Poetry: set env POETRY_REPOSITORIES_*_URL with partial url from gitlab

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Summary

The issue at hand is related to Poetry, a Python package manager, and its behavior when setting environment variables for repository URLs. Specifically, the problem arises when using a partial URL for the POETRY_REPOSITORIES_GITLAB_URL environment variable. This can lead to authentication issues during the package installation process.

Root Cause

The root cause of this problem is due to how Poetry handles repository URLs and authentication credentials. When a partial URL is provided for POETRY_REPOSITORIES_GITLAB_URL, Poetry does not correctly apply the authentication credentials set by POETRY_HTTP_BASIC_GITLAB_USERNAME and POETRY_HTTP_BASIC_GITLAB_PASSWORD. This results in an unauthenticated request to the GitLab repository, causing the installation to fail.

Why This Happens in Real Systems

This issue occurs in real systems due to the following reasons:

  • Misconfiguration: Incorrectly setting the POETRY_REPOSITORIES_GITLAB_URL environment variable with a partial URL.
  • Incomplete Documentation: Lack of clear documentation on how to properly configure Poetry for use with GitLab repositories.
  • Assumed Behavior: Assuming that Poetry will automatically apply authentication credentials to partial URLs.

Real-World Impact

The real-world impact of this issue includes:

  • Failed Installations: Poetry installations failing due to authentication issues.
  • Insecure Repositories: Exposing repositories to unauthenticated access.
  • Development Delays: Time spent debugging and troubleshooting installation issues.

Example or Code

# pyproject.toml example
my-package = { git = "https://gitlab.com/group/my-package.git" }

# Correct environment variable setup
export POETRY_HTTP_BASIC_GITLAB_PASSWORD="xxx"
export POETRY_HTTP_BASIC_GITLAB_USERNAME="xxx"
export POETRY_REPOSITORIES_GITLAB_URL="https://gitlab.com/group/my-package.git"

# Incorrect environment variable setup
export POETRY_HTTP_BASIC_GITLAB_PASSWORD="xxx"
export POETRY_HTTP_BASIC_GITLAB_USERNAME="xxx"
export POETRY_REPOSITORIES_GITLAB_URL="https://gitlab.com"

How Senior Engineers Fix It

Senior engineers fix this issue by:

  • Correctly configuring the POETRY_REPOSITORIES_GITLAB_URL environment variable with the full repository URL.
  • Verifying authentication credentials are properly set and applied.
  • Testing the installation process to ensure successful authentication and package installation.

Why Juniors Miss It

Junior engineers may miss this issue due to:

  • Lack of experience with Poetry and its configuration.
  • Insufficient understanding of how repository URLs and authentication credentials interact.
  • Inadequate testing of the installation process.