We prefer to patch the repo data (see here)
instead of marking packages as broken. This alternative workflow makes environments more reproducible.
Packages with requirements/metadata that are too strict but otherwise work are
not technically broken and should not be marked as such.
Packages with missing metadata can be marked as broken on a temporary basis
but should be patched in the repo data and be marked unbroken later.
In some cases where the number of users of a package is small or it is used by
the maintainers only, we can allow packages to be marked broken more liberally.
We (conda-forge/core) try to make a decision on these requests within 24 hours.
What will happen when a package is marked broken?
Our bots will add the broken label to the package. The main label will remain on the package and this is normal.
Our bots will rebuild our repodata patches to remove this package from the repodata.
In a few hours after the anaconda.org CDN picks up the new patches, you will no longer be able to install the package from the main channel.
Checklist:
[x] I want to mark a package as broken (or not broken):
[x] Added a description of the problem with the package in the PR description.
[x] Pinged the team for the package for their input.
There is a bit of a lingering issue with the build packages. This was discussed in the conda-forge core meeting on 2024-08-21. Here is an excerpt from the notes.
Marking the build packages as broken and directing users to the python-build packages is the agreed-upon strategy.
Now there are both python-build and build packages, but the build packages are horribly outdated
People and packagers use build, find it outdated and run around confused until they come upon python-build.
We have a migrator hanging around on the status page with all entries 0.
Ways forward:
Add an alias build to python-build so both names work with current versions?
Mark all build packages broken to force people to migrate?
Close out migrator/finish it if needed?
MRB: where has this happened recently?
KZ: I am not aware of any actual, recent issues. I just stumbled into this again because I was looking to make some headway with migrators in general and this one, with 0 everywhere, stuck out and reminded me of the discussion.
Guidelines for marking packages as broken:
conda-forge/core
) try to make a decision on these requests within 24 hours.What will happen when a package is marked broken?
broken
label to the package. Themain
label will remain on the package and this is normal.anaconda.org
CDN picks up the new patches, you will no longer be able to install the package from themain
channel.Checklist:
There is a bit of a lingering issue with the
build
packages. This was discussed in the conda-forge core meeting on 2024-08-21. Here is an excerpt from the notes. Marking thebuild
packages as broken and directing users to the python-build packages is the agreed-upon strategy.python-build
andbuild
packages, but thebuild
packages are horribly outdatedbuild
, find it outdated and run around confused until they come uponpython-build
.build
topython-build
so both names work with current versions?build
packagesbroken
to force people to migrate?build
and then the bot will send a PR.build
backping @conda-forge/build, @conda-forge/python-build, @conda-forge/core.