As an user, I want to use "sudo pip install" because packages installed in /usr (or /usr/local) are accessible without having to touch PYTHONPATH: the install directory is part of the default sys.path.
Steve Dower also proposed the idea of a "default virtual environment" somewhere in the $HOME directory which would be in the default sys.path. Victor 2018-05-23 21:47 GMT+02:00 Alex Walters <tritium-l...@sdamon.com>: > 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. 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. > >> -----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/3FIFTWKLXC6Y6QI5XI7ZA2J2XEYS4A6J/