`CraftSpreadYaml` should accept the `environment` key
Metadata
Current evaluation
Request to add top-level environment key to CraftSpreadYaml/CraftTestYaml for global spread test env vars. Triaged, maintainer says implementation is trivial but decision pending. Author found per-suite workaround; feature still unimplemented.
Suggested action: keep open
Reason: Maintainer @lengau acknowledged the issue and explicitly stated 'Implementation is trivial — deciding whether this is something we want to include is nontrivial!' while tagging @cmatsuoka for a decision. The author found a per-suite workaround but noted 'the global environment would still be nice.' The code still lacks the feature (CraftTestYaml has extra='forbid' with no environment field), and the issue remains valid despite 339 days of inactivity.
Impact:
35
Quick Win:
24.5
Staleness:
55
Complexity:
30
Confidence:
72
Support Request:
10
Issue body
### What needs to get done
`CraftSpreadYaml` model at `craft_application/models/spread.py` does not accept the `environment` key which limits the ways in which the spread test can be set up.
## specific example
in [`chisel-releases`](https://github.com/canonical/chisel-releases/) we use the [`environment`](https://github.com/canonical/chisel-releases/) key to add [an entry](https://github.com/canonical/chisel-releases/tree/ubuntu-25.10/tests/spread/lib) to the PATH with extra libraries. there we run the tests with `spread` directly, and all is great.
i've been working on the [`rust-rock`](https://github.com/canonical/rust-rock) recently, and i wanted to implement this kind of pattern (which would eventually hopefully be adopted by into the [`rocks-template`](https://github.com/canonical/rust-rock)), however, when [trying it out](https://github.com/canonical/rust-rock/blob/2308e92ca6ea860c4e4f4c9a83afe1b6e509257d/rust-rock/1.84-25.04/spread.yaml#L10), the test [fails in the cli](https://github.com/canonical/rust-rock/actions/runs/18040922328/job/51339387123?pr=3#step:5:2882) (relevant logs pasted below in case the cli logs are no longer available). i've tracked the issue down to the fact that the builder [calls `rockcraft test`](https://github.com/canonical/craft-actions/blob/6376f70bf549a27bf96786aa6e7e17b5d43c0ff1/src/rockcraft-pack.ts#L65-L66) rather than using `spread` (called by the [`oci-factory`](https://github.com/canonical/oci-factory/blob/a24ea920d8bacfb43c2616672859b491a78d3258/.github/workflows/Build-Rock.yaml#L138-L139)). from there + actually looking at the python stacktrace, i've narrowed it down to [`CraftSpreadYaml`](https://github.com/canonical/craft-application/blob/89382915f754729c6336f6e7b060739033c0ded8/craft_application/models/spread.py#L74-L75) being self-proclaimedly only a simplified version.
```
2025-09-26 14:43:15.904 rockcraft internal error: 1 validation error for CraftSpreadYaml
2025-09-26 14:43:15.904 environment
2025-09-26 14:43:15.904 Extra inputs are not permitted [type=extra_forbidden, input_value={'SHARED_LIBRARIES': '$PR...PATH:$SHARED_LIBRARIES'}, input_type=dict]
2025-09-26 14:43:15.904 For further information visit https://errors.pydantic.dev/2.11/v/extra_forbidden
2025-09-26 14:43:15.911 Traceback (most recent call last):
2025-09-26 14:43:15.912 File "/snap/rockcraft/3592/lib/python3.12/site-packages/craft_application/application.py", line 650, in run
2025-09-26 14:43:15.912 return_code = self._run_inner()
2025-09-26 14:43:15.912 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
2025-09-26 14:43:15.912 File "/snap/rockcraft/3592/lib/python3.12/site-packages/craft_application/application.py", line 627, in _run_inner
2025-09-26 14:43:15.912 return_code = dispatcher.run() or os.EX_OK
2025-09-26 14:43:15.912 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
2025-09-26 14:43:15.912 File "/snap/rockcraft/3592/lib/python3.12/site-packages/craft_cli/dispatcher.py", line 564, in run
2025-09-26 14:43:15.912 return self._loaded_command.run(self._parsed_command_args)
2025-09-26 14:43:15.912 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
2025-09-26 14:43:15.912 File "/snap/rockcraft/3592/lib/python3.12/site-packages/craft_application/commands/base.py", line 200, in run
2025-09-26 14:43:15.912 result = self._run(parsed_args, **kwargs) or result
2025-09-26 14:43:15.912 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
2025-09-26 14:43:15.912 File "/snap/rockcraft/3592/lib/python3.12/site-packages/craft_application/commands/lifecycle.py", line 684, in _run
