Add `NO_BINARY` and `NO_BINARY_PACKAGE` environment variables (#11399)

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## Summary

This adds `NO_BINARY` and `NO_BINARY_PACKAGE` environment variables to
the uv CLI, allowing the user to specify packages to build from source
using environment variables. Its not a complete fix for #4291 as it does
not handle the `pip` subcommand.

## Test Plan

This was tested by running `uv sync` with various `UV_NO_BINARY` and
`UV_NO_BINARY_PACKAGE` environment variables set and checking that the
correct set of packages were compiled rather than taken from pre-built
wheels.

---------

Co-authored-by: Zanie Blue <contact@zanie.dev>

crates/uv-cli/src/lib.rs

@@ -4770,7 +4770,13 @@ pub struct BuildOptionsArgs {
     ///
     /// The given packages will be built and installed from source. The resolver will still use
     /// pre-built wheels to extract package metadata, if available.
-    #[arg(long, overrides_with("binary"), help_heading = "Build options")]
+    #[arg(
+        long,
+        env = EnvVars::UV_NO_BINARY,
+        overrides_with("binary"),
+        value_parser = clap::builder::BoolishValueParser::new(),
+        help_heading = "Build options"
+    )]
     pub no_binary: bool,
 
     #[arg(
@@ -4782,7 +4788,7 @@ pub struct BuildOptionsArgs {
     pub binary: bool,
 
     /// Don't install pre-built wheels for a specific package.
-    #[arg(long, help_heading = "Build options")]
+    #[arg(long, help_heading = "Build options", env = EnvVars::UV_NO_BINARY_PACKAGE, value_delimiter = ' ')]
     pub no_binary_package: Vec<PackageName>,
 }
 

crates/uv-static/src/env_vars.rs

@@ -142,6 +142,15 @@ impl EnvVars {
     /// will compile Python source files to bytecode after installation.
     pub const UV_COMPILE_BYTECODE: &'static str = "UV_COMPILE_BYTECODE";
 
+    /// Equivalent to the `--no-binary` command-line argument. If set, uv will install
+    /// all packages from source. The resolver will still use pre-built wheels to
+    /// extract package metadata, if available.
+    pub const UV_NO_BINARY: &'static str = "UV_NO_BINARY";
+
+    /// Equivalent to the `--no-binary-package` command line argument. If set, uv will
+    /// not use pre-built wheels for the given space-delimited list of packages.
+    pub const UV_NO_BINARY_PACKAGE: &'static str = "UV_NO_BINARY_PACKAGE";
+
     /// Equivalent to the `--publish-url` command-line argument. The URL of the upload
     /// endpoint of the index to use with `uv publish`.
     pub const UV_PUBLISH_URL: &'static str = "UV_PUBLISH_URL";

crates/uv/tests/it/pip_install.rs

@@ -2279,6 +2279,83 @@ fn install_no_binary_overrides_only_binary_all() {
     context.assert_command("import anyio").success();
 }
 
+/// Disable binaries with an environment variable
+/// TODO(zanieb): This is not yet implemented
+#[test]
+fn install_no_binary_env() {
+    let context = TestContext::new("3.12");
+
+    let mut command = context.pip_install();
+    command.arg("anyio").env("UV_NO_BINARY", "1");
+    uv_snapshot!(
+        command,
+        @r###"
+    success: true
+    exit_code: 0
+    ----- stdout -----
+
+    ----- stderr -----
+    Resolved 3 packages in [TIME]
+    Prepared 3 packages in [TIME]
+    Installed 3 packages in [TIME]
+     + anyio==4.3.0
+     + idna==3.6
+     + sniffio==1.3.1
+    "###
+    );
+
+    let mut command = context.pip_install();
+    command
+        .arg("anyio")
+        .arg("--reinstall")
+        .env("UV_NO_BINARY", "anyio");
+    uv_snapshot!(
+        command,
+        @r###"
+    success: true
+    exit_code: 0
+    ----- stdout -----
+
+    ----- stderr -----
+    Resolved 3 packages in [TIME]
+    Prepared 3 packages in [TIME]
+    Uninstalled 3 packages in [TIME]
+    Installed 3 packages in [TIME]
+     ~ anyio==4.3.0
+     ~ idna==3.6
+     ~ sniffio==1.3.1
+    "###
+    );
+
+    context.assert_command("import anyio").success();
+
+    let mut command = context.pip_install();
+    command
+        .arg("anyio")
+        .arg("--reinstall")
+        .arg("idna")
+        .env("UV_NO_BINARY_PACKAGE", "idna");
+    uv_snapshot!(
+        command,
+        @r###"
+    success: true
+    exit_code: 0
+    ----- stdout -----
+
+    ----- stderr -----
+    Resolved 3 packages in [TIME]
+    Prepared 3 packages in [TIME]
+    Uninstalled 3 packages in [TIME]
+    Installed 3 packages in [TIME]
+     ~ anyio==4.3.0
+     ~ idna==3.6
+     ~ sniffio==1.3.1
+    "###
+    );
+
+    context.assert_command("import idna").success();
+}
+
 /// Overlapping usage of `--no-binary` and `--only-binary`
 #[test]
 fn install_only_binary_overrides_no_binary_all() {

