fix(install): remove OPENSHELL_INSTALL_METHOD variable

olivercalder · olivercalder · commit c91aea97067e · 2026-07-16T22:47:00.000-05:00
The contract of `install.sh` is to choose the best installation method
for the host system. Adding the `OPENSHELL_INSTALL_METHOD` variable
breaks that contract, so it is best to remove it.

Signed-off-by: Oliver Calder &lt;oliver.calder@canonical.com&gt;
diff --git a/docs/about/installation.mdx b/docs/about/installation.mdx
@@ -56,13 +56,13 @@ brew services restart openshell
 
 On distributions that ship with `snapd`, the install script uses the Snap path
 described below, unless one of the following is true:
-- a native (non-snap) Docker package is present (the `openshell` snap requires the `docker` snap, for now)
+
 - `snapd` is not present
-- `OPENSHELL_INSTALL_METHOD` is set in the environment to some value other than `snap` (e.g. `OPENSHELL_INSTALL_METHOD=deb`)
+- a native (non-snap) Docker package is present (the `openshell` snap requires the `docker` snap, until snapd 2.77 is released to the `latest/stable` channel)
 
 On Fedora and RHEL, the install script uses RPM packages. The RPM installs the `openshell` CLI, the `openshell-gateway` daemon, and a systemd user service.
 
-On Debian and Ubuntu, the install script uses a Debian package. The Debian package installs the `openshell` CLI, the `openshell-gateway` daemon, VM sandbox support, and a systemd user service.
+On Debian and Ubuntu (where the snap is not applicable), the install script uses a Debian package. The Debian package installs the `openshell` CLI, the `openshell-gateway` daemon, VM sandbox support, and a systemd user service.
 
 Linux packages require glibc 2.28 or newer. The installer checks libc before downloading packages and exits with an error on older glibc versions, Alpine, musl-based distributions, or unknown libc environments.
 
@@ -188,26 +188,6 @@ Use the `openshell` `.deb` or `.rpm` file when `snapd` is unavailable or when
 you already run Docker from a non-snap source. The installer falls back to
 these methods on hosts with native Docker.
 
-### Force an install method
-
-Set `OPENSHELL_INSTALL_METHOD` to force a specific install method instead of
-relying on auto-detection. Supported values:
-
-| Value | Install path |
-|---|---|
-| `deb` | Debian package via `apt`/`dpkg` |
-| `rpm` | RPM package via `dnf`/`yum`/`zypper`/`rpm` |
-| `snap` | Snap package via `snapd` |
-| `homebrew` | Homebrew formula via `brew` (macOS only; not yet supported on Linux) |
-
-When the variable is unset, the script auto-detects the host package manager
-as described above. If the requested method's package manager is not
-installed, the installer aborts with an error.
-
-```shell
-curl -LsSf https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NVIDIA/OpenShell/main/install.sh | OPENSHELL_INSTALL_METHOD=deb sh
-```
-
 ## Kubernetes
 
 Kubernetes deployments use the OpenShell Helm chart. For step-by-step installation, refer to [Kubernetes Setup](/kubernetes/setup). For chart values and packaging details, refer to the [Helm chart README](https://github.com/NVIDIA/OpenShell/blob/main/deploy/helm/openshell/README.md).
diff --git a/install.sh b/install.sh
@@ -51,10 +51,6 @@ OPTIONS:
 ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES:
     OPENSHELL_VERSION   Release tag to install (default: latest tagged release).
                         Set OPENSHELL_VERSION=dev to install the rolling dev build.
-    OPENSHELL_INSTALL_METHOD
-                        Force a specific install method. Supported values:
-                        deb, rpm, snap, homebrew. When unset, the script
-                        auto-detects the host package manager.
     OPENSHELL_ACK_BREAKING_UPGRADE
                         Set to 1 only after backing up and cleaning up a
                         pre-v0.0.37 installation.
@@ -481,38 +477,14 @@ detect_platform() {
 }
 
 linux_package_method() {
-  case "${OPENSHELL_INSTALL_METHOD:-}" in
-    "")
-      ;;
-    snap)
-      echo "snap"
-      return 0
-      ;;
-    deb|apt)
-      echo "deb"
-      return 0
-      ;;
-    rpm|dnf|yum|zypper)
-      echo "rpm"
-      return 0
-      ;;
-    homebrew|brew)
-      echo "homebrew"
-      return 0
-      ;;
-    *)
-      error "OPENSHELL_INSTALL_METHOD='${OPENSHELL_INSTALL_METHOD}' is not supported; use one of: deb, rpm, snap, homebrew"
-      ;;
-  esac
-
   if has_snapd && ! has_native_docker; then
     echo "snap"
   elif has_cmd dpkg; then
     echo "deb"
   elif has_cmd rpm; then
     echo "rpm"
   else
-    error "Linux installs require either dpkg or rpm"
+    error "Linux installs require either snapd, dpkg, or rpm"
   fi
 }
 
