpt-quickstart.html#create-default-local).
 
@@ -180,6 +178,32 @@ In this environment, you should be able to access the EESSI `software.eessi.io`
 ls /cvmfs/software.eessi.io
 ```
 
+## EESSI  via `cvmfsexec`
+
+When you do not have administrator rights, nor access to `singularity`/`apptainer`, there is still another option that
+may work for you: [`cvmfsexec`](https://github.com/cvmfs/cvmfsexec) allows you to mount cvmfs repositories
+as an unprivileged user.
+
+Whether this approach will work is very dependent on the specific system you have access to. If this approach is your
+only option, the best way to check if it will work is to try it out and see if you run into problems.
+
+The first thing you need to do is clone the `cvmfsexec` repository, and enter the directory
+``` { .bash .copy }
+git clone https://github.com/cvmfs/cvmfsexec.git
+cd cvmfsexec
+```
+Once inside this directory, `cvmfsexec` does still require an internet connection and some tools from your system that
+may not be available by default (but are quite common): `curl`, `rpm2cpio`, and `cpio`. If those are available then the
+see if the steps below work for you:
+
+``` { .bash .copy }
+# First we gather the files that cvmfsexec requires (this will also tell you if your OS is supported)
+./makedist default
+
+# Then we try to start cvmfsexec and see what happens
+./cvmfsexec cvmfs-config.cern.ch software.eessi.io -- bash
+```
+
 ---
 
 To start using EESSI, see [Using EESSI](usage.md).

docs/index.md

@@ -12,15 +12,14 @@ EESSI provides a shared, portable, and optimized software stack for scientific c
 
 ## Tutorial Contents
 
-For those attending the live tutorial at ISC26, there is a [prepared environment](prepared-environment.md) available.
+For those attending the live tutorial at ISC 2026, there is a [prepared environment](prepared-environment.md) available.
 
 1. [Introduction to EESSI](introduction.md)
 2. [Getting Access to EESSI](getting-access.md)
 3. [Using EESSI](usage.md)
 4. [EESSI Use Cases](use-cases.md)
 5. [Installing on top of EESSI](installing-on-top.md)
 6. [Using EESSI in CI](ci.md)
-7. [Advanced topics](advanced-topics.md)
 
 ## Learning Objectives
 

docs/introduction.md

@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ We use custom architecture detection scripts
 to automatically select the best suited installations from the software stack for
 a particular host, based on its system architecture.
 
-The software layer is maintained through our [https://github.com/EESSI/software-layer](https://github.com/EESSI/software-layer) GitHub repository.
+The software layer is maintained through our [https://github.com/EESSI/software-layer-scripts](https://github.com/EESSI/software-layer) and [https://github.com/EESSI/software-layer](https://github.com/EESSI/software-layer-scripts) GitHub repositories.
 
 ## Current status
 
@@ -135,4 +135,10 @@ and hence the [MultiXscale](https://www.multixscale.eu/) EuroHPC Centre-of-Excel
 project (2023-2026) that is a collaboration between EESSI and [CECAM](https://www.cecam.org/), with goals
 that include making EESSI ready for production, and supporting community contributions.
 
+In 2024, EESSI won the HPCwire Reader's Choice Award at SC24.
+
+EESSI is also a critical component of the 
+[EuroHPC Federation Platform (EFP)](https://my-eurohpc.eu/), underpinning the Federated Software Catalogue. The first
+release of EFP took place in April 2026.
+
 [*(back to overview page)*](index.md)

docs/prepared-environment.md

@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ Follow the instructions below to get access to a temporary virtual machine
 that you can use for the hands-on exercises during this tutorial.
 
 
-!!! note "Only available during EESSI tutorial at ISC'26"
+!!! note "Only available during EESSI tutorial at ISC 2026"
 
-    This environment is only available during the EESSI tutorial at [ISC'26](https://isc-hpc.com),
+    This environment is only available during the EESSI tutorial at [ISC 2026](https://isc-hpc.com),
     on Monday 22 June 2026.
 
     Alternatively, you can use a system where EESSI is already available, see [here](https://eessi.io/docs/systems).
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ that you can use for the hands-on exercises during this tutorial.
 
 !!! tip "Do not hesitate to ask for help!"
 
-    During the ISC'26 tutorial, raise your hand to ask a question or get help.
+    During the ISC 2026 tutorial, raise your hand to ask a question or get help.
 
     Afterwards, join the EESSI Slack via the "Slack channel" link on the EESSI website
     [https://eessi.io](https://eessi.io), and ask your question there.
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ ssh tutorial.eessi.science
 
 Browse to https://tutorial.eessi.science
 
-- Make sure to change default “Time” to 4 hours
+- Make sure to change default "Time" to 4 hours
 - Take 4 cores
 
 Alternative, use the login node for hands-on, 16 cores so should be fine to share for a small group.

docs/usage.md

@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
     * Explore the software that EESSI has to offer
     * Run examples for some software packages included in EESSI
 
-If the EESSI repository is available, all you need to do is set up your shell environment,
+If the EESSI repository is available, all you need to do is set up your shell environment
 and you can start using the software installations that EESSI provides.
 
 ## Setting up your environment
@@ -17,6 +17,16 @@ To set up the EESSI environment, run the command:
 source /cvmfs/software.eessi.io/versions/2025.06/init/lmod/bash
 ```
 
+!!! note "What if I want a different EESSI version?"
+
+    Indeed there are a few different EESSI versions (`2023.06` and `2025.06`) and this list will grow! You can
+    always select a different EESSI after initialising by loading the appropriate module. For example, for
+    `EESSI/2023.06` I can use the initialisation as above with the version changed, or I can use the same
+    initialisation and switch the `EESSI` module afterwards:
+    ``` { .bash .copy }
+    module load EESSI/2023.06
+    ```
+
 This may take a while as data is downloaded from a Stratum 1 server which is
 part of the CernVM-FS infrastructure to distribute files. You should see the
 following output:

zensical.toml

@@ -53,7 +53,6 @@ nav = [
    { "Use cases for EESSI" = "use-cases.md" },
    { "Installing on top of EESSI" = "installing-on-top.md" },
    { "Using EESSI in CI" = "ci.md" },
-   { "Advanced topics" = "advanced-topics.md" },
 ]
 
 # With the "extra_css" option you can add your own CSS styling to customize