Upstream ability to run commands as root via repo2docker

[consideRatio]

Carbonplan has transitioned to use repo2docker and can no longer install code-server which seem to require sudo rights. I responded that we'll explore if we can work this.

https://2i2c.freshdesk.com/a/tickets/758

[yuvipanda]

I think if this is required, they must use a Dockerfile. repo2docker doesn't quite support this and I don't think it will. I'm also not sure that it is required to install code-server.

[consideRatio]

I did some exploring on specifically installing code-server without being root user. It seems it can be installed with npm, but I ran into:

npm WARN EBADENGINE Unsupported engine {
npm WARN EBADENGINE   package: 'code-server@4.13.0',
npm WARN EBADENGINE   required: { node: '16' },
npm WARN EBADENGINE   current: { node: 'v18.15.0', npm: '9.5.0' }
npm WARN EBADENGINE }

Apparently supporting node 18 is tracked in coder/code-server#6230.

Considering other options, repo2docker supports the apt.txt file, and code-server exists as a downloadable .deb file, but it is not published via an apt repository so using apt.txt won't work.

[consideRatio]

I just learned that repo2docker has an entrypoint that makes us get logs to ~/.jupyter-server-log.txt which is really helpful for us to help users help themselves instead of needing our help.

I now also ended up opining (jupyterhub/repo2docker#1009 (comment).) if the repo2docker should or shouldn't accept a feature allowing this, I think adding support for a postBuildAsRoot file makes sense. I understand that you and Min disagree though, so unless you or Min agrees of supporting something like that I figure we shouldn't go for it.

[consideRatio]

I found code-server via conda-forge, it helped downgrade node to version 16, and then it worked. I'll communicate this as a resolution to https://2i2c.freshdesk.com/a/tickets/758, and we can close this as I figure we don't need to decide on working on that feature or not if there is agreement to do it upstream.

channels:
  - conda-forge
dependencies:
  - pip
  - python=3.10.*
  - code-server
  - pip:
    - jupyter-vscode-proxy