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PACKAGE Files

PACKAGE files are per-directory configuration files which are accessible from Starlark rules/macros. It supports things like per-directory properties, reading parent PACKAGE values (read_parent_package_value()), writing PACKAGE values (write_package_value()), loading helper bzl files, and you can also inspect PACKAGE values via buck2 audit package-values.

Before evaluating BUCK file, buck2 will evaluate all PACKAGE files in the same directory and all parent directories. Absent PACKAGE files are treated as empty files.

All relevant PACKAGE files are executed sequentially from the root directory to the current directory (but unrelated PACKAGE files can be executed in parallel). Evaluating PACKAGE files sequentially provides additional guarantees, for example, attempt to override a property (unless explicitly requested) should fail with Starlark call stack.

Each PACKAGE file is evaluated at most once (like bzl files).

PACKAGE files may load arbitrary bzl files. BUCK-specific functions called in bzl files (like rule functions) are available, but calling functions from PACKAGE files is an error. This way, bzl files are evaluated only once regardless of whether they are loaded from PACKAGE or BUCK file.

APIs

PACKAGE APIs

write_package_value

def write_package_value(
    name: str,
    value: "",
    overwrite: bool = False,
): ...

This global API is only available in PACKAGE files, or bzl files included in PACKAGE files.

name is a string which must contain exactly one dot symbol (just to enforce code style).

value is an arbitrary Starlark value, for example, an integer, a list of integer, a struct or a function. The value must be serializable into JSON.

When overwrite is False (default), attempt to overwrite per-PACKAGE value defined in parent PACKAGE file will fail.

Written values are frozen when PACKAGE file evaluation is finished.

Note write_package_value symbol exists in bzl globals, and it can be called from bzl file in context of PACKAGE evaluation, but calling write_package_file is an error on context of BUCK evaluation.

Modifying PACKAGE file logically invalidates the BUCK file of this directory, and all PACKAGE and BUCK files of sub-PACKAGEs. However, BUCK file evaluation may track which PACKAGE-local values were accessed and only invalidate BUCK files which were potentially affected (similarly to how we do it with buckconfigs).

read_parent_package_value

def read_parent_package_value(
    key: str,
): ...

This global API is only available in PACKAGE files, or bzl files included in PACKAGE files.

This function returns the PACKAGE value defined in a parent PACKAGE file, or None is such value does not exist.

This function is available in PACKAGE files, but attempt to call this function in context of bzl file evaluation results in an error.

package

def package(
    inherit: bool = False,
    visibility: list[str] | tuple[str, ...] = [],
    within_view: list[str] | tuple[str, ...] = []
) -> None

This global API is only available in PACKAGE files, or bzl files included in PACKAGE files.

visibility is a list of visibility patterns to apply to all targets contained within the directory, unless the target defines it's own visibility patterns.

within_view is a list of visibility patterns restricting what all target contained within the PACKAGE directory can depend on. Applies to first-order deps, and not transitive deps.

If inherit is True, then the visibility and within_view will be inherited from the nearest parent PACKAGE.

read_config

PACKAGE files are able to call read_config to read buckconfigs.

BUCK-specific API

read_package_value

def read_package_value(
    name: str,
): ...

This global API is only available in BUCK files, or bzl files included in BUCK files.

This function returns the nearest name value registered per PACKAGE, or None is such value does not exist.

This function is available in bzl files, but attempt to call this function in context of PACKAGE file evaluation results in an error. This restriction can be lifted in the future.