Automate installation of standalone python CLIs

Overview

pickley allows to install and keep up-to-date standalone pip-installable python CLIs such as tox, hatch, etc.

It is similar to pipx, main difference being installed CLIs automatically self-upgrade as you use them.

It can work out of the box, without any configuration:

• pickley is portable, it will run and install other CLIs in the same folder it's running from (drop it in ~/.local/bin or /usr/local/bin for example)
• All pypi packages with console_scripts entry point(s) can be immediately installed
• Latest non-prerelease pypi version will be installed by default (can be pinned via explicit pin pickley install foo==1.0, or via configuration)

With some configuration, the following becomes possible:

• You can pin what version to install, what python to use etc, per pypi package
• You can define bundle-s: names that install several pypi packages at once, for example: you could define a bundle:dev to install tox pipenv pre-commit
• You can use a custom pypi server index (pip's default is respected by default)
• You can use the symlink delivery method, which will use symlinks instead of self-upgrading wrapper

Example

Once you have pickley, you can get other python CLIs and use them as standalone programs, for example:

# One-liner to grab pickley, and drop it in ~/.local/bin
$ curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/codrsquad/pickley/master/src/pickley/bstrap.py | /usr/bin/python3 -

# Double-check you do have ~/.local/bin in your PATH
$ which -a pickley
~/.local/bin/pickley

$ pickley base
~/.local/bin

$ pickley install tox hatch
Installed tox v4.5.2 in 6 seconds 501 ms
Installed hatch v1.7.0 in 15 seconds

$ which tox
~/.local/bin/tox

$ tox --version
tox version 3.21.4

$ pickley list
| Package    | Version |
-------------|----------
| tox        | 4.5.2   |
| hatch      | 1.7.0   |

Configuration

See config

Features

• Any pypi package that has console_scripts entry point can be installed and kept up-to-date

• Aims to work with zero configuration (but configuration is possible):

  • entirely portable, installations are performed in the same folder where pickley resides, drop it in ~/.local/bin and all the stuff you install with it will also be there
  • latest non pre-release version from pypi is used

• Commands:

  • check: exit with code 0 if specified package(s) are up-to-date
  • install: install specified package(s)
  • list: list installed packages via pickley, in folder where it resides (not globally)
  • package: can be used to simplify packaging of python projects for internal use

Installation

Install latest version in ~/.local/bin

Handy one-line using bash:

$ /bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/codrsquad/pickley/master/get-pickley)"

Handy one-liner using python (see --help, the script accepts a few options):

$ curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/codrsquad/pickley/master/src/pickley/bstrap.py | /usr/bin/python3 - --help

Install from source

Run (you will need tox):

git clone https://github.com/codrsquad/pickley.git
cd pickley
tox -e venv
.venv/bin/pickley --help