Installing a memory provider (Honcho, mem0, hindsight, ...) from the
dashboard Plugins page failed on hosted deployments with a permission
error: the setup endpoint shelled out to
`uv pip install --python sys.executable`, which targets the sealed
read-only venv under /opt/hermes (immutable hosted image, NS-579/#49113).
The correct mechanism already exists: tools/lazy_deps.py redirects
installs to the writable durable target on the data volume
(HERMES_LAZY_INSTALL_TARGET=/opt/data/lazy-packages) when the venv is
sealed (HERMES_DISABLE_LAZY_INSTALLS=1), appends the target to the END
of sys.path (core venv always wins collisions), and constrains shared
deps to core-venv versions. The dashboard installer simply never used
it.
Fix:
- tools/lazy_deps.py: new public install_specs() — installs arbitrary
manifest-declared pip specs through the same environment routing as
ensure(): venv-scoped by default, durable-target on sealed images,
refused with an actionable reason when gated off (config kill switch
or sealed venv without a target — never surfaces raw EROFS/EACCES).
Specs are validated with _spec_is_safe(); post-install it invalidates
import/metadata caches so availability rechecks in the same process
see the new packages without a restart. Never raises.
- hermes_cli/web_server.py: _install_memory_provider_pip_dependencies
now calls install_specs() instead of building its own uv/pip
subprocess. Blocked installs surface the gate reason in the setup
results; the response's status block reflects post-install
availability (stale 'missing deps' state clears immediately).
- hermes_cli/memory_setup.py, plugins/memory/honcho/cli.py,
plugins/memory/mem0/_setup.py: CLI setup wizards routed through
install_specs() too — same sealed-venv failure mode, same fix.
No hosted setup path writes to /opt/hermes anymore; provider discovery
and installation now use the same environment (sys.path activation is
shared with the lazy-install bootstrap in hermes_bootstrap).
Tests:
- tests/tools/test_lazy_deps.py: TestInstallSpecs — gating matrix
(sealed+no-target blocked with immutable-deployment reason, config
kill switch, sealed+target proceeds), spec-safety rejection before
any subprocess, venv-scoped vs --target command display, failure
stderr passthrough, never-raises contract.
- tests/hermes_cli/test_web_server.py: setup endpoint routes pip
through lazy_deps (regression guard asserts no direct 'pip install'
subprocess), blocked-reason surfacing, same-response availability
recheck clears stale missing state.
Fixes NS-605 (Plain T-1111).