crates/uv/tests/it/sync.rs

@@ -3963,6 +3963,56 @@ fn no_binary() -> Result<()> {
 
     assert!(context.temp_dir.child("uv.lock").exists());
 
+    uv_snapshot!(context.filters(), context.sync().arg("--reinstall").arg("--no-binary"), @r###"
+    success: true
+    exit_code: 0
+    ----- stdout -----
+
+    ----- stderr -----
+    Resolved 2 packages in [TIME]
+    Prepared 1 package in [TIME]
+    Uninstalled 1 package in [TIME]
+    Installed 1 package in [TIME]
+     ~ iniconfig==2.0.0
+    "###);
+
+    uv_snapshot!(context.filters(), context.sync().arg("--reinstall").env("UV_NO_BINARY_PACKAGE", "iniconfig"), @r###"
+    success: true
+    exit_code: 0
+    ----- stdout -----
+
+    ----- stderr -----
+    Resolved 2 packages in [TIME]
+    Prepared 1 package in [TIME]
+    Uninstalled 1 package in [TIME]
+    Installed 1 package in [TIME]
+     ~ iniconfig==2.0.0
+    "###);
+
+    uv_snapshot!(context.filters(), context.sync().arg("--reinstall").env("UV_NO_BINARY", "1"), @r###"
+    success: true
+    exit_code: 0
+    ----- stdout -----
+
+    ----- stderr -----
+    Resolved 2 packages in [TIME]
+    Prepared 1 package in [TIME]
+    Uninstalled 1 package in [TIME]
+    Installed 1 package in [TIME]
+     ~ iniconfig==2.0.0
+    "###);
+
+    uv_snapshot!(context.filters(), context.sync().arg("--reinstall").env("UV_NO_BINARY", "iniconfig"), @r###"
+    success: false
+    exit_code: 2
+    ----- stdout -----
+
+    ----- stderr -----
+    error: invalid value 'iniconfig' for '--no-binary': value was not a boolean
+
+    For more information, try '--help'.
+    "###);
+
     Ok(())
 }
 

docs/configuration/environment.md

@@ -178,6 +178,17 @@ Equivalent to the `--locked` command-line argument. If set, uv will assert that
 Equivalent to the `--native-tls` command-line argument. If set to `true`, uv will
 use the system's trust store instead of the bundled `webpki-roots` crate.
 
+### `UV_NO_BINARY`
+
+Equivalent to the `--no-binary` command-line argument. If set, uv will install
+all packages from source. The resolver will still use pre-built wheels to
+extract package metadata, if available.
+
+### `UV_NO_BINARY_PACKAGE`
+
+Equivalent to the `--no-binary-package` command line argument. If set, uv will
+not use pre-built wheels for the given space-delimited list of packages.
+
 ### `UV_NO_BUILD_ISOLATION`
 
 Equivalent to the `--no-build-isolation` command-line argument. If set, uv will

docs/reference/cli.md

@@ -299,8 +299,10 @@ uv run [OPTIONS] [COMMAND]
 
 <p>The given packages will be built and installed from source. The resolver will still use pre-built wheels to extract package metadata, if available.</p>
 
+<p>May also be set with the <code>UV_NO_BINARY</code> environment variable.</p>
 </dd><dt><code>--no-binary-package</code> <i>no-binary-package</i></dt><dd><p>Don&#8217;t install pre-built wheels for a specific package</p>
 
+<p>May also be set with the <code>UV_NO_BINARY_PACKAGE</code> environment variable.</p>
 </dd><dt><code>--no-build</code></dt><dd><p>Don&#8217;t build source distributions.</p>
 
