diff --git a/setup.sh b/setup.sh
index 2c2179acb0..ab84c7a053 100755
--- a/setup.sh
+++ b/setup.sh
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ if [ "$IS_COLAB" = true ]; then
else
# Local: create venv (always start fresh to preserve correct install order)
rm -rf .venv
- rm -rf .venv_overlay # Clean up stale transformers version overlay
+ rm -rf .venv_overlay # Remove legacy overlay (no longer used)
rm -rf .venv_t5 # Will be rebuilt below
"$BEST_PY" -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate
diff --git a/studio/backend/main.py b/studio/backend/main.py
index 72b6424cd0..fca8e581d2 100644
--- a/studio/backend/main.py
+++ b/studio/backend/main.py
@@ -36,8 +36,8 @@ async def lifespan(app: FastAPI):
# Clean up any stale compiled cache from previous runs
clear_unsloth_compiled_cache()
- # Remove stale .venv_overlay from previous sessions — it will be
- # rebuilt at runtime if a model needs transformers 5.x
+ # Remove stale .venv_overlay from previous versions — no longer used.
+ # Version switching now uses .venv_t5/ (pre-installed by setup.sh).
overlay_dir = Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent.parent / ".venv_overlay"
if overlay_dir.is_dir():
shutil.rmtree(overlay_dir, ignore_errors=True)
diff --git a/studio/backend/utils/transformers_version.py b/studio/backend/utils/transformers_version.py
index 5b246930f0..5079021ffe 100644
--- a/studio/backend/utils/transformers_version.py
+++ b/studio/backend/utils/transformers_version.py
@@ -8,21 +8,20 @@ default 4.57.x that ships with Unsloth.
When loading a LoRA adapter with a custom name, we resolve the base model from
``adapter_config.json`` and check *that* against the model list.
-Strategy (sys.path overlay):
- • The default transformers (4.57.x) always lives in site-packages.
- • When 5.x is needed, we ``pip install --target
--no-deps`` to a
- separate directory and **prepend** it to ``sys.path``.
- • To revert, we simply **remove** that directory from ``sys.path``.
- • After either change we purge cached modules so the next import picks
- up the correct version.
+Strategy:
+ Training and inference run in subprocesses that activate the correct version
+ via sys.path (prepending .venv_t5/ for 5.x models). See:
+ - core/training/worker.py
+ - core/inference/worker.py
+
+ For export (still in-process), ensure_transformers_version() does a lightweight
+ sys.path swap using the same .venv_t5/ directory pre-installed by setup.sh.
"""
import importlib
-import importlib.metadata
import json
import logging
import os
-import shutil
import subprocess
import sys
from pathlib import Path
@@ -56,9 +55,9 @@ TRANSFORMERS_5_MODEL_SUBSTRINGS: tuple[str, ...] = (
TRANSFORMERS_5_VERSION = "5.1.0"
TRANSFORMERS_DEFAULT_VERSION = "4.57.1"
-# Persistent directory for the transformers 5.x overlay — lives next to .venv/
+# Pre-installed directory for transformers 5.x — created by setup.sh / setup.ps1
_PROJECT_ROOT = Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent.parent.parent # studio/backend/utils/ → project root
-_OVERLAY_DIR = str(_PROJECT_ROOT / ".venv_overlay")
+_VENV_T5_DIR = str(_PROJECT_ROOT / ".venv_t5")
def _resolve_base_model(model_name: str) -> str:
@@ -116,7 +115,7 @@ def needs_transformers_5(model_name: str) -> bool:
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# Version switching
+# Version switching (in-process — used only by export)
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
def _get_in_memory_version() -> str | None:
@@ -165,66 +164,37 @@ def _purge_modules() -> int:
return len(to_remove)
-# Packages to install into the overlay (each with --no-deps).
-_OVERLAY_PACKAGES = (
- f"transformers=={TRANSFORMERS_5_VERSION}",
- "huggingface_hub>=1.3.0,<2.0",
-)
+def _ensure_venv_t5_exists() -> bool:
+ """Ensure .venv_t5/ exists. Install at runtime if missing."""
+ if os.path.isdir(_VENV_T5_DIR) and os.listdir(_VENV_T5_DIR):
+ return True
-
-def _install_overlay() -> None:
- """Install transformers 5.x into BOTH site-packages and the overlay
- directory, then prepend the overlay to ``sys.path``.
-
- We install into site-packages so that:
- - ``importlib.metadata.version()`` returns the correct version
- - sub-package resolution (``transformers.models.*``) uses 5.x code
- The overlay is kept as a safety net for sys.path-based resolution.
