summaryrefslogtreecommitdiffstats
path: root/doc/json-hooks-protocol.md
diff options
context:
space:
mode:
Diffstat (limited to '')
-rw-r--r--doc/json-hooks-protocol.md159
1 files changed, 159 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/doc/json-hooks-protocol.md b/doc/json-hooks-protocol.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ddf0fa0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/json-hooks-protocol.md
@@ -0,0 +1,159 @@
+## JSON Hooks
+
+APT 1.6 introduces support for hooks that talk JSON-RPC 2.0. Hooks act
+as a server, and APT as a client.
+
+## Wire protocol
+
+APT communicates with hooks via a UNIX domain socket in file descriptor
+`$APT_HOOK_SOCKET`. The transport is a byte stream (SOCK_STREAM).
+
+The byte stream contains multiple JSON objects, each representing a
+JSON-RPC request or response, and each terminated by an empty line
+(`\n\n`). Therefore, JSON objects containing empty lines may not be
+used.
+
+For protocol version `0.1`, each JSON object must be encoded on a single
+line.
+
+## Lifecycle
+
+The general life of a hook is as following.
+
+1. Hook is started
+2. Hello handshake is exchanged
+3. One or more calls or notifications are sent from apt to the hook
+4. Bye notification is send
+
+It is unspecified whether a hook is sent one or more messages. For
+example, a hook may be started only once for the lifetime of the apt
+process and receive multiple notificatgions, but a hook may also be
+started multiple times. Hooks should thus be stateless.
+
+## JSON messages
+
+### Hello handshake
+
+APT performs a call to the method `org.debian.apt.hooks.hello` with
+the named parameter `versions` containing a list of supported protocol
+versions. The hook picks the version it supports. The current version
+is `"0.1"`, and support for that version is mandatory.
+
+*Example*:
+
+1. APT:
+ ```{"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"org.debian.apt.hooks.hello","id":0,"params":{"versions":["0.1"]}}```
+
+
+2. Hook:
+ ```{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":0,"result":{"version":"0.1"}}```
+
+### Bye notification
+
+Before closing the connection, APT sends a notification for the
+method `org.debian.apt.hooks.bye`.
+
+### Hook notification
+
+The following methods are supported:
+
+1. `org.debian.apt.hooks.install.pre-prompt` - Run before the y/n prompt
+1. `org.debian.apt.hooks.install.post` - Run after success
+1. `org.debian.apt.hooks.install.fail` - Run after failed install
+1. `org.debian.apt.hooks.search.pre` - Run before search
+1. `org.debian.apt.hooks.search.post` - Run after successful search
+1. `org.debian.apt.hooks.search.fail` - Run after search without results
+
+They can be registered by adding them to the list:
+
+```AptCli::Hooks::<name>```
+
+where `<name>` is the name of the hook. It is recommended that these
+option names are prefixed with `Binary::apt`, so that they only take
+effect for the `apt` binary. Otherwise, there may be compatibility issues
+with scripts and alike.
+
+#### Parameters
+
+*command*: The command used on the command-line. For example, `"purge"`.
+
+*search-terms*: Any non-option arguments given to the command.
+
+*unknown-packages*: For non-search hooks, a subset of *search-terms*
+that APT could not find packages in the cache for.
+
+*packages*: An array of modified packages. This is mostly useful for
+install. Each package has the following attributes:
+
+- *id*: An unsigned integer describing the package
+- *name*: The name of the package
+- *architecture*: The architecture of the package. For `"all"` packages, this will be the native architecture;
+ use per-version architecture fields to see `"all"`.
+
+- *mode*: One of `install`, `deinstall`, `purge`, or `keep`. `keep`
+ is not exposed in 0.1. To determine an upgrade, check
+ that a current version is installed.
+- *automatic*: Whether the package is/will be automatically installed
+- *versions*: An array with up to 3 fields:
+
+ - *candidate*: The candidate version
+ - *install*: The version to be installed
+ - *current*: The version currently installed
+
+ Each version is represented as an object with the following fields:
+
+ - *id*: An unsigned integer
+ - *version*: The version as a string
+ - *architecture*: Architecture of the version
+ - *pin*: The pin priority (optional)
+
+#### Example
+
+```json
+{
+ "jsonrpc": "2.0",
+ "method": "org.debian.apt.hooks.install.pre",
+ "params": {
+ "command": "purge",
+ "search-terms": [
+ "petname-",
+ "lxd+"
+ ],
+ "packages": [
+ {
+ "id": 1500,
+ "name": "ebtables",
+ "architecture": "amd64",
+ "mode": "install",
+ "automatic": 1,
+ "versions": {
+ "candidate": {
+ "id": 376,
+ "version": "2.0.10.4-3.5ubuntu2",
+ "architecture": "amd64",
+ "pin": 990
+ },
+ "install": {
+ "id": 376,
+ "version": "2.0.10.4-3.5ubuntu2",
+ "architecture": "amd64",
+ "pin": 990
+ }
+ }
+ }
+ ]
+ }
+}
+```
+
+#### Compatibility note
+Future versions of APT might make these calls instead of notifications.
+
+## Evolution of this protocol
+New incompatible versions may be introduced with each new feature
+release of apt (1.7, 1.8, etc). No backward compatibility is promised
+until protocol 1.0: New stable feature releases may support a newer
+protocol version only (for example, 1.7 may only support 0.2).
+
+Additional fields may be added to objects without bumping the protocol
+version.