feat: self-contained copier executable with Python in it

[heitorlessa]

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.

I've started using copier today (great work!!!) and one problem I anticipate is helping other developers install it from Windows and Mac -- they'll have to install/upgrade Python, install pipx, then copier.

Perhaps one of these solutions: https://docs.python-guide.org/shipping/freezing/

Describe the solution you'd like

A self-contained executable for Mac and Windows under GitHub Releases page

Describe alternatives you've considered

Have instructions on how to install Python, pipx, update PATH, and then install copier.

Additional context

[yajo]

I guess by your comment that they are not python developers (because otherwise they'd have those tools anyways).

I see this is a valid point, mostly thinking that copier should work for people from other languages/frameworks. However, I don't think I'm currently gonna put this in the roadmap, so I'll leave it open for community contributions.

[m-vellinga]

Depending on how widely adopted Docker is within the target audience publishing a (official) docker image to run copier could also be an option.

[heitorlessa]

Depending on how widely adopted Docker is within the target audience publishing a (official) docker image to run copier could also be an option.

That would solve it, since freezing is always tricky!

[yajo]

Do you think installing docker will be easier than installing python for Mac and windows users?

[heitorlessa]

They already have Docker installed across the company :)

This means they could run Docker CLI to run Copier using a Python:slim image for example.

On Fri, 15 Oct 2021 at 05:55, Jairo Llopis @.***> wrote:

Do you think installing docker will be easier than installing python for Mac and windows users?

— You are receiving this because you authored the thread. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub https://github.com/copier-org/copier/issues/457#issuecomment-943964553, or unsubscribe https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AAZPQBGXYWRYBFC27QSUVSDUG6Q4JANCNFSM5F5S6DOA .

[pawamoy]

I've been able to bundle Python programs thanks to pyinstaller: https://github.com/pawamoy/aria2p/blob/3497d2b219bea4017644d384c1df08298f364689/duties.py#L90-L94

This could be used in CI on tags, to create a GitHub release and add an artifact to it.

There are other projects that allow to do the same thing or similar.

[RichiCoder1]

A docker or/and pyinstaller solution would be greater! I see this is tagged as help wanted. I don't think I'd be able to shepard the feature as a whole, but I could potentially provider a PoC w/ a sample GitHub Action to build and dist

[sisp]

Black might serve as inspiration: https://github.com/psf/black/blob/23.1.0/.github/workflows/upload_binary.yml

[yajo]

Since this got asked, we now support nix. Examples:

To enter a shell where copier is installed temporarily:

nix shell github:copier-org/copier

To run copier without installing:

nix run github:copier-org/copier copy gh:whatever/template ./there

To install it:

nix profile install github:copier-org/copier

To convert it to a docker image (not working because it lacks git, but you get the point):

nix bundle --bundler github:NixOS/bundlers#toDockerImage github:copier-org/copier#packages.x86_64-linux.default
docker load < python*copier*.tar.gz

It works for Linux, MacOS and WSL.

If I were to provide a self-contained legacy format, I'd provide a docker image, as it is very easy to generate it from nix. But is it still worth it? 🤔

[RichiCoder1]

Apologies for not being able to get around to this myself!

If I were to provide a self-contained legacy format, I'd provide a docker image, as it is very easy to generate it from nix. But is it still worth it? 🤔

Either bare install or, in a stretch, docker would be preferred. I'm a big fan of nix, but I'd still consider it relatively esoteric and having its own constraints to get setup.

[yajo]

Giving it a second thought, this is probably not needed. This works out of the box already:

podman container run --rm -it docker.io/nixos/nix nix --extra-experimental-features 'nix-command flakes' --accept-flake-config run github:copier-org/copier -- --help