[pytest-dev] How to sandbox test execution with pytest

[holger krekel]

On Thu, Feb 11, 2016 at 11:39 +0200, Ionel Cristian Mărieș wrote:
> There's the `--boxed` option (from https://pypi.python.org/pypi/pytest-xdist)
> but you can easily do your own "insulator" by using fork syscall.

Also one can use plain "xdist" which provides process-level isolation.
It shouldn't be too hard to also use another unix user via e.g.:

    py.test --tx ssh=OTHERUSER at localhost --dist=each 

but you need to have setup rsyncing, see https://pypi.python.org/pypi/pytest-xdist
for some more info.  The current "remote" test running is a bit limited
and we plan to improve xdist distribution during the upcoming pytest sprint,
see https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/python-testing-sprint-mid-2016/x/4034848#/
creating an issue for "user-level separation of running tests" or something
similar and adding a little donation is one way to help it :)

best,
holger


> 
> Thanks,
> -- Ionel Cristian Mărieș, http://blog.ionelmc.ro
> 
> On Thu, Feb 11, 2016 at 10:33 AM, Alessandro Amici <alexamici at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> 
> > Hi,
> >
> > I asked the following question on StackOverflow first
> > http://stackoverflow.com/questions/35322452, but someone quickly (and
> > wrongly in my opinion) marked that as duplicate of the general "sandboxing
> > in python", so I can't get answers there anymore :(
> >
> > Here is the question:
> >
> > I'm interested in executing potentially untrusted tests with pytest in
> > some kind of sandbox, similarly to what continuous integration services do.
> >
> > I understand that to properly sandbox a python process you need OS-level
> > isolation, like running the tests in a disposable chroot/container, but in
> > my use case I don't need to protect against intentionally malicious code,
> > only from dangerous behaviour of pairing "randomly" functions with
> > arguments. So lesser strict sandboxing may still be acceptable. But I
> > didn't find any plugin that enables any form of sandboxing.
> >
> > What is the best way to sandbox tests execution in pytest?
> >
> > **Update**: This question is not about [python sandboxing in general](
> > http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3068139/how-can-i-sandbox-python-in-pure-python)
> > as the tests' code is run by pytest and I can't change the way it is
> > executed to use `exec` or `ast` or whatever. Also using pypy-sandbox is not
> > an option unfortunately as it is "a prototype only" as per the [PyPy
> > feature page](http://pypy.org/features.html).
> >
> > End of question.
> >
> > For context I'm writing a pytest plugin that lets you search installed
> > modules for functions that pass the given feature-specification tests
> > (still alpha):
> >
> > https://github.com/alexamici/pytest-wish
> >
> > If you find the question useful and not answered already on stackoverflow,
> > the best course of action would be to reopen it and answer there, but I'll
> > take also an answer here :)
> >
> > Alessandro
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > pytest-dev mailing list
> > pytest-dev at python.org
> > https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/pytest-dev
> >
> >

> _______________________________________________
> pytest-dev mailing list
> pytest-dev at python.org
> https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/pytest-dev


-- 
about me:    http://holgerkrekel.net/about-me/
contracting: http://merlinux.eu