 <p>When enabled, resolving will not run arbitrary Python code. The cached wheels of already-built source distributions will be reused, but operations that require building distributions will exit with an error.</p>
@@ -958,8 +960,10 @@ uv add [OPTIONS] <PACKAGES|--requirements <REQUIREMENTS>>
 
 <p>The given packages will be built and installed from source. The resolver will still use pre-built wheels to extract package metadata, if available.</p>
 
+<p>May also be set with the <code>UV_NO_BINARY</code> environment variable.</p>
 </dd><dt><code>--no-binary-package</code> <i>no-binary-package</i></dt><dd><p>Don&#8217;t install pre-built wheels for a specific package</p>
 
+<p>May also be set with the <code>UV_NO_BINARY_PACKAGE</code> environment variable.</p>
 </dd><dt><code>--no-build</code></dt><dd><p>Don&#8217;t build source distributions.</p>
 
 <p>When enabled, resolving will not run arbitrary Python code. The cached wheels of already-built source distributions will be reused, but operations that require building distributions will exit with an error.</p>
@@ -1319,8 +1323,10 @@ uv remove [OPTIONS] <PACKAGES>...
 
 <p>The given packages will be built and installed from source. The resolver will still use pre-built wheels to extract package metadata, if available.</p>
 
+<p>May also be set with the <code>UV_NO_BINARY</code> environment variable.</p>
 </dd><dt><code>--no-binary-package</code> <i>no-binary-package</i></dt><dd><p>Don&#8217;t install pre-built wheels for a specific package</p>
 
+<p>May also be set with the <code>UV_NO_BINARY_PACKAGE</code> environment variable.</p>
 </dd><dt><code>--no-build</code></dt><dd><p>Don&#8217;t build source distributions.</p>
 
 <p>When enabled, resolving will not run arbitrary Python code. The cached wheels of already-built source distributions will be reused, but operations that require building distributions will exit with an error.</p>
@@ -1692,8 +1698,10 @@ uv sync [OPTIONS]
 
 <p>The given packages will be built and installed from source. The resolver will still use pre-built wheels to extract package metadata, if available.</p>
 
+<p>May also be set with the <code>UV_NO_BINARY</code> environment variable.</p>
 </dd><dt><code>--no-binary-package</code> <i>no-binary-package</i></dt><dd><p>Don&#8217;t install pre-built wheels for a specific package</p>
 
+<p>May also be set with the <code>UV_NO_BINARY_PACKAGE</code> environment variable.</p>
 </dd><dt><code>--no-build</code></dt><dd><p>Don&#8217;t build source distributions.</p>
 
 <p>When enabled, resolving will not run arbitrary Python code. The cached wheels of already-built source distributions will be reused, but operations that require building distributions will exit with an error.</p>
@@ -2059,8 +2067,10 @@ uv lock [OPTIONS]
 
 <p>The given packages will be built and installed from source. The resolver will still use pre-built wheels to extract package metadata, if available.</p>
 
+<p>May also be set with the <code>UV_NO_BINARY</code> environment variable.</p>
 </dd><dt><code>--no-binary-package</code> <i>no-binary-package</i></dt><dd><p>Don&#8217;t install pre-built wheels for a specific package</p>
 
+<p>May also be set with the <code>UV_NO_BINARY_PACKAGE</code> environment variable.</p>
 </dd><dt><code>--no-build</code></dt><dd><p>Don&#8217;t build source distributions.</p>
 
 <p>When enabled, resolving will not run arbitrary Python code. The cached wheels of already-built source distributions will be reused, but operations that require building distributions will exit with an error.</p>
@@ -2404,8 +2414,10 @@ uv export [OPTIONS]
 
 <p>The given packages will be built and installed from source. The resolver will still use pre-built wheels to extract package metadata, if available.</p>
 
+<p>May also be set with the <code>UV_NO_BINARY</code> environment variable.</p>
 </dd><dt><code>--no-binary-package</code> <i>no-binary-package</i></dt><dd><p>Don&#8217;t install pre-built wheels for a specific package</p>
 
+<p>May also be set with the <code>UV_NO_BINARY_PACKAGE</code> environment variable.</p>
 </dd><dt><code>--no-build</code></dt><dd><p>Don&#8217;t build source distributions.</p>
 
