Add `--no-clear` to `uv venv` to disable removal prompts (#15795)

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Closes #15485

---------

Co-authored-by: Aditya-PS-05 <adityapratapsjnhh7654@gmail.com>
Co-authored-by: Zanie Blue <contact@zanie.dev>

crates/uv-cli/src/lib.rs

@@ -2754,6 +2754,18 @@ pub struct VenvArgs {
     #[clap(long, short, overrides_with = "allow_existing", value_parser = clap::builder::BoolishValueParser::new(), env = EnvVars::UV_VENV_CLEAR)]
     pub clear: bool,
 
+    /// Fail without prompting if any existing files or directories are present at the target path.
+    ///
+    /// By default, when a TTY is available, `uv venv` will prompt to clear a non-empty directory.
+    /// When `--no-clear` is used, the command will exit with an error instead of prompting.
+    #[clap(
+        long,
+        overrides_with = "clear",
+        conflicts_with = "allow_existing",
+        hide = true
+    )]
+    pub no_clear: bool,
+
     /// Preserve any existing files or directories at the target path.
     ///
     /// By default, `uv venv` will exit with an error if the given path is non-empty. The

crates/uv-virtualenv/src/virtualenv.rs

@@ -116,6 +116,22 @@ pub(crate) fn create(
             } else {
                 "directory"
             };
+            let hint = format!(
+                "Use the `{}` flag or set `{}` to replace the existing {name}",
+                "--clear".green(),
+                "UV_VENV_CLEAR=1".green()
+            );
+            // TODO(zanieb): We may want to consider omitting the hint in some of these cases, e.g.,
+            // when `--no-clear` is used do we want to suggest `--clear`?
+            let err = Err(Error::Io(io::Error::new(
+                io::ErrorKind::AlreadyExists,
+                format!(
+                    "A {name} already exists at: {}\n\n{}{} {hint}",
+                    location.user_display(),
+                    "hint".bold().cyan(),
+                    ":".bold(),
+                ),
+            )));
             match on_existing {
                 OnExisting::Allow => {
                     debug!("Allowing existing {name} due to `--allow-existing`");
@@ -131,15 +147,11 @@ pub(crate) fn create(
                     remove_virtualenv(&location)?;
                     fs::create_dir_all(&location)?;
                 }
-                OnExisting::Fail => {
+                OnExisting::Fail => return err,
-                    let confirmation = if is_virtualenv {
+                // If not a virtual environment, fail without prompting.
-                        confirm_clear(location, name)?
+                OnExisting::Prompt if !is_virtualenv => return err,
-                    } else {
+                OnExisting::Prompt => {
-                        // Refuse to remove a non-virtual environment; don't even prompt.
+                    match confirm_clear(location, name)? {
-                        Some(false)
-                    };
-
-                    match confirmation {
                         Some(true) => {
                             debug!("Removing existing {name} due to confirmation");
                             // Before removing the virtual environment, we need to canonicalize the
@@ -151,22 +163,7 @@ pub(crate) fn create(
                             remove_virtualenv(&location)?;
                             fs::create_dir_all(&location)?;
                         }
-                        Some(false) => {
+                        Some(false) => return err,
-                            let hint = format!(
-                                "Use the `{}` flag or set `{}` to replace the existing {name}",
-                                "--clear".green(),
-                                "UV_VENV_CLEAR=1".green()
-                            );
-                            return Err(Error::Io(io::Error::new(
-                                io::ErrorKind::AlreadyExists,
-                                format!(
-                                    "A {name} already exists at: {}\n\n{}{} {hint}",
-                                    location.user_display(),
-                                    "hint".bold().cyan(),
-                                    ":".bold(),
-                                ),
-                            )));
-                        }
                         // When we don't have a TTY, warn that the behavior will change in the future
                         None => {
                             warn_user_once!(
@@ -637,10 +634,14 @@ pub fn remove_virtualenv(location: &Path) -> Result<(), Error> {
     Ok(())
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Default, Copy, Clone, Eq, PartialEq)]
+#[derive(Debug, Copy, Clone, Eq, PartialEq, Default)]
 pub enum OnExisting {
-    /// Fail if the directory already exists and is non-empty.
+    /// Prompt before removing an existing directory.
+    ///
+    /// If a TTY is not available, fail.
     #[default]
+    Prompt,
+    /// Fail if the directory already exists and is non-empty.
     Fail,
     /// Allow an existing directory, overwriting virtual environment files while retaining other
     /// files in the directory.
@@ -650,13 +651,15 @@ pub enum OnExisting {
 }
 
 impl OnExisting {
-    pub fn from_args(allow_existing: bool, clear: bool) -> Self {
+    pub fn from_args(allow_existing: bool, clear: bool, no_clear: bool) -> Self {
         if allow_existing {
             Self::Allow
         } else if clear {
             Self::Remove
+        } else if no_clear {
+            Self::Fail
         } else {
-            Self::default()
+            Self::Prompt
         }
     }
 }

crates/uv/src/lib.rs

@@ -1107,7 +1107,11 @@ async fn run(mut cli: Cli) -> Result<ExitStatus> {
             let python_request: Option<PythonRequest> =
                 args.settings.python.as_deref().map(PythonRequest::parse);
 
