[Catalog-sig] PyPI and PEP 381

[Jannis Leidel]

Am 18.01.2010 um 23:20 schrieb Martin v. Löwis:

>>> Can you please propose a specific change to something?
>> 
>> I'm proposing:
>> 
>> Use push notifications (HTTP POST requests) to tell the mirrors about
>> the availability of updates on the main main index, instead of having
>> the mirrors pull that information periodically.
> 
> Ok: what specific notifications (i.e.: what specific URL, what specific
> payload), and what specific servers to contact (i.e. where does the
> list of servers come from)?

Extra URLs of the mirror
------------------------

1. /update

receives a payload with a timestamp to tell the mirror to update itself
the mirror should use that timestamp to compare it to its own "last-modified" timestamp.

2. /update/<project-name>/<version>

receives metadata of each project (same metadata the XML-RPC API uses) as well as a timestamp.

Extra URLs of PyPI
------------------

None

In case a mirror doesn't accept the update payload (e.g. due to temporary loss of connectivity) the mirror needs to be able to catch up at a later time.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the XML-RPC API is capable of providing that information already. Once the mirror gained the list of projects still to be updated, it would mirror them "manually".

List of servers
---------------

Actually this wouldn't differ from the PEP: starting with trusted mirrors. And I absolutely agree with what you earlier said, to slowly start with such a new feature.

On the long run -- but I keep that for a later proposal -- there would be also a way to register non-mirror consumers of the push notifications on the PyPI website.

Jannis