 <p>When enabled, resolving will not run arbitrary Python code. The cached wheels of already-built source distributions will be reused, but operations that require building distributions will exit with an error.</p>
@@ -2782,8 +2794,10 @@ uv tree [OPTIONS]
 
 <p>The given packages will be built and installed from source. The resolver will still use pre-built wheels to extract package metadata, if available.</p>
 
+<p>May also be set with the <code>UV_NO_BINARY</code> environment variable.</p>
 </dd><dt><code>--no-binary-package</code> <i>no-binary-package</i></dt><dd><p>Don&#8217;t install pre-built wheels for a specific package</p>
 
+<p>May also be set with the <code>UV_NO_BINARY_PACKAGE</code> environment variable.</p>
 </dd><dt><code>--no-build</code></dt><dd><p>Don&#8217;t build source distributions.</p>
 
 <p>When enabled, resolving will not run arbitrary Python code. The cached wheels of already-built source distributions will be reused, but operations that require building distributions will exit with an error.</p>
@@ -3255,8 +3269,10 @@ uv tool run [OPTIONS] [COMMAND]
 
 <p>The given packages will be built and installed from source. The resolver will still use pre-built wheels to extract package metadata, if available.</p>
 
+<p>May also be set with the <code>UV_NO_BINARY</code> environment variable.</p>
 </dd><dt><code>--no-binary-package</code> <i>no-binary-package</i></dt><dd><p>Don&#8217;t install pre-built wheels for a specific package</p>
 
+<p>May also be set with the <code>UV_NO_BINARY_PACKAGE</code> environment variable.</p>
 </dd><dt><code>--no-build</code></dt><dd><p>Don&#8217;t build source distributions.</p>
 
 <p>When enabled, resolving will not run arbitrary Python code. The cached wheels of already-built source distributions will be reused, but operations that require building distributions will exit with an error.</p>
@@ -3584,8 +3600,10 @@ uv tool install [OPTIONS] <PACKAGE>
 
 <p>The given packages will be built and installed from source. The resolver will still use pre-built wheels to extract package metadata, if available.</p>
 
+<p>May also be set with the <code>UV_NO_BINARY</code> environment variable.</p>
 </dd><dt><code>--no-binary-package</code> <i>no-binary-package</i></dt><dd><p>Don&#8217;t install pre-built wheels for a specific package</p>
 
+<p>May also be set with the <code>UV_NO_BINARY_PACKAGE</code> environment variable.</p>
 </dd><dt><code>--no-build</code></dt><dd><p>Don&#8217;t build source distributions.</p>
 
 <p>When enabled, resolving will not run arbitrary Python code. The cached wheels of already-built source distributions will be reused, but operations that require building distributions will exit with an error.</p>
@@ -3907,8 +3925,10 @@ uv tool upgrade [OPTIONS] <NAME>...
 
 <p>The given packages will be built and installed from source. The resolver will still use pre-built wheels to extract package metadata, if available.</p>
 
+<p>May also be set with the <code>UV_NO_BINARY</code> environment variable.</p>
 </dd><dt><code>--no-binary-package</code> <i>no-binary-package</i></dt><dd><p>Don&#8217;t install pre-built wheels for a specific package</p>
 
+<p>May also be set with the <code>UV_NO_BINARY_PACKAGE</code> environment variable.</p>
 </dd><dt><code>--no-build</code></dt><dd><p>Don&#8217;t build source distributions.</p>
 
 <p>When enabled, resolving will not run arbitrary Python code. The cached wheels of already-built source distributions will be reused, but operations that require building distributions will exit with an error.</p>
@@ -8349,8 +8369,10 @@ uv build [OPTIONS] [SRC]
 
 <p>The given packages will be built and installed from source. The resolver will still use pre-built wheels to extract package metadata, if available.</p>
 
+<p>May also be set with the <code>UV_NO_BINARY</code> environment variable.</p>
 </dd><dt><code>--no-binary-package</code> <i>no-binary-package</i></dt><dd><p>Don&#8217;t install pre-built wheels for a specific package</p>
 
+<p>May also be set with the <code>UV_NO_BINARY_PACKAGE</code> environment variable.</p>
 </dd><dt><code>--no-build</code></dt><dd><p>Don&#8217;t build source distributions.</p>
 
 <p>When enabled, resolving will not run arbitrary Python code. The cached wheels of already-built source distributions will be reused, but operations that require building distributions will exit with an error.</p>