# Python Gazelle plugin [Gazelle](https://github.com/bazelbuild/bazel-gazelle) is a build file generator for Bazel projects. It can create new BUILD.bazel files for a project that follows language conventions, and it can update existing build files to include new sources, dependencies, and options. Gazelle may be run by Bazel using the gazelle rule, or it may be installed and run as a command line tool. This directory contains a plugin for [Gazelle](https://github.com/bazelbuild/bazel-gazelle) that generates BUILD files content for Python code. When Gazelle is run as a command line tool with this plugin, it embeds a Python interpreter resolved during the plugin build. The behavior of the plugin is slightly different with different version of the interpreter as the Python `stdlib` changes with every minor version release. Distributors of Gazelle binaries should, therefore, build a Gazelle binary for each OS+CPU architecture+Minor Python version combination they are targeting. The following instructions are for when you use [bzlmod](https://docs.bazel.build/versions/5.0.0/bzlmod.html). Please refer to older documentation that includes instructions on how to use Gazelle without using bzlmod as your dependency manager. ## Example We have an example of using Gazelle with Python located [here](https://github.com/bazelbuild/rules_python/tree/main/examples/bzlmod). A fully-working example without using bzlmod is in [`examples/build_file_generation`](../examples/build_file_generation). The following documentation covers using bzlmod. ## Adding Gazelle to your project First, you'll need to add Gazelle to your `MODULES.bazel` file. Get the current version of Gazelle from there releases here: https://github.com/bazelbuild/bazel-gazelle/releases/. See the installation `MODULE.bazel` snippet on the Releases page: https://github.com/bazelbuild/rules_python/releases in order to configure rules_python. You will also need to add the `bazel_dep` for configuration for `rules_python_gazelle_plugin`. Here is a snippet of a `MODULE.bazel` file. ```starlark # The following stanza defines the dependency rules_python. bazel_dep(name = "rules_python", version = "0.22.0") # The following stanza defines the dependency rules_python_gazelle_plugin. # For typical setups you set the version. bazel_dep(name = "rules_python_gazelle_plugin", version = "0.22.0") # The following stanza defines the dependency gazelle. bazel_dep(name = "gazelle", version = "0.31.0", repo_name = "bazel_gazelle") # Import the python repositories generated by the given module extension into the scope of the current module. use_repo(python, "python3_9") use_repo(python, "python3_9_toolchains") # Register an already-defined toolchain so that Bazel can use it during toolchain resolution. register_toolchains( "@python3_9_toolchains//:all", ) # Use the pip extension pip = use_extension("@rules_python//python:extensions.bzl", "pip") # Use the extension to call the `pip_repository` rule that invokes `pip`, with `incremental` set. # Accepts a locked/compiled requirements file and installs the dependencies listed within. # Those dependencies become available in a generated `requirements.bzl` file. # You can instead check this `requirements.bzl` file into your repo. # Because this project has different requirements for windows vs other # operating systems, we have requirements for each. pip.parse( name = "pip", requirements_lock = "//:requirements_lock.txt", requirements_windows = "//:requirements_windows.txt", ) # Imports the pip toolchain generated by the given module extension into the scope of the current module. use_repo(pip, "pip") ``` Next, we'll fetch metadata about your Python dependencies, so that gazelle can determine which package a given import statement comes from. This is provided by the `modules_mapping` rule. We'll make a target for consuming this `modules_mapping`, and writing it as a manifest file for Gazelle to read. This is checked into the repo for speed, as it takes some time to calculate in a large monorepo. Gazelle will walk up the filesystem from a Python file to find this metadata, looking for a file called `gazelle_python.yaml` in an ancestor folder of the Python code. Create an empty file with this name. It might be next to your `requirements.txt` file. (You can just use `touch` at this point, it just needs to exist.) To keep the metadata updated, put this in your `BUILD.bazel` file next to `gazelle_python.yaml`: ```starlark load("@pip//:requirements.bzl", "all_whl_requirements") load("@rules_python_gazelle_plugin//manifest:defs.bzl", "gazelle_python_manifest") load("@rules_python_gazelle_plugin//modules_mapping:def.bzl", "modules_mapping") # This rule fetches the metadata for python packages we depend on. That data is # required for the gazelle_python_manifest rule to update our manifest file. modules_mapping( name = "modules_map", wheels = all_whl_requirements, ) # Gazelle python extension needs a manifest file mapping from # an import to the installed package that provides it. # This macro produces two targets: # - //:gazelle_python_manifest.update can be used with `bazel run` # to recalculate the manifest # - //:gazelle_python_manifest.test is a test target ensuring that # the manifest doesn't need to be updated gazelle_python_manifest( name = "gazelle_python_manifest", modules_mapping = ":modules_map", # This is what we called our `pip_parse` rule, where third-party # python libraries are loaded in BUILD files. pip_repository_name = "pip", # This should point to wherever we declare our python dependencies # (the same as what we passed to the modules_mapping rule in WORKSPACE) # This argument is optional. If provided, the `.test` target is very # fast because it just has to check an integrity field. If not provided, # the integrity field is not added to the manifest which can help avoid # merge conflicts in large repos. requirements = "//:requirements_lock.txt", ) ``` Finally, you create a target that you'll invoke to run the Gazelle tool with the rules_python extension included. This typically goes in your root `/BUILD.bazel` file: ```starlark load("@bazel_gazelle//:def.bzl", "gazelle") # Our gazelle target points to the python gazelle binary. # This is the simple case where we only need one language supported. # If you also had proto, go, or other gazelle-supported languages, # you would also need a gazelle_binary rule. # See https://github.com/bazelbuild/bazel-gazelle/blob/master/extend.rst#example gazelle( name = "gazelle", gazelle = "@rules_python_gazelle_plugin//python:gazelle_binary", ) ``` That's it, now you can finally run `bazel run //:gazelle` anytime you edit Python code, and it should update your `BUILD` files correctly. ## Usage Gazelle is non-destructive. It will try to leave your edits to BUILD files alone, only making updates to `py_*` targets. However it will remove dependencies that appear to be unused, so it's a good idea to check in your work before running Gazelle so you can easily revert any changes it made. The rules_python extension assumes some conventions about your Python code. These are noted below, and might require changes to your existing code. Note that the `gazelle` program has multiple commands. At present, only the `update` command (the default) does anything for Python code. ### Directives You can configure the extension using directives, just like for other languages. These are just comments in the `BUILD.bazel` file which govern behavior of the extension when processing files under that folder. See https://github.com/bazelbuild/bazel-gazelle#directives for some general directives that may be useful. In particular, the `resolve` directive is language-specific and can be used with Python. Examples of these directives in use can be found in the /gazelle/testdata folder in the rules_python repo. Python-specific directives are as follows: | **Directive** | **Default value** | |-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------| | `# gazelle:python_extension` | `enabled` | | Controls whether the Python extension is enabled or not. Sub-packages inherit this value. Can be either "enabled" or "disabled". | | | [`# gazelle:python_root`](#directive-python_root) | n/a | | Sets a Bazel package as a Python root. This is used on monorepos with multiple Python projects that don't share the top-level of the workspace as the root. See [Directive: `python_root`](#directive-python_root) below. | | | `# gazelle:python_manifest_file_name` | `gazelle_python.yaml` | | Overrides the default manifest file name. | | | `# gazelle:python_ignore_files` | n/a | | Controls the files which are ignored from the generated targets. | | | `# gazelle:python_ignore_dependencies` | n/a | | Controls the ignored dependencies from the generated targets. | | | `# gazelle:python_validate_import_statements` | `true` | | Controls whether the Python import statements should be validated. Can be "true" or "false" | | | `# gazelle:python_generation_mode` | `package` | | Controls the target generation mode. Can be "file", "package", or "project" | | | `# gazelle:python_generation_mode_per_file_include_init` | `false` | | Controls whether `__init__.py` files are included as srcs in each generated target when target generation mode is "file". Can be "true", or "false" | | | [`# gazelle:python_generation_mode_per_package_require_test_entry_point`](#directive-python_generation_mode_per_package_require_test_entry_point) | `true` | | Controls whether a file called `__test__.py` or a target called `__test__` is required to generate one test target per package in package mode. || | `# gazelle:python_library_naming_convention` | `$package_name$` | | Controls the `py_library` naming convention. It interpolates `$package_name$` with the Bazel package name. E.g. if the Bazel package name is `foo`, setting this to `$package_name$_my_lib` would result in a generated target named `foo_my_lib`. | | | `# gazelle:python_binary_naming_convention` | `$package_name$_bin` | | Controls the `py_binary` naming convention. Follows the same interpolation rules as `python_library_naming_convention`. | | | `# gazelle:python_test_naming_convention` | `$package_name$_test` | | Controls the `py_test` naming convention. Follows the same interpolation rules as `python_library_naming_convention`. | | | `# gazelle:resolve py ...` | n/a | | Instructs the plugin what target to add as a dependency to satisfy a given import statement. The syntax is `# gazelle:resolve py import-string label` where `import-string` is the symbol in the python `import` statement, and `label` is the Bazel label that Gazelle should write in `deps`. | | | [`# gazelle:python_default_visibility labels`](#directive-python_default_visibility) | | | Instructs gazelle to use these visibility labels on all python targets. `labels` is a comma-separated list of labels (without spaces). | `//$python_root$:__subpackages__` | | [`# gazelle:python_visibility label`](#directive-python_visibility) | | | Appends additional visibility labels to each generated target. This directive can be set multiple times. | | | [`# gazelle:python_test_file_pattern`](#directive-python_test_file_pattern) | `*_test.py,test_*.py` | | Filenames matching these comma-separated `glob`s will be mapped to `py_test` targets. | | `# gazelle:python_label_convention` | `$distribution_name$` | | Defines the format of the distribution name in labels to third-party deps. Useful for using Gazelle plugin with other rules with different repository conventions (e.g. `rules_pycross`). Full label is always prepended with (pip) repository name, e.g. `@pip//numpy`. | | `# gazelle:python_label_normalization` | `snake_case` | | Controls how distribution names in labels to third-party deps are normalized. Useful for using Gazelle plugin with other rules with different label conventions (e.g. `rules_pycross` uses PEP-503). Can be "snake_case", "none", or "pep503". | #### Directive: `python_root`: Set this directive within the Bazel package that you want to use as the Python root. For example, if using a `src` dir (as recommended by the [Python Packaging User Guide][python-packaging-user-guide]), then set this directive in `src/BUILD.bazel`: ```starlark # ./src/BUILD.bazel # Tell gazelle that are python root is the same dir as this Bazel package. # gazelle:python_root ``` Note that the directive does not have any arguments. Gazelle will then add the necessary `imports` attribute to all targets that it generates: ```starlark # in ./src/foo/BUILD.bazel py_libary( ... imports = [".."], # Gazelle adds this ... ) # in ./src/foo/bar/BUILD.bazel py_libary( ... imports = ["../.."], # Gazelle adds this ... ) ``` [python-packaging-user-guide]: https://github.com/pypa/packaging.python.org/blob/4c86169a/source/tutorials/packaging-projects.rst #### Directive: `python_default_visibility`: Instructs gazelle to use these visibility labels on all _python_ targets (typically `py_*`, but can be modified via the `map_kind` directive). The arg to this directive is a a comma-separated list (without spaces) of labels. For example: ```starlark # gazelle:python_default_visibility //:__subpackages__,//tests:__subpackages__ ``` produces the following visibility attribute: ```starlark py_library( ..., visibility = [ "//:__subpackages__", "//tests:__subpackages__", ], ..., ) ``` You can also inject the `python_root` value by using the exact string `$python_root$`. All instances of this string will be replaced by the `python_root` value. ```starlark # gazelle:python_default_visibility //$python_root$:__pkg__,//foo/$python_root$/tests:__subpackages__ # Assuming the "# gazelle:python_root" directive is set in ./py/src/BUILD.bazel, # the results will be: py_library( ..., visibility = [ "//foo/py/src/tests:__subpackages__", # sorted alphabetically "//py/src:__pkg__", ], ..., ) ``` Two special values are also accepted as an argument to the directive: + `NONE`: This removes all default visibility. Labels added by the `python_visibility` directive are still included. + `DEFAULT`: This resets the default visibility. For example: ```starlark # gazelle:python_default_visibility NONE py_library( name = "...", srcs = [...], ) ``` ```starlark # gazelle:python_default_visibility //foo:bar # gazelle:python_default_visibility DEFAULT py_library( ..., visibility = ["//:__subpackages__"], ..., ) ``` These special values can be useful for sub-packages. #### Directive: `python_visibility`: Appends additional `visibility` labels to each generated target. This directive can be set multiple times. The generated `visibility` attribute will include the default visibility and all labels defined by this directive. All labels will be ordered alphabetically. ```starlark # ./BUILD.bazel # gazelle:python_visibility //tests:__pkg__ # gazelle:python_visibility //bar:baz py_library( ... visibility = [ "//:__subpackages__", # default visibility "//bar:baz", "//tests:__pkg__", ], ... ) ``` Child Bazel packages inherit values from parents: ```starlark # ./bar/BUILD.bazel # gazelle:python_visibility //tests:__subpackages__ py_library( ... visibility = [ "//:__subpackages__", # default visibility "//bar:baz", # defined in ../BUILD.bazel "//tests:__pkg__", # defined in ../BUILD.bazel "//tests:__subpackages__", # defined in this ./BUILD.bazel ], ... ) ``` This directive also supports the `$python_root$` placeholder that `# gazelle:python_default_visibility` supports. ```starlark # gazlle:python_visibility //$python_root$/foo:bar py_library( ... visibility = ["//this_is_my_python_root/foo:bar"], ... ) ``` #### Directive: `python_test_file_pattern`: This directive adjusts which python files will be mapped to the `py_test` rule. + The default is `*_test.py,test_*.py`: both `test_*.py` and `*_test.py` files will generate `py_test` targets. + This directive must have a value. If no value is given, an error will be raised. + It is recommended, though not necessary, to include the `.py` extension in the `glob`s: `foo*.py,?at.py`. + Like most directives, it applies to the current Bazel package and all subpackages until the directive is set again. + This directive accepts multiple `glob` patterns, separated by commas without spaces: ```starlark # gazelle:python_test_file_pattern foo*.py,?at py_library( name = "mylib", srcs = ["mylib.py"], ) py_test( name = "foo_bar", srcs = ["foo_bar.py"], ) py_test( name = "cat", srcs = ["cat.py"], ) py_test( name = "hat", srcs = ["hat.py"], ) ``` ##### Notes Resetting to the default value (such as in a subpackage) is manual. Set: ```starlark # gazelle:python_test_file_pattern *_test.py,test_*.py ``` There currently is no way to tell gazelle that _no_ files in a package should be mapped to `py_test` targets (see [Issue #1826][issue-1826]). The workaround is to set this directive to a pattern that will never match a `.py` file, such as `foo.bar`: ```starlark # No files in this package should be mapped to py_test targets. # gazelle:python_test_file_pattern foo.bar py_library( name = "my_test", srcs = ["my_test.py"], ) ``` [issue-1826]: https://github.com/bazelbuild/rules_python/issues/1826 #### Directive: `python_generation_mode_per_package_require_test_entry_point`: When `# gazelle:python_generation_mode package`, whether a file called `__test__.py` or a target called `__test__`, a.k.a., entry point, is required to generate one test target per package. If this is set to true but no entry point is found, Gazelle will fall back to file mode and generate one test target per file. Setting this directive to false forces Gazelle to generate one test target per package even without entry point. However, this means the `main` attribute of the `py_test` will not be set and the target will not be runnable unless either: 1. there happen to be a file in the `srcs` with the same name as the `py_test` target, or 2. a macro populating the `main` attribute of `py_test` is configured with `gazelle:map_kind` to replace `py_test` when Gazelle is generating Python test targets. For example, user can provide such a macro to Gazelle: ```starlark load("@rules_python//python:defs.bzl", _py_test="py_test") load("@aspect_rules_py//py:defs.bzl", "py_pytest_main") def py_test(name, main=None, **kwargs): deps = kwargs.pop("deps", []) if not main: py_pytest_main( name = "__test__", deps = ["@pip_pytest//:pkg"], # change this to the pytest target in your repo. ) deps.append(":__test__") main = ":__test__.py" _py_test( name = name, main = main, deps = deps, **kwargs, ) ``` ### Annotations *Annotations* refer to comments found _within Python files_ that configure how Gazelle acts for that particular file. Annotations have the form: ```python # gazelle:annotation_name value ``` and can reside anywhere within a Python file where comments are valid. For example: ```python import foo # gazelle:annotation_name value def bar(): # gazelle:annotation_name value pass ``` The annotations are: | **Annotation** | **Default value** | |---------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------| | [`# gazelle:ignore imports`](#annotation-ignore) | N/A | | Tells Gazelle to ignore import statements. `imports` is a comma-separated list of imports to ignore. | | | [`# gazelle:include_dep targets`](#annotation-include_dep) | N/A | | Tells Gazelle to include a set of dependencies, even if they are not imported in a Python module. `targets` is a comma-separated list of target names to include as dependencies. | | #### Annotation: `ignore` This annotation accepts a comma-separated string of values. Values are names of Python imports that Gazelle should _not_ include in target dependencies. The annotation can be added multiple times, and all values are combined and de-duplicated. For `python_generation_mode = "package"`, the `ignore` annotations