Home cannot be used as project folder

[kuisathaverat]

I recently used Hermit in a Docker container to make it easy to install the tools I need for that container. I use a python:3.11 Docker container as a base, and I need to install some cloud tools. I found (in the hard way) that you can not use the user's HOME as a project directory; there is some issue with the hermit command.

If you execute the following command you can replicate the issue:

docker run -it --rm --entrypoint=/bin/bash python:3.11

curl -fsSL https://github.com/cashapp/hermit/releases/download/stable/install.sh | /bin/bash
export PATH=$HOME/bin:$PATH
hermit init $HOME
. /root/bin/activate-hermit

You will hit the following error

fatal:hermit: binary is not a Hermit symlink: /root/bin/hermit

Solution, do not use HOME for init hermit:

docker run -it --rm --entrypoint=/bin/bash python:3.11

curl -fsSL https://github.com/cashapp/hermit/releases/download/stable/install.sh | /bin/bash
export PATH=$HOME/bin:$PATH

TOOLS_DIR=$HOME/tools
PATH=$TOOLS_DIR/bin:$PATH
mkdir -p $TOOLS_DIR
hermit init $TOOLS_DIR
. $TOOLS_DIR/bin/activate-hermit

I just opened an issue to make a record of it for people who hit the same issue. Feel free to close it if it is not relevant.

[alecthomas]

There's nothing in Hermit that would prevent this, I have done it myself in the past, so it's likely something strange with how the machine is configured.

fatal:hermit: binary is not a Hermit symlink: /root/bin/hermit

What does ls -l /root/bin/hermit show?

[kuisathaverat]

What does ls -l /root/bin/hermit show?

root@e3d3cd13d5a7:/# ls -l /root/bin/hermit
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 13 Apr 12 11:33 /root/bin/hermit -> hermit-stable

Full sequence of command with output

> docker run -it --rm --entrypoint=/bin/bash python:3.11
root@6a182124564d:/# curl -fsSL https://github.com/cashapp/hermit/releases/download/stable/install.sh | /bin/bash
Creating /root/.cache/hermit/pkg/hermit@stable
Downloading https://github.com/cashapp/hermit/releases/download/stable/hermit-linux-amd64.gz to /root/.cache/hermit/pkg/hermit@stable/hermit
Hermit installed as /root/.cache/hermit/pkg/hermit@stable/hermit
NOTE: /root/bin should be added to your $PATH if it is not already
Hermit is installed as /root/bin/hermit

See https://cashapp.github.io/hermit/usage/get-started/ for more information.

root@6a182124564d:/# 
root@6a182124564d:/# 
root@6a182124564d:/# export PATH=$HOME/bin:$PATH
root@6a182124564d:/# hermit init $HOME
info: Creating new Hermit environment in /root
info:   -> /root/bin/README.hermit.md
info:   -> /root/bin/activate-hermit
info:   -> /root/bin/hermit
info:   -> /root/bin/hermit.hcl
info: 

Hermit environment initialised in /root

To activate the environment run:

  . /root/bin/activate-hermit

Then run the following to list available commands:

  hermit --help

To deactivate the environment run:

  deactivate-hermit

For more information please refer to https://github.com/cashapp/hermit

root@6a182124564d:/# 
root@6a182124564d:/# 
root@6a182124564d:/# . /root/bin/activate-hermit
fatal:hermit: binary is not a Hermit symlink: /root/bin/hermit