pyroute2 modules usage

[svinota]

Pyroute2 packages

There are two types of pyroute2 packages:

• virtual packages -- provide pyroute2 namespace and load there all the entry points from namespace packages
• namespace packages -- use pr2modules namespace and provide entry points

Virtual packages

The project has two virtual packages:

• pyroute2 -- requires all the pyroute2 modules
• pyroute2.minimal -- requires only the core

These packages provide the same pyroute2 namespace.

Installation example: pip install pyroute2 or pip isntall pyroute2.minimal

Since setuptools provide no conflict declarations, it is possible to install pyroute2 and pyroute2.minimal simultaneously, but it's a bit meaningless, since pyroute2.minimal provides subset of pyroute2 deps.

Usage

Virtual packages installed

In this case the usage has no difference from what was before:

from pyroute2 import IPRoute

with IPRoute() as ipr:
  ipr.link('add', ifname='test', kind='dummy')

No virtual packages installed

Usage of standalone namespace packages is also possible, though a bit more complicated. Let's assume we have only pyroute2.core installed in the system.

To run the same IPRoute as above, one should use either pr2modules namespace or entry points. Using the namespace:

from pr2modules.iproute.linux import IPRoute

with IPRoute() as ipr:
  ipr.link('add', ifname='test', kind='dummy')

Using entry points:

from importlib import metadata

for entry_point in metadata.entry_points().get('pr2modules'):
    if entry_point.name == 'IPRoute':
        break
else:
    raise ImportError()

with entry_point.load()() as ipr:
    ipr.link('add', ifname='test', kind='dummy')

Related

• separate packages #786

[crosser]

Hmm, I wonder if it could be done with more transparent backwards compatibility?... Such as, IPRoute is always present in the pyroute2 namespace, whether minimal of full bundles are installed. But when you try to access NDB or other "alienated" interface that is not installed, you get some exception (preferably with a clear explanation)?..

[svinota]

IPRoute is always present in the pyroute2 namespace whether you install pyroute2 or pyroute2.minimal.

Regarding other modules like NDB — yep, it's a good idea and will be done.

[liske]

I'm using just a subset of pyroute2 packages so pyroute2-minimal is insufficient and pyroute2 is just to much.

The namespace approach looks non-portabel. Would it possible to provide a generic entry point loader in the core package (or a pyroute2-entrypoint package)?

[svinota]

But why not to specify only the modules you need, like:

$ pip install pyroute2-minimal pyroute2-ethtool

… and you'll be able to use it:

from pyroute2 import Ethtool
et = Ethtool()
…

Or maybe I'm missing something?

[liske]

Sorry I was just confused by the section "No virtual packages installed". Installing pyroute2-minimal and additional pyroute2-* packages is just working fine :-) Thanks!

[svinota]

So I have to update the docs not to confuse the users. Thanks!