can't build python part with C modules
Metadata
Current evaluation
Python plugin can't build packages with C extensions (Python.h not found). Maintainer-confirmed build-environment workaround exists, but the plugin still never sets C_INCLUDE_PATH itself. Reproducer targets core18/snapcraft 3.0 and needs re-verification on current bases.
Suggested action: keep open
Reason: Maintainer ~brlin acknowledged the issue and supplied a working `build-environment: C_INCLUDE_PATH` recipe via snapcore/snapcraft#2322, but the reporter's closing comment explicitly keeps the root request alive: 'I think this bug is valid as snapcraft should pass that export itself in the python plugin'. That request is verifiably still unimplemented — `C_INCLUDE_PATH` appears in zero files and zero commits across both snapcraft and craft-parts, and `BasePythonPlugin.get_build_environment()` sets only PATH/PARTS_PYTHON_INTERPRETER/PARTS_PYTHON_VENV_ARGS. Age alone does not warrant closing, and the reporter remains engaged. Confidence is held down because the reproducer is unverifiable against current snapcraft: it uses `base: core18` (docs: 'The latest release of Snapcraft does not support older bases'), snapcraft 2.43.1/3.0, and `stage-packages: libpython3.6`, whereas the plugin has since been refactored into craft-parts with a venv-based interpreter discovery flow that no longer creates the system-python3-dev vs. staged-libpython mismatch behind the original failure. A maintainer should first confirm whether C-extension packages still fail on core22/core24 before scoping a fix, and note the fix would need to land in craft-parts, not snapcraft.
Evaluated by: mr-cal-bot
Issue body
Evaluation history
| Date | Model | Scores | Action | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| stealth/space-bunny-alpha |
Impact:
30
Quick Win:
9
Complexity:
30
Confidence:
58
Actionability:
45
|
keep open | Python plugin can't build packages with C extensions (Python.h not found). Maintainer-confirmed build-environment workaround exists, but the plugin still never sets C_INCLUDE_PATH itself. Reproducer targets core18/snapcraft 3.0 and needs re-verification on current bases. | |
| stealth/space-bunny-alpha |
Impact:
38
Quick Win:
15
Complexity:
30
Confidence:
69
Actionability:
58
|
needs triage | Python parts with C extensions could not find Python headers. A build-environment workaround exists, but no maintainer triage or verified resolution is recorded. | |
| stealth/space-bunny-alpha |
Impact:
55
Quick Win:
25
Complexity:
45
Confidence:
85
Actionability:
82
|
needs triage | Python packages with C extensions fail to build on Bionic/core18 and core16 because Python headers are not found; C_INCLUDE_PATH works around the failure, with no maintainer response or recorded resolution. | |
| qwen/qwen3.8-27b |
Impact:
40
Quick Win:
28
Staleness:
95
Complexity:
30
Confidence:
70
Support Request:
10
|
close stale | Snapcraft python plugin fails to build Python packages with C extensions because C headers (e.g. Python.h) are not found; reporter found a workaround by exporting C_INCLUDE_PATH=/usr/include/python3.6. No maintainer response or labels; issue is ~7 years old and targets core18/core16 bases. | |
| qwen/qwen3.6-35b-a3b |
Staleness:
95
Complexity:
20
Confidence:
90
Support Request:
40
|
close stale | Reports snapcraft build failure for Python packages with C modules due to missing headers. Suggests C_INCLUDE_PATH workaround. No activity in 7 years, references obsolete bases. | |
| qwen/qwen3.6-35b-a3b |
Staleness:
98
Complexity:
30
Confidence:
85
Support Request:
10
|
close stale | Snapcraft python plugin fails to find C headers when building packages with C extensions. Issue is over 7 years old with no maintainer interaction. | |
| qwen3.6-35b-a3b-mtp-q6 |
Staleness:
98
Complexity:
20
Confidence:
92
Support Request:
10
|
close stale | Snapcraft python plugin fails to locate C headers during build. Open for over seven years with zero maintainer interaction. Irrelevant due to Snapcraft migrating to core20/22 and rewriting the python plugin. |
Update history
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| created |
Related work
-
Related To:
snapcore/snapcraft#2322
(confidence 85%)
Cited directly by maintainer ~brlin as the source of the `build-environment` key that provides the documented workaround for this issue.
Related issues
No related issues found above the similarity threshold.