PEP 832: some clarifications based on feedback (#5142)

Author: brettcannon

peps/pep-0832.rst

@@ -88,15 +88,14 @@ logical paths should be resolved to their physical equivalent before use.
 
 Instead of a directory containing a virtual environment, the root of a project
 MAY have a :file:`.venv` redirect file. This file acts as a pointer to where
-the (current) virtual environment to be used for the project is located. This
-virtual environment may not be the only environment associated with the
+the (current) virtual environment to be used for the project is located
+(which, just like a :file:`.venv` directory, can be a logical or pysical path).
+This virtual environment may not be the only environment associated with the
 project, but it is considered the preferred virtual environment to use
 *at the moment* by other tools. The tool managing the virtual environment
 SHOULD update any :file:`.venv` redirect file as appropriate when the tool or
 the user desire a different virtual environment to be used by default by other
-tools. As well, other tools that did not initially create the :file:`.venv`
-redirect file SHOULD NOT overwrite it without the user somehow expressing a
-desire for the change of "ownership" of the file.
+tools.
 
 Tools looking for a virtual environment SHOULD look for either a :file:`.venv`
 directory or a :file:`.venv` redirect file. IF a tool chooses to search parent
@@ -108,10 +107,10 @@ either ``\n`` or ``\r\n`` is allowed and MUST be ignored. An empty file or one
 that only contains a newline is considered invalid.
 
 The line in the :file:`.venv` redirect file MUST point to a directory
-containing a virtual environment. The path MAY use POSIX path separators--
-``/`` --regardless of what the operating system's native path separator is.
-The path MAY be relative, and if so MUST be relative to the directory
-containing the :file:`.venv` file.
+containing a virtual environment when being written. The path MAY use POSIX
+path separators-- ``/`` --regardless of what the operating system's native path
+separator is. The path MAY be relative, and if so MUST be relative to the
+directory containing the :file:`.venv` file.
 
 With regard to committing a :file:`.venv` redirect file to version control, it
 MAY be done when the location of the virtual environment is considered static
@@ -127,9 +126,10 @@ by this PEP.
 IF a tool can detect that an environment is already in use (e.g. the
 ``VIRTUAL_ENV`` environment variable is set), THEN tools SHOULD respect the
 user's choice and use the activated/in-use environment over the default
-environment when no previous environment selection has occurred. Tools MAY
-choose to override even a previous environment selection if an environment is
-detected as activated/in use.
+environment when no previous environment selection has occurred or the tool
+doesn't have its own justification for ignoring the user's supposed choice.
+Tools MAY choose to override even a previous environment selection if an
+environment is detected as activated/in use.
 
 This PEP is choosing NOT to take a position on what to do if :file:`.venv` is
 invalid (whether it's a directory or a file). It is up to the tool encountering
@@ -465,6 +465,15 @@ this PEP.
 Change History
 ==============
 
+- 24-Sep-2026
+
+  - Clarify :file:`.venv` redirect files can be logical or physical paths just
+    like :file:`.venv` directories
+  - Specify that tool can ignore supposed user selections if the tool has a
+    justification to
+  - Clarify that :file:`.venv` redirect files have to be valid paths
+    **when written**; this can't really be enforced upon reading
+
 - 08-Sep-2026
 
   - Switch back to :file:`.venv` redirect files from :file:`.python-envs` files