-            let on_existing = uv_virtualenv::OnExisting::from_args(args.allow_existing, args.clear);
+            let on_existing = uv_virtualenv::OnExisting::from_args(
+                args.allow_existing,
+                args.clear,
+                args.no_clear,
+            );
 
             commands::venv(
                 &project_dir,

crates/uv/src/settings.rs

@@ -2719,6 +2719,7 @@ pub(crate) struct VenvSettings {
     pub(crate) seed: bool,
     pub(crate) allow_existing: bool,
     pub(crate) clear: bool,
+    pub(crate) no_clear: bool,
     pub(crate) path: Option<PathBuf>,
     pub(crate) prompt: Option<String>,
     pub(crate) system_site_packages: bool,
@@ -2738,6 +2739,7 @@ impl VenvSettings {
             seed,
             allow_existing,
             clear,
+            no_clear,
             path,
             prompt,
             system_site_packages,
@@ -2757,6 +2759,7 @@ impl VenvSettings {
             seed,
             allow_existing,
             clear,
+            no_clear,
             path,
             prompt,
             system_site_packages,

crates/uv/tests/it/venv.rs

@@ -978,8 +978,7 @@ fn non_empty_dir_exists() -> Result<()> {
       Caused by: A directory already exists at: .venv
 
     hint: Use the `--clear` flag or set `UV_VENV_CLEAR=1` to replace the existing directory
-    "
+    ");
-    );
 
     uv_snapshot!(context.filters(), context.venv()
         .arg(context.venv.as_os_str())
@@ -1675,3 +1674,123 @@ fn create_venv_current_working_directory() {
     "
     );
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn no_clear_with_existing_directory() {
+    let context = TestContext::new_with_versions(&["3.12"]);
+
+    // Create a virtual environment first
+    uv_snapshot!(context.filters(), context.venv()
+        .arg(context.venv.as_os_str())
+        .arg("--python")
+        .arg("3.12"), @r###"
+    success: true
+    exit_code: 0
+    ----- stdout -----
+
+    ----- stderr -----
+    Using CPython 3.12.[X] interpreter at: [PYTHON-3.12]
+    Creating virtual environment at: .venv
+    Activate with: source .venv/[BIN]/activate
+    "###
+    );
+
+    // Try to create again with --no-clear (should fail)
+    uv_snapshot!(context.filters(), context.venv()
+        .arg(context.venv.as_os_str())
+        .arg("--no-clear")
+        .arg("--python")
+        .arg("3.12"), @r"
+    success: false
+    exit_code: 2
+    ----- stdout -----
+
+    ----- stderr -----
+    Using CPython 3.12.[X] interpreter at: [PYTHON-3.12]
+    Creating virtual environment at: .venv
+    error: Failed to create virtual environment
+      Caused by: A virtual environment already exists at: .venv
+
+    hint: Use the `--clear` flag or set `UV_VENV_CLEAR=1` to replace the existing virtual environment
+    "
+    );
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn no_clear_with_non_existent_directory() {
+    let context = TestContext::new_with_versions(&["3.12"]);
+
+    // Create with --no-clear on non-existent directory (should succeed)
+    uv_snapshot!(context.filters(), context.venv()
+        .arg(context.venv.as_os_str())
+        .arg("--no-clear")
+        .arg("--python")
+        .arg("3.12"), @r###"
+    success: true
+    exit_code: 0
+    ----- stdout -----
+
+    ----- stderr -----
+    Using CPython 3.12.[X] interpreter at: [PYTHON-3.12]
+    Creating virtual environment at: .venv
+    Activate with: source .venv/[BIN]/activate
+    "###
+    );
+
+    context.venv.assert(predicates::path::is_dir());
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn no_clear_overrides_clear() {
+    let context = TestContext::new_with_versions(&["3.12"]);
+
+    // Create a non-empty directory at `.venv`
+    context.venv.create_dir_all().unwrap();
+    context.venv.child("file").touch().unwrap();
+
+    // --no-clear should override --clear and fail without prompting
+    uv_snapshot!(context.filters(), context.venv()
+        .arg(context.venv.as_os_str())
+        .arg("--clear")
+        .arg("--no-clear")
+        .arg("--python")
+        .arg("3.12"), @r"
+    success: false
+    exit_code: 2
+    ----- stdout -----
+
+    ----- stderr -----
+    Using CPython 3.12.[X] interpreter at: [PYTHON-3.12]
+    Creating virtual environment at: .venv
+    error: Failed to create virtual environment
+      Caused by: A directory already exists at: .venv
+
+    hint: Use the `--clear` flag or set `UV_VENV_CLEAR=1` to replace the existing directory
+    "
+    );
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn no_clear_conflicts_with_allow_existing() {
+    let context = TestContext::new_with_versions(&["3.12"]);
+
+    // Try to use --no-clear with --allow-existing (should fail)
+    uv_snapshot!(context.filters(), context.venv()
+        .arg(context.venv.as_os_str())
+        .arg("--no-clear")
+        .arg("--allow-existing")
+        .arg("--python")
+        .arg("3.12"), @r"
+    success: false
+    exit_code: 2
+    ----- stdout -----
+
+    ----- stderr -----
+    error: the argument '--no-clear' cannot be used with '--allow-existing'
+
+    Usage: uv venv --cache-dir [CACHE_DIR] --python <PYTHON> --exclude-newer <EXCLUDE_NEWER> <PATH>
+
+    For more information, try '--help'.
+    "
+    );
+}