Add compiler version check in Devito to guard against unsupported toolchains

[ggorman]

Description:

Currently, Devito does not explicitly verify the compiler version used during code generation or JIT compilation. This can lead to confusing or silent failures when using outdated, non-conforming, or otherwise unsupported compilers—particularly with features like OpenMP 4.0+ pragmas, vectorization support, and more aggressive optimization behaviors.

Proposal:

Introduce explicit compiler version checks within the Devito compilation pipeline to ensure compatibility and provide clear feedback to users.

Implementation Details:

• Compiler Detection: Extend the existing compiler detection logic to retrieve both the compiler name and its version.

• Minimum Supported Versions: Define and document the minimum supported compiler versions. For instance:

  • GCC: ≥ 7.0
  • Clang: ≥ 6.0
  • Intel oneAPI: >=2024.0.2

• Version Verification: During the compilation setup, verify that the detected compiler version meets the minimum requirements.

• User Feedback:

  • If the compiler version is below the minimum supported version, terminate the compilation process and display an informative error message.
  • [optional] If the compiler version is above the minimum but not among the versions tested in CI, emit a warning indicating that the compiler is untested and may lead to unexpected behavior.

Benefits:

• Prevents cryptic or misleading compiler errors, such as silently ignored pragmas or miscompiled kernels.
• Provides clear guidance to users regarding supported compiler versions.
• Encourages the use of modern, standards-compliant toolchains, enhancing overall code reliability.

**Additional Notes:

• Consider integrating these checks into the CI pipeline to ensure that any updates to supported compiler versions are consistently tested.
• Update the Devito documentation to reflect these changes and guide users on configuring their environments accordingly.

[FabioLuporini]

imho the warning makes sense because it suggests they should update their backend compiler instead

[FabioLuporini]

we could intercept it and turn it into our own warning though