Record/keep extension source for later reuse (`quarto update extension ...`)

[mcanouil]

Currently, when installation an extension from GitHub, if the extension name does not match the repository name, it's not possible to use quarto update extension ....

The majority of extensions uses quarto-<extension name> as a repository name instead of <extension name>.
For example:

1. Install extensions:

   quarto add mcanouil/quarto-iconify
   quarto add quarto-ext/typst-templates/poster

2. Check the installed extensions

   quarto list extensions

   Id                         Version    Contributes        
   quarto-ext/poster          1.0.0      formats            
   mcanouil/iconify           2.1.0      shortcodes         

3. Update the extensions

   quarto update extension quarto-ext/poster

   Extension not found in local or remote sources

This means that it's not possible to update the extension quarto-ext/poster because the repository name (directory) is typst-templates/poster and not poster.
Same goes for the extension mcanouil/iconify.

This could be solved by recording/keeping the repository name (source) somewhere.
It could be in _extension.yml under source key.

Keeping the source would allow better extension management and easier updates, e.g., quarto update extension all.

[cderv]

Just a note for clarity that quarto update extension does work, but you need to know the github repo name

> quarto update extension quarto-ext/quarto-poster

and we don't record it for now and we do store the extension in org-name/ext-name, ext-name being the registered name from the metadata of the extension. This name is also the one to use inside the document to load a filter for example. filter: [quarto-ext/poster]

So we need to

• Find where to store the source information, and maybe other information.
  We could adopt an approach similar to R package that does modify the DESCRIPTION in the installed package folder. We could write some fields in the _extension.yml with install datetime, type of extension (local zip, remote, ...) and source of the remote if so.

• Show this information in quarto list extension indeed

• Adapt quarto update to use the source when installed extension is used (quarto update quarto-ext/poster) and probably allow to update from source directly quarto update extension quarto-ext/typst-template/poster

Thanks a lot for the report @mcanouil !

[gadenbuie]

I'm going to second writing the source info into _extension.yml on install. Relatedly, it'd also be nice if that could support a command to help users open extension docs (it's offered during install but I don't think there's a way to return to the docs if you select No at that point).

(Sidenote: there's enough here that it'd be nice to have a quarto extension subcommand. I never feel secure that I'm doing the right thing when I use quarto add, quarto list or quarto update to interact with extensions. quarto extension add or quarto extension update are more verbose but much more certain.)

[mcanouil]

Writing the source in _extension.yml is also what I had in mind.
I am a bit working on this for my VSCode extension (https://github.com/mcanouil/quarto-wizard), especially to provide an interface to update/install/remove/get help on extensions.

If this design is validated and if that's ok, I volunteer to work on this on my spare time and make a PR.

Sidenote: my VSCode extension allows to access any extension repository (I plan to make a better UI than a list)

[cscheid]

We have a 2025 goal to improve third-party extensibility in Quarto, and rethinking our extension tooling definitely fits. quarto extension doesn't actually fit most of our other commands; from memory, I think they're all verbs.

That doesn't mean we shouldn't do it, but it means that we need to think about it more carefully.

[cderv]

quarto extension doesn't actually fit most of our other commands; from memory, I think they're all verbs.

yes we have only quarto tools as left over. Previously it was quarto tools install but it has been switched (d2447e0) to verb with quarto install for all extensions or tools, and then quarto add was added as better way for extension quarto install extension <extension> is now quarto add <extension>

So if we are changing this, we definitely need to see the current state of all this and make the clearer API that will last 😄

[mcanouil]

FYI, Quarto Wizard adds a source: owner/repo or source: owner/repo@tag upon install/update to the extension manifest.