@@ -1153,24 +1125,12 @@ main() {
           require_linux_package_glibc
           install_linux_rpm
           ;;
-        homebrew)
-          # TODO: implement install_linux_homebrew for Linuxbrew hosts
-          # (e.g. Universal Blue/Bazzite). Homebrew is accepted as a method
-          # value but not yet wired to an installer on Linux.
-          error "the 'homebrew' install method is not yet supported on Linux"
-          ;;
         *)
           error "unsupported Linux package method"
           ;;
       esac
       ;;
     darwin)
-      case "${OPENSHELL_INSTALL_METHOD:-}" in
-        ""|homebrew|brew) ;;
-        *)
-          error "only the 'homebrew' install method is supported on macOS"
-          ;;
-      esac
       install_macos_homebrew
       ;;
     *)
diff --git a/tasks/scripts/test-install-sh.sh b/tasks/scripts/test-install-sh.sh
@@ -100,68 +100,10 @@ assert_glibc_preflight_fails \
   "OpenShell Linux packages require glibc >= 2.28; detected musl or unsupported libc." \
   setup_ldd_musl
 
-assert_method_equals() {
-  local name=$1
-  local value=$2
-  local expected=$3
-
-  local result
-  if ! result="$(OPENSHELL_INSTALL_METHOD="$value" linux_package_method)" 2>"$err"; then
-    echo "FAIL: ${name}: expected '${expected}' but call failed" >&2
-    cat "$err" >&2 || true
-    exit 1
-  fi
-
-  if [ "$result" != "$expected" ]; then
-    echo "FAIL: ${name}: expected '${expected}', got '${result}'" >&2
-    exit 1
-  fi
-}
-
-assert_method_fails() {
-  local name=$1
-  local value=$2
-  local expected=$3
-
-  if (OPENSHELL_INSTALL_METHOD="$value" linux_package_method) >"$out" 2>"$err"; then
-    echo "FAIL: ${name}: expected failure for value '${value}'" >&2
-    exit 1
-  fi
-
-  if ! grep -Fq "$expected" "$err"; then
-    echo "FAIL: ${name}: missing expected message" >&2
-    echo "Expected: ${expected}" >&2
-    echo "Actual:" >&2
-    cat "$err" >&2 || true
-    exit 1
-  fi
-}
-
-assert_method_equals "method deb passes through" "deb" "deb"
-assert_method_equals "method rpm passes through" "rpm" "rpm"
-assert_method_equals "method snap passes through" "snap" "snap"
-assert_method_equals "method homebrew passes through" "homebrew" "homebrew"
-
-assert_method_equals "alias apt maps to deb" "apt" "deb"
-assert_method_equals "alias dnf maps to rpm" "dnf" "rpm"
-assert_method_equals "alias yum maps to rpm" "yum" "rpm"
-assert_method_equals "alias zypper maps to rpm" "zypper" "rpm"
-assert_method_equals "alias brew maps to homebrew" "brew" "homebrew"
-
-assert_method_fails \
-  "unknown method fails" \
-  "apk" \
-  "is not supported; use one of: deb, rpm, snap, homebrew"
-
-assert_method_fails \
-  "classic method fails" \
-  "classic" \
-  "is not supported; use one of: deb, rpm, snap, homebrew"
-
-# Unset OPENSHELL_INSTALL_METHOD falls through to host detection. Shim the
-# has_* helpers so the auto-detect path is deterministic regardless of the
-# host running the tests.
-assert_method_unset_detects() {
+# Package format is detected based on the host environment. Shim the has_*
+# helpers so the auto-detect path is deterministic regardless of the host
+# running the tests.
+assert_package_format_detection() {
   local name=$1
   local snapd=$2
   local native_docker=$3
@@ -171,7 +113,6 @@ assert_method_unset_detects() {
 
   local result
   if ! result="$(
-    unset OPENSHELL_INSTALL_METHOD
     has_snapd() { [ "$snapd" = "1" ]; }
     has_native_docker() { [ "$native_docker" = "1" ]; }
     has_cmd() {
@@ -194,35 +135,34 @@ assert_method_unset_detects() {
   fi
 }
 
-assert_method_unset_detects \
-  "unset prefers snap when snapd and no native docker" \
+assert_package_format_detection \
+  "prefers snap when snapd and no native docker" \
   1 0 1 1 "snap"
 
-assert_method_unset_detects \
-  "unset skips snap when native docker present" \
+assert_package_format_detection \
+  "skips snap when native docker present" \
   1 1 1 0 "deb"
 
-assert_method_unset_detects \
-  "unset skips snap when snapd absent" \
+assert_package_format_detection \
+  "skips snap when snapd absent" \
   0 0 1 0 "deb"
 
-assert_method_unset_detects \
-  "unset falls back to rpm when no dpkg" \
+assert_package_format_detection \
+  "falls back to rpm when no dpkg" \
   0 0 0 1 "rpm"
 
-# Unset with no snapd, no dpkg, no rpm must error.
+# Host with no snapd, no dpkg, no rpm must error.
 if (
-  unset OPENSHELL_INSTALL_METHOD
   has_snapd() { return 1; }
   has_native_docker() { return 1; }
   has_cmd() { return 1; }
   linux_package_method
 ) >"$out" 2>"$err"; then
-  echo "FAIL: unset with no package managers should error" >&2
+  echo "FAIL: host with no package managers should error" >&2
   exit 1
 fi
 
-if ! grep -Fq "Linux installs require either dpkg or rpm" "$err"; then
+if ! grep -Fq "Linux installs require either snapd, dpkg, or rpm" "$err"; then
   echo "FAIL: missing no-package-manager error" >&2
   cat "$err" >&2 || true
   exit 1
