Provide a sub-command that searches for .pyz files

[brettcannon]

https://docs.python.org/3/library/zipapp.html provides a way to create a zip file that Python can directly execute. Unfortunately you have to point Python at the resulting .pyz file to execute it. Providing a generic command that can search PATH for such .pyz files and use them appropriately may be useful.

Idea sparked by https://discuss.python.org/t/pip-plans-to-introduce-an-alternative-zipapp-deployment-method/17431/25 .

This might not be too critical, though, with an appropriate shebang line on the .pyz file.

[brettcannon]

This would also make for an interesting alternative to pipx, as projects could distribute (or be made into) a .pyz file instead of needing pipx to create a virtual environment (which always runs the risk of becoming invalid).

[brettcannon]

An alternative name is py z since run is extremely generic; py z pip. Maybe too cute, though?

[merwok]

Definitely too cryptic!

[brettcannon]

But what does py run do? That's not descriptive either in the grand scheme of Python "running" something.

[merwok]

I don’t expect anything to be descriptive out of context, only useful mnemonic.
Run meaning find and execute fits with other language / environment managers.

[maxwell-k]

I like it, and the z makes me think zipapp immediately, run doesn't

[merwok]

py app pip then!

[brettcannon]

Another option is an entirely separate pyz binary, but based on how folks have historically asked me to incorporate more functionality into the Launcher rather than less, I suspect this won't be people's preferred option.

[jaraco]

Although I commend the brainstorming here, maybe there's a better experience to be had.

Windows handles this situation by having .pyz in the PATHEXT and having .pyz associated with the executable py... and then they don't even have to type py myexe.pyz but can simply type myexe. Perhaps there's a way to bring this simple user experience to Unix as well, either by shell extensions that implement the same behavior or by providing a wrapper for the .pyz file that gives it direct executability on Python (maybe the right shebang header can already do this?).

I'd really like for there to be an easy way for a developer to provide a command to a user on any platform, without the need for a user to explicitly invoke a launcher or interpreter.

[brettcannon]

I don't know if such a solution exists unfortunately within Unix shells. I also wouldn't want to own trying to make this work in every shell.

[brettcannon]

PEP 723 makes a py run more generic and which can easily implicitly support Python zip files.