On Wednesday, May 23, 2018, Alex Walters <tritium-l...@sdamon.com> wrote:
> I think the obvious, if socially hard solution, is to make pip panic when > it > sees its being run as root (without, perhaps, a flag to tell pip "No, I > really mean it, run as root"), and default to --user. Maybe default to --user if not in a VIRTUAL_ENV (or a conda env). > It is not a good idea > to install packages system wide with pip for reasons more than just > clobbering apt/dnf installed packages. I still think the best idea for > getting a python program to run system wide is either A: symlink from a > inside a venv into something on $PATH, B: just set a shebang to the python > in a venv, or C: bundle your application into a .deb or .rpm and use the > system package manager to install it. Pip shouldn't be run as root. That being said, installing files as user:group root is less insecure than making them user-writeable; so long as nothing is setuid is root. In most cases, it's ill-advised to allow apps to overwrite themselves and/or their dependencies. > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Victor Stinner <vstin...@redhat.com> > > Sent: Wednesday, May 23, 2018 11:22 AM > > To: distutils-sig@python.org > > Subject: [Distutils] sudo pip install: install pip files into /usr/local > on Linux? > > > > Hi, > > > > pip is currently not well integrated on Linux: it conflicts with the > > system package manager like apt or rpm. When pip writes files into > > /usr, it can replace files written by the system package manager and > > so create different kind of issues. For example, if you check the > > system integry, you will likely see that some Python files have been > > modified. > > > > I would like to open a discussion to see how each Linux vendor handles > > the issue, and see if a common solution can be designed. > > > > Debian uses /usr for apt-get install and /usr/local for distutils and > > "sudo pip". > > > > Fedora decided to change pip to install files into /usr/local by > > default, instead of /usr, so "sudo pip install" doesn't replace files > > installed by dnf (Fedora package manager): > > https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Changes/Making_sudo_pip_safe > > > > It gives you 3 main places to install Python code: /usr (managed by > > dnf), /usr/local (managed by sudo pip), $HOME/.local (managed by pip > > --user). > > > > Would it make sense to make the Fedora/Debian change upstream? At > > least, give an opt-in option for Linux vendors to use /usr/local? > > > > I propose to make the change upstream because there are still issues, > > and I don't want to be alone to have to fix them :-) It should be > > easier if we agree on a filesystem layout and an implementation, so > > we can collaborate on issues! > > > > > > Issues with the current Fedora implementation: > > > > (1) When Python is embedded in an application, there is an issue with > > the current heuristic to decide if /usr/local should be added to > > sys.path: > > > > https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1532287 > > > > (2) On Fedora, "sudo pip install -U" currently removes old code from > > /usr and install the new one in /usr/local. We should leave /usr > > unchanged, since only dnf should touch /usr. > > > > https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1550368#c24 > > > > The implementation is made of a single patch on the Python site module: > > > > https://src.fedoraproject.org/rpms/python3/blob/master/f/00251-change- > > user-install-location.patch > > > > -- > > > > There are two issues related to the "sudo pip" change, but they > > already exist when pip is installed in $HOME/.local: > > > > (3) Priority issue between PATH and PYTHONPATH directories. > > > > When the user runs "pip", the pip binary may come from /usr, > > /usr/local or $HOME/.local/bin, but the Python pip module ("import > > pip") may come from a different path. Which binary and which module > > should be used? > > > > Obvisouly, users can replace these two environment variables... > > > > (4) Related to (3). Running "pip" may run pip binary of one pip > > version, but pick the "pip" Python module of another pip version. > > > > For example, pip9 binary from /usr/bin/pip, but pip10 module from > > /usr/local. > > > > > > Fedora works around issue (4) with a downstream patch on pip: > > > > https://src.fedoraproject.org/rpms/python-pip/blob/master/f/pip9-allow- > > pip10-import.patch > > > > -- > > > > I don't well well how Linux distributions handle the issue with "sudo > > pip". So don't hesitate to correct me if I'm wrong :-) My goal is > > just to start a discussion about a common "upstream" solution. > > > > Victor > > -- > > Distutils-SIG mailing list > > distutils-sig@python.org > > https://mail.python.org/mm3/mailman3/lists/distutils-sig.python.org/ > > Message archived at https://mail.python.org/mm3/archives/list/distutils- > > s...@python.org/message/OLGLHTSHLEPLHUTTVNU6L5QFTMNFIB6Z/ > -- > Distutils-SIG mailing list > distutils-sig@python.org > https://mail.python.org/mm3/mailman3/lists/distutils-sig.python.org/ > Message archived at https://mail.python.org/mm3/ > archives/list/distutils-sig@python.org/message/ > I2F6SW6MVFTJFQNTQCB2HTZC7QOT7GBE/ >
-- Distutils-SIG mailing list distutils-sig@python.org https://mail.python.org/mm3/mailman3/lists/distutils-sig.python.org/ Message archived at https://mail.python.org/mm3/archives/list/distutils-sig@python.org/message/QE4TPQISKCKMCG7HHPOQFWVTB44D5NLH/
