build: Explore running build & test scripts under an isolated Flox.dev PATH

[vorburger]

Relates to #1231 ... WIP, does not work - yet.

[gemini-code-assist]

Hello @vorburger, I'm Gemini Code Assist¹! I'm currently reviewing this pull request and will post my feedback shortly. In the meantime, here's a summary to help you and other reviewers quickly get up to speed!

Summary of Changes

This pull request explores running build and test scripts under an isolated Flox.dev PATH. The goal is to ensure that the build and test environments are consistent and isolated from the user's system environment. Currently, it's a work in progress and doesn't fully function yet, as indicated in the PR description.

Highlights

• Environment Isolation: The primary goal is to isolate the build and test environment using Flox.dev to avoid dependencies on the user's system configuration.
• PATH Clearing: The PATH environment variable is explicitly cleared to ensure that only the Flox-provided environment is used.
• Flox Activation: The script attempts to activate the Flox environment using $FLOX activate -m run.

Changelog

• test-under-isolated-flox-PATH
  • Added a new script test-under-isolated-flox-PATH to test the build and test process under an isolated Flox environment.
  • The script first finds the flox executable using which flox.
  • The script then clears the PATH environment variable.
  • The script attempts to activate the Flox environment using $FLOX activate -m run.
  • Finally, the script executes ./test.bash.

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---

In realms of code, where paths collide,
Flox seeks to bring order, side by side.
A clean slate forged, a build so pure,
Though progress wanes, the goal's allure.

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[gemini-code-assist]

Code Review

The pull request aims to explore running build and test scripts under an isolated Flox.dev PATH. The approach involves clearing the PATH and then activating flox in a specific mode. While the idea is interesting, the current implementation has a potential issue that needs to be addressed.

Summary of Findings

• PATH Clearing: Clearing the entire PATH might lead to unexpected behavior if the test.bash script or any of its dependencies rely on standard system utilities located in the default PATH. It's crucial to ensure that all necessary dependencies are provided by Flox or explicitly handled within the isolated environment.

Merge Readiness

The pull request is marked as WIP and does not work yet. The potential issue with clearing the PATH needs to be addressed before merging. I am unable to approve this pull request, and others should review and approve this code before merging.

[gemini-code-assist]

Clearing the entire PATH might be too aggressive. Consider a more targeted approach, such as saving the original PATH and restoring it after the test, or only removing specific directories that might conflict with Flox. What happens if test.bash relies on something in /usr/bin?

# Save the original PATH
ORIGINAL_PATH=$PATH

# Clear PATH!
PATH=

# ... your flox activation code ...

# Restore the original PATH after the test
PATH=$ORIGINAL_PATH

[gemini-code-assist]

Consider adding error handling to the flox activate command. If the activation fails, the script should exit with an error code to prevent further execution with an incomplete environment.

$FLOX activate -m run || exit 1