More freedom in replit

Support Feature Requests
1

Describe your feature request

Since every replit is docker image, it would be great if the user would recieve full root permission in it.

Since the content of a docker image is sandboxed (isolated), there is no risk that it could influence the host system.

What problem(s) would this feature solve?

It would allow the user (among others) to:

  • install and update the required packages and tools

  • customize the environment to the needs

Beniffit’s:

Above would reduce the amount of workload related with the maintanance for the server’s administrator’s in the matters of keeping all replit’s sofware up to date, since the users would be able to do that themself’s

3

I don’t believe that’s entirely true, there’s definitely ways for sandboxed containers to escape their restrictions.

1 Like
4

I belive that most replit users wouldn’t risk the termination of their accounts if they would try to do that :wink:

3 Likes
5

On the other hand, what software do you need root to update? You should be using nix for most system package work.

1 Like
6

As I explained in another feature request, giving the user root inside of his container would allow him/her to self:

  • upgrade existing versions of the installed software

  • install missing tools and packages

  • etc.

Keep in mind that not every one is familiar with nix and installing some software (for example tools or packages) requires other software (like: pip or apt, where apt oftenly requires elevated priviledges to work correctly).

This would also have adventages of reducing the workload of the staff members who are managing all replit related services

7

pip already works, and most things you’d add with apt can be added by nix. As for not understanding nix, running commands in Shell that don’t exist cause nix to suggest packages to install to fix the issue.

1 Like
8

Replit used Docker in 2022, and now uses Nix: