fix(bootstrap) handle when the runfiles env vars are not correct (#3644)

This change addresses an issue that has existed since 1.7.0 where Python
binaries launched as subprocesses could incorrectly inherit and use
runfiles environment variables (`RUNFILES_DIR`,
`RUNFILES_MANIFEST_FILE`) from the parent process.

## Why this change is needed:

When a Python binary spawns another Python binary, the child process
inherits the environment variables. If the parent had runfiles-related
environment variables set, the child would attempt to use the parent's
runfiles tree, which is incorrect and leads to import errors if the
child has different dependencies or a different runfiles layout.

## Behavior Before:

A child Python process would trust and use any existing `RUNFILES_DIR`
and `RUNFILES_MANIFEST_FILE` environment variables. If these were set by
a parent Python process, they would point to the parent's runfiles,
causing the child to fail when trying to load its own resources or
dependencies.

## Behavior After:

The Python bootstrap scripts now include a check to validate the
inherited runfiles environment variables. If the runfiles variables
exist but do not point to the correct location for the current binary,
the bootstrap script will unset both `RUNFILES_DIR` and
`RUNFILES_MANIFEST_FILE` from the environment. This allows the
subsequent fallback logic in the bootstrap process to correctly locate
the runfiles for the current process, ensuring dependencies are resolved
properly. This modification has been applied to both bootstrap template
files.

This change ensures that even nested Python binary calls correctly find
their respective runfiles.

Fixes #3518

---------

Co-authored-by: Ignas Anikevicius <240938+aignas@users.noreply.github.com>
8 files changed
tree: 61fa56bbeb54c47fe2ec02c625ca9b928eccfd46
  1. .bazelci/
  2. .bcr/
  3. .ci/
  4. .github/
  5. command_line_option/
  6. docs/
  7. examples/
  8. gazelle/
  9. private/
  10. python/
  11. sphinxdocs/
  12. tests/
  13. tools/
  14. .bazelignore
  15. .bazelrc
  16. .bazelrc.deleted_packages
  17. .bazelversion
  18. .editorconfig
  19. .git-blame-ignore-revs
  20. .gitattributes
  21. .gitignore
  22. .pre-commit-config.yaml
  23. .python-version
  24. .readthedocs.yml
  25. addlicense.sh
  26. AGENTS.md
  27. AUTHORS
  28. BUILD.bazel
  29. BZLMOD_SUPPORT.md
  30. CHANGELOG.md
  31. CONTRIBUTING.md
  32. CONTRIBUTORS
  33. GEMINI.md
  34. internal_dev_deps.bzl
  35. internal_dev_setup.bzl
  36. LICENSE
  37. MODULE.bazel
  38. README.md
  39. RELEASING.md
  40. version.bzl
  41. WORKSPACE
  42. WORKSPACE.bzlmod
README.md

Python Rules for Bazel

Build status

Overview

This repository is the home of the core Python rules -- py_library, py_binary, py_test, and related symbols that provide the basis for Python support in Bazel. It also contains package installation rules for integrating with PyPI and other indices.

Documentation for rules_python is at https://rules-python.readthedocs.io and in the Bazel Build Encyclopedia.

Examples live in the examples directory.

The core rules are stable. Their implementation is subject to Bazel's backward compatibility policy. This repository aims to follow semantic versioning.

The Bazel community maintains this repository. Neither Google nor the Bazel team provides support for the code. However, this repository is part of the test suite used to vet new Bazel releases. See How to contribute page for information on our development workflow.

Documentation

For detailed documentation, see https://rules-python.readthedocs.io

Bzlmod support

See Bzlmod support for more details.