Add pip_install target script

docs/definition.rst

@@ -352,6 +352,12 @@ builder runtime functionality. Valid keys for this section are:
       of Ansible and Ansible Runner is performed on the final image. Set this
       value to ``True`` to not perform this check. The default is ``False``.
 
+    ``skip_pip_install``
+      This boolean value controls whether or not we attempt to install pip into
+      the base image. Pip is necessary for Python requirement installation, among
+      other things. You may choose to disable this step and handle installing
+      pip manually if the current method of pip installation does not work for you.
+
     ``relax_passwd_permissions``
       This boolean value controls whether the ``root`` group (GID 0) is explicitly granted
       write permission to ``/etc/passwd`` in the final container image. The default entrypoint

src/ansible_builder/_target_scripts/pip_install

@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# Copyright (c) 2024 Red Hat, Inc.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or
+# implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+#####################################################################
+# Script to encapsulate pip installation.
+#
+# Usage: pip_install <PYCMD>
+#
+# Options:
+#     PYCMD - The path to the python executable to use.
+#####################################################################
+
+set -x
+
+PYCMD=$1
+
+if [ -z "$PYCMD" ]
+then
+    echo "Usage: pip_install <PYCMD>"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+if [ ! -x "$PYCMD" ]
+then
+    echo "$PYCMD is not an executable"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+# This is going to be our default functionality for now. This will likely
+# need to change if we add support for non-RHEL distros.
+$PYCMD -m ensurepip --root /
+
+if [ $? -ne 0 ]
+then
+    cat<<EOF
+**********************************************************************
+ERROR - pip installation failed for Python $PYCMD
+**********************************************************************
+EOF
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+exit 0

src/ansible_builder/containerfile.py

@@ -80,20 +80,21 @@ def prepare(self) -> None:
         ])
 
         self._insert_global_args()
+        self._create_folder_copy_files()
         self._insert_custom_steps('prepend_base')
 
         if not self.definition.builder_image:
             if self.definition.python_package_system:
                 step = 'RUN $PKGMGR install $PYPKG -y ; if [ -z $PKGMGR_PRESERVE_CACHE ]; then $PKGMGR clean all; fi'
                 self.steps.append(step)
 
-            # We should always make sure pip is available for later stages.
-            self.steps.append('RUN $PYCMD -m ensurepip --root /')
+            # pip needs to be available for later stages.
+            if self.definition.version >= 3 and not self.definition.options['skip_pip_install']:
+                self.steps.append('RUN /output/scripts/pip_install $PYCMD')
 
             if self.definition.ansible_ref_install_list:
                 self.steps.append('RUN $PYCMD -m pip install --no-cache-dir $ANSIBLE_INSTALL_REFS')
 
-        self._create_folder_copy_files()
         self._insert_custom_steps('append_base')
 
         ######################################################################
@@ -283,7 +284,7 @@ def _create_folder_copy_files(self) -> None:
         scriptres = importlib.resources.files('ansible_builder._target_scripts')
         script_files = (
             'assemble', 'install-from-bindep', 'introspect.py', 'check_galaxy',
-            'check_ansible', 'entrypoint'
+            'check_ansible', 'pip_install', 'entrypoint'
         )
         for script in script_files:
             with importlib.resources.as_file(scriptres / script) as script_path:

src/ansible_builder/ee_schema.py

@@ -341,6 +341,10 @@
                     "description": "Disables the check for Ansible/Runner in final image",
                     "type": "boolean",
                 },
+                "skip_pip_install": {
+                    "description": "Disables the installation of pip in the base image",
+                    "type": "boolean",
+                },
                 "workdir": {
                     "description": "Default working directory, also often the homedir for ephemeral UIDs",
                     "type": ["string", "null"],
@@ -444,6 +448,7 @@ def _handle_options_defaults(ee_def: dict):
     entrypoint_path = os.path.join(constants.FINAL_IMAGE_BIN_PATH, "entrypoint")
 
     options.setdefault('skip_ansible_check', False)
+    options.setdefault('skip_pip_install', False)
     options.setdefault('relax_passwd_permissions', True)
     options.setdefault('workdir', '/runner')
     options.setdefault('package_manager_path', '/usr/bin/dnf')