2025-09-26 14:43:15.912 testing_service.test(
2025-09-26 14:43:15.912 File "/snap/rockcraft/3592/lib/python3.12/site-packages/craft_application/services/testing.py", line 69, in test
2025-09-26 14:43:15.912 self.process_spread_yaml(temp_spread_file, pack_state)
2025-09-26 14:43:15.912 File "/snap/rockcraft/3592/lib/python3.12/site-packages/craft_application/services/testing.py", line 108, in process_spread_yaml
2025-09-26 14:43:15.912 simple = models.CraftSpreadYaml.unmarshal(data)
2025-09-26 14:43:15.912 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
2025-09-26 14:43:15.912 File "/snap/rockcraft/3592/lib/python3.12/site-packages/craft_application/models/base.py", line 64, in unmarshal
2025-09-26 14:43:15.913 return cls.model_validate(data)
2025-09-26 14:43:15.913 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
2025-09-26 14:43:15.913 File "/snap/rockcraft/3592/lib/python3.12/site-packages/pydantic/main.py", line 705, in model_validate
2025-09-26 14:43:15.913 return cls.__pydantic_validator__.validate_python(
2025-09-26 14:43:15.913 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
2025-09-26 14:43:15.913 pydantic_core._pydantic_core.ValidationError: 1 validation error for CraftSpreadYaml
2025-09-26 14:43:15.913 environment
2025-09-26 14:43:15.913 Extra inputs are not permitted [type=extra_forbidden, input_value={'SHARED_LIBRARIES': '$PR...PATH:$SHARED_LIBRARIES'}, input_type=dict]
2025-09-26 14:43:15.913 For further information visit https://errors.pydantic.dev/2.11/v/extra_forbidden
2025-09-26 14:43:15.913 Full execution log: '/home/ubuntu/.local/state/rockcraft/log/rockcraft-20250926-144007.309280.log'
```
### Why it needs to get done
it would be really great if this functionality would be added so we can bump the `craft_application` version in `rockcraft` and configure our tests better. hope it's not tricky and that i've diagnosed the issue correctly.
Evaluation history
| Date | Model | Scores | Action | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| qwen/qwen3.8-27b |
Impact:
35
Quick Win:
24.5
Staleness:
55
Complexity:
30
Confidence:
72
Support Request:
10
|
keep open | Request to add top-level environment key to CraftSpreadYaml/CraftTestYaml for global spread test env vars. Triaged, maintainer says implementation is trivial but decision pending. Author found per-suite workaround; feature still unimplemented. | |
| qwen/qwen3.8-27b |
Impact:
25
Quick Win:
17.5
Staleness:
70
Complexity:
30
Confidence:
80
Support Request:
10
|
keep open | Enhancement request to add top-level `environment` key support to CraftSpreadYaml/CraftTestYaml for spread test configuration. Triaged and labelled; author found a per-suite workaround and noted it is less pressing. Feature still not implemented in current code. | |
| qwen/qwen3.8-27b |
Impact:
35
Quick Win:
22.75
Staleness:
65
Complexity:
35
Confidence:
80
Support Request:
10
|
keep open | Request to allow the top-level 'environment' key in the craft test spread.yaml model (CraftSpreadYaml), which forbids it. Triaged as enhancement; reporter found per-suite environment works as a workaround. Still unfixed in current code. | |
| qwen/qwen3.6-35b-a3b |
Staleness:
80
Complexity:
10
Confidence:
60
Support Request:
0
|
needs triage | Enhancement request to add environment key support to CraftSpreadYaml model. Awaiting architectural decision from maintainers; author notes a workaround exists but feature remains desirable. | |
| qwen3.6-35b-a3b-mtp-q6 |
Staleness:
75
Complexity:
15
Confidence:
70
Support Request:
0
|
needs triage | Enhancement request to add environment key support to CraftSpreadYaml model. Author found a workaround, reducing urgency. Awaiting maintainer design decision on whether to implement. | |
| qwen3.6-35b-a3b-mtp-q6 |
Staleness:
80
Complexity:
20
Confidence:
75
Support Request:
0
|
close stale | CraftSpreadYaml rejects the environment key, blocking spread test setup. Maintainers are discussing whether to add it, noting implementation is trivial but the decision requires review. Workaround available. Status: needs information. |
Update history
No update history recorded yet.
Related work
-
Related To:
craft-application#1168
(confidence 85%)
PR #1168 deprecated CraftSpreadYaml in favor of <app-name>-test.yaml (CraftTestYaml), which has the same extra='forbid' limitation and also lacks a top-level environment field.
Related issues
No related issues found above the similarity threshold.