A remote mode of pixi install to deploy an environment from a pixi.lock url

[gzm55]

Hi,

Can we design a remote mode, in which we can:

1. install without manifest file (like --frozen)
2. the pixi.lock can be sync from a url, e.g. https://a.com/lockfiles/foo/pixi.lock
3. save the content of lockfile to an content hash local path
4. provide a fast way to compare the local and remote environment_lock_file_hash values, such as a TTL local cache, or http HEAD method on the lockfile url can response the updated hash, etc.

With this function, the developers can easily share a run-time pixi env, or setup the env without cloning the full code repo.

[gzm55]

@ruben-arts @baszalmstra
with the lock-only frozen mode, we can split the pixi.lock into {platform}/{env-name}.lock files, the we could pack the lock files as conda packages (env meta package). Then pixi environments can be delivered precisely and lightly based on the conda infrastructures.

[Hofer-Julian]

Did you check out pixi-pack?

It feels like it comes really close to what you want to achieve

[gzm55]

i have checked the pixi-pack.

The #3953 provides a more light approach. The most concepts are still under the pixi project, such as use lockfile to describe the environment, use pixi native method to install. what's more, the lockfile can be treated as a light weight standalone artifact.

The pixi-pack provides a more portable way to distribute the environment, even has a executable installer header.

[gzm55]

A POC of a unix installer for the lockfile, insert these lines at the beginning of a lockfile:

#!/bin/sh
type : |
  true installer header
  echo Detect and install pixi to ~/.pixi/bin ...
  exec target/pixi/debug/pixi deploy -l "$0" "$@"

The header lines are both valid yaml block and posix shell, and also compatible to the rattler parser. Then run like this:

❯ ./runlock
Detect and install pixi to /root/.pixi/bin ...
error: the following required arguments were not provided:
  <TARGET>

Usage: pixi deploy --lockfile <LOCKFILE> <TARGET>

For more information, try '--help'.



❯ ./runlock ./test-deploy/
Detect and install pixi to /root/.pixi/bin ...


❯ source test-deploy/bin/activate

❯ which python
/work/pixi/test-deploy/bin/python