Don't modify config for config related commands

packages/safe-chain/src/packagemanager/pip/runPipCommand.js

@@ -46,6 +46,9 @@ function setFallbackCaBundleEnvironmentVariables(env, combinedCaPath) {
  * If the user has an existing PIP_CONFIG_FILE, a new temporary config is created that merges
  * their settings with safe-chain's, leaving the original file unchanged.
  * 
+ * Special handling for 'pip config' commands: PIP_CONFIG_FILE is NOT overridden to allow
+ * users to read/write persistent config. Only CA environment variables are set for these commands.
+ * 
  * @param {string} command - The pip command to execute (e.g., 'pip3')
  * @param {string[]} args - Command line arguments to pass to pip
  * @returns {Promise<{status: number}>} Exit status of the pip command
@@ -59,6 +62,12 @@ export async function runPip(command, args) {
     // validates correctly under both MITM'd and tunneled HTTPS.
     const combinedCaPath = getCombinedCaBundlePath();
 
+    // Commands that need access to persistent config/cache/state files
+    // These should not have PIP_CONFIG_FILE overridden as it would prevent them from
+    // reading/writing to the user's actual pip configuration and cache directories
+    const configRelatedCommands = ['config', 'cache', 'debug', 'completion'];
+    const isConfigRelatedCommand = args.length > 0 && configRelatedCommands.includes(args[0]);
+
     // https://pip.pypa.io/en/stable/topics/https-certificates/ explains that the 'cert' param (which we're providing via INI file)
     // will tell pip to use the provided CA bundle for HTTPS verification.
 
@@ -70,6 +79,20 @@ export async function runPip(command, args) {
     const pipConfigPath = path.join(tmpDir, `safe-chain-pip-${Date.now()}.ini`);
     let cleanupConfigPath = null; // Track temp file for cleanup
 
+    // For config-related commands, skip PIP_CONFIG_FILE override to allow persistent config/cache access
+    // Only set fallback CA environment variables which don't interfere with config operations
+    if (isConfigRelatedCommand) {
+      ui.writeVerbose(`Safe-chain: Skipping PIP_CONFIG_FILE override for 'pip ${args[0]}' command to allow persistent config/cache access.`);
+      setFallbackCaBundleEnvironmentVariables(env, combinedCaPath);
+      
+      const result = await safeSpawn(command, args, {
+        stdio: "inherit",
+        env,
+      });
+
+      return { status: result.status };
+    }
+
     // Note: Setting PIP_CONFIG_FILE overrides all pip config levels (Global/User/Site) per pip's loading order
     if (!env.PIP_CONFIG_FILE) {
       /** @type {{ global: { cert: string, proxy?: string } }} */

packages/safe-chain/src/packagemanager/pip/runPipCommand.spec.js

@@ -62,6 +62,103 @@ describe("runPipCommand environment variable handling", () => {
     mock.reset();
   });
 
+  it("should NOT set PIP_CONFIG_FILE for 'pip config' commands to allow persistent config access", async () => {
+    const res = await runPip("pip3", ["config", "set", "global.index-url", "https://test.pypi.org/simple"]);
+    assert.strictEqual(res.status, 0);
+    assert.ok(capturedArgs, "safeSpawn should have been called");
+    
+    // PIP_CONFIG_FILE should NOT be set for config commands
+    assert.strictEqual(
+      capturedArgs.options.env.PIP_CONFIG_FILE,
+      undefined,
+      "PIP_CONFIG_FILE should NOT be set for pip config commands"
+    );
+    
+    // But CA environment variables should still be set
+    assert.strictEqual(
+      capturedArgs.options.env.REQUESTS_CA_BUNDLE,
+      "/tmp/test-combined-ca.pem",
+      "REQUESTS_CA_BUNDLE should still be set"
+    );
+    assert.strictEqual(
+      capturedArgs.options.env.SSL_CERT_FILE,
+      "/tmp/test-combined-ca.pem",
+      "SSL_CERT_FILE should still be set"
+    );
+    assert.strictEqual(
+      capturedArgs.options.env.PIP_CERT,
+      "/tmp/test-combined-ca.pem",
+      "PIP_CERT should still be set"
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("should NOT set PIP_CONFIG_FILE for 'pip config get' commands", async () => {
+    const res = await runPip("pip3", ["config", "get", "global.index-url"]);
+    assert.strictEqual(res.status, 0);
+    assert.ok(capturedArgs, "safeSpawn should have been called");
+    
+    assert.strictEqual(
+      capturedArgs.options.env.PIP_CONFIG_FILE,
+      undefined,
+      "PIP_CONFIG_FILE should NOT be set for pip config get"
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("should NOT set PIP_CONFIG_FILE for 'pip config list' commands", async () => {
+    const res = await runPip("pip3", ["config", "list"]);
+    assert.strictEqual(res.status, 0);
+    assert.ok(capturedArgs, "safeSpawn should have been called");
+    
+    assert.strictEqual(
+      capturedArgs.options.env.PIP_CONFIG_FILE,
+      undefined,
+      "PIP_CONFIG_FILE should NOT be set for pip config list"
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("should NOT set PIP_CONFIG_FILE for 'pip cache' commands", async () => {
+    const res = await runPip("pip3", ["cache", "dir"]);
+    assert.strictEqual(res.status, 0);
+    assert.ok(capturedArgs, "safeSpawn should have been called");
+    
+    assert.strictEqual(
+      capturedArgs.options.env.PIP_CONFIG_FILE,
+      undefined,
+      "PIP_CONFIG_FILE should NOT be set for pip cache commands"
+    );
+    
+    // CA env vars should still be set
+    assert.strictEqual(
+      capturedArgs.options.env.SSL_CERT_FILE,
+      "/tmp/test-combined-ca.pem",
+      "SSL_CERT_FILE should still be set"
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("should NOT set PIP_CONFIG_FILE for 'pip debug' commands", async () => {
+    const res = await runPip("pip3", ["debug"]);
+    assert.strictEqual(res.status, 0);
+    assert.ok(capturedArgs, "safeSpawn should have been called");
+    
+    assert.strictEqual(
+      capturedArgs.options.env.PIP_CONFIG_FILE,
+      undefined,
+      "PIP_CONFIG_FILE should NOT be set for pip debug"
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("should NOT set PIP_CONFIG_FILE for 'pip completion' commands", async () => {
+    const res = await runPip("pip3", ["completion", "--bash"]);
+    assert.strictEqual(res.status, 0);
+    assert.ok(capturedArgs, "safeSpawn should have been called");
+    
+    assert.strictEqual(
+      capturedArgs.options.env.PIP_CONFIG_FILE,
+      undefined,
+      "PIP_CONFIG_FILE should NOT be set for pip completion"
+    );
+  });
+
   it("should set PIP_CERT env var and create config file", async () => {
     const res = await runPip("pip3", ["install", "requests"]);
     assert.strictEqual(res.status, 0);