found across all files included in the generated target are removed from `deps`. Example: ```python import numpy # a pypi package # gazelle:ignore bar.baz.hello,foo import bar.baz.hello import foo # Ignore this import because _reasons_ import baz # gazelle:ignore baz ``` will cause Gazelle to generate: ```starlark deps = ["@pypi//numpy"], ``` #### Annotation: `include_dep` This annotation accepts a comma-separated string of values. Values _must_ be Python targets, but _no validation is done_. If a value is not a Python target, building will result in an error saying: ``` does not have mandatory providers: 'PyInfo' or 'CcInfo' or 'PyInfo'. ``` Adding non-Python targets to the generated target is a feature request being tracked in [Issue #1865](https://github.com/bazelbuild/rules_python/issues/1865). The annotation can be added multiple times, and all values are combined and de-duplicated. For `python_generation_mode = "package"`, the `include_dep` annotations found across all files included in the generated target are included in `deps`. Example: ```python # gazelle:include_dep //foo:bar,:hello_world,//:abc # gazelle:include_dep //:def,//foo:bar import numpy # a pypi package ``` will cause Gazelle to generate: ```starlark deps = [ ":hello_world", "//:abc", "//:def", "//foo:bar", "@pypi//numpy", ] ``` ### Libraries Python source files are those ending in `.py` but not ending in `_test.py`. First, we look for the nearest ancestor BUILD file starting from the folder containing the Python source file. In package generation mode, if there is no `py_library` in this BUILD file, one is created using the package name as the target's name. This makes it the default target in the package. Next, all source files are collected into the `srcs` of the `py_library`. In project generation mode, all source files in subdirectories (that don't have BUILD files) are also collected. In file generation mode, each file is given its own target. Finally, the `import` statements in the source files are parsed, and dependencies are added to the `deps` attribute. ### Unit Tests A `py_test` target is added to the BUILD file when gazelle encounters a file named `__test__.py`. Often, Python unit test files are named with the suffix `_test`. For example, if we had a folder that is a package named "foo" we could have a Python file named `foo_test.py` and gazelle would create a `py_test` block for the file. The following is an example of a `py_test` target that gazelle would add when it encounters a file named `__test__.py`. ```starlark py_test( name = "build_file_generation_test", srcs = ["__test__.py"], main = "__test__.py", deps = [":build_file_generation"], ) ``` You can control the naming convention for test targets by adding a gazelle directive named `# gazelle:python_test_naming_convention`. See the instructions in the section above that covers directives. ### Binaries When a `__main__.py` file is encountered, this indicates the entry point of a Python program. A `py_binary` target will be created, named `[package]_bin`. When no such entry point exists, Gazelle will look for a line like this in the top level in every module: ```python if __name == "__main__": ``` Gazelle will create a `py_binary` target for every module with such a line, with the target name the same as the module name. If `python_generation_mode` is set to `file`, then instead of one `py_binary` target per module, Gazelle will create one `py_binary` target for each file with such a line, and the name of the target will match the name of the script. Note that it's possible for another script to depend on a `py_binary` target and import from the `py_binary`'s scripts. This can have possible negative effects on Bazel analysis time and runfiles size compared to depending on a `py_library` target. The simplest way to avoid these negative effects is to extract library code into a separate script without a `main` line. Gazelle will then create a `py_library` target for that library code, and other scripts can depend on that `py_library` target. ## Developer Notes Gazelle extensions are written in Go. This gazelle plugin is a hybrid, as it uses Go to execute a Python interpreter as a subprocess to parse Python source files. See the gazelle documentation https://github.com/bazelbuild/bazel-gazelle/blob/master/extend.md for more information on extending Gazelle. If you add new Go dependencies to the plugin source code, you need to "tidy" the go.mod file. After changing that file, run `go mod tidy` or `bazel run @go_sdk//:bin/go -- mod tidy` to update the go.mod and go.sum files. Then run `bazel run //:gazelle_update_repos` to have gazelle add the new dependenies to the deps.bzl file. The deps.bzl file is used as defined in our /WORKSPACE to include the external repos Bazel loads Go dependencies from. Then after editing Go code, run `bazel run //:gazelle` to generate/update the rules in the BUILD.bazel files in our repo.