- """
- # --- 1. Install into site-packages (updates code + metadata) -----------
- for pkg in _OVERLAY_PACKAGES:
- cmd = [sys.executable, "-m", "pip", "install", pkg]
- logger.info("Installing %s into site-packages: %s", pkg, " ".join(cmd))
- result = subprocess.run(
- cmd,
- stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
- stderr=subprocess.STDOUT,
- text=True,
- )
+ logger.warning(".venv_t5 not found at %s — installing at runtime", _VENV_T5_DIR)
+ os.makedirs(_VENV_T5_DIR, exist_ok=True)
+ for pkg in (f"transformers=={TRANSFORMERS_5_VERSION}", "huggingface_hub>=1.3.0"):
+ cmd = [
+ sys.executable, "-m", "pip", "install",
+ "--target", _VENV_T5_DIR,
+ "--no-deps",
+ pkg,
+ ]
+ result = subprocess.run(cmd, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.STDOUT, text=True)
if result.returncode != 0:
logger.error("pip install failed:\n%s", result.stdout)
- raise RuntimeError(
- f"Failed to install {pkg}.\npip output:\n{result.stdout}"
- )
- logger.info("Site-packages install succeeded")
+ return False
+ logger.info("Installed transformers 5.x to %s", _VENV_T5_DIR)
+ return True
- # --- 2. Install into overlay (safety net for sys.path resolution) ------
- needs_overlay = (
- not os.path.isdir(_OVERLAY_DIR)
- or not os.listdir(_OVERLAY_DIR)
- or not os.path.isdir(os.path.join(_OVERLAY_DIR, "huggingface_hub"))
- )
- if needs_overlay:
- if os.path.isdir(_OVERLAY_DIR):
- shutil.rmtree(_OVERLAY_DIR)
- os.makedirs(_OVERLAY_DIR, exist_ok=True)
- for pkg in _OVERLAY_PACKAGES:
- cmd = [
- sys.executable, "-m", "pip", "install",
- "--target", _OVERLAY_DIR,
- "--no-deps",
- pkg,
- ]
- logger.info("Installing %s to overlay: %s", pkg, " ".join(cmd))
- subprocess.run(cmd, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.STDOUT, text=True)
- logger.info("Overlay install succeeded")
- # Prepend to sys.path (if not already there)
- if _OVERLAY_DIR not in sys.path:
- sys.path.insert(0, _OVERLAY_DIR)
- logger.info("Prepended %s to sys.path", _OVERLAY_DIR)
+def _activate_5x() -> None:
+ """Prepend .venv_t5/ to sys.path, purge stale modules, reimport."""
+ if not _ensure_venv_t5_exists():
+ raise RuntimeError(f"Cannot activate transformers 5.x: .venv_t5 missing at {_VENV_T5_DIR}")
+
+ if _VENV_T5_DIR not in sys.path:
+ sys.path.insert(0, _VENV_T5_DIR)
+ logger.info("Prepended %s to sys.path", _VENV_T5_DIR)
- # --- 3. Purge old modules and force fresh import -----------------------
count = _purge_modules()
logger.info("Purged %d cached modules", count)
@@ -232,32 +202,12 @@ def _install_overlay() -> None:
logger.info("Loaded transformers %s", transformers.__version__)
-def _remove_overlay() -> None:
- """Revert to the default transformers (4.57.x) by restoring site-packages
- and removing the overlay from ``sys.path``."""
- # --- 1. Restore default versions in site-packages ----------------------
- default_packages = (
- f"transformers=={TRANSFORMERS_DEFAULT_VERSION}",
- "huggingface_hub==0.36.0",
- )
- for pkg in default_packages:
- cmd = [sys.executable, "-m", "pip", "install", pkg]
- logger.info("Restoring %s in site-packages: %s", pkg, " ".join(cmd))
- result = subprocess.run(
- cmd,
- stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
- stderr=subprocess.STDOUT,
- text=True,
- )
- if result.returncode != 0:
- logger.error("pip install failed:\n%s", result.stdout)
+def _deactivate_5x() -> None:
+ """Remove .venv_t5/ from sys.path, purge stale modules, reimport."""
+ while _VENV_T5_DIR in sys.path:
+ sys.path.remove(_VENV_T5_DIR)
+ logger.info("Removed %s from sys.path", _VENV_T5_DIR)
- # --- 2. Remove overlay from sys.path -----------------------------------
- while _OVERLAY_DIR in sys.path:
- sys.path.remove(_OVERLAY_DIR)
- logger.info("Removed %s from sys.path", _OVERLAY_DIR)
-
- # --- 3. Purge old modules and force fresh import -----------------------
count = _purge_modules()
logger.info("Purged %d cached modules", count)
@@ -268,15 +218,15 @@ def _remove_overlay() -> None:
def ensure_transformers_version(model_name: str) -> None:
"""Ensure the correct ``transformers`` version is active for *model_name*.
- Uses sys.path overlay:
- • Need 5.x → install to separate dir, prepend sys.path, purge modules.
- • Need 4.x → remove overlay from sys.path, purge modules.
+ Uses sys.path with .venv_t5/ (pre-installed by setup.sh):
+ • Need 5.x → prepend .venv_t5/ to sys.path, purge modules.
+ • Need 4.x → remove .venv_t5/ from sys.path, purge modules.
For LoRA adapters with custom names, the base model is resolved from
``adapter_config.json`` before checking.
- Call this at the top of every model-loading code path (training ``/start``,
- inference ``/load``, export ``/load-checkpoint``).
+ NOTE: Training and inference use subprocess isolation instead of this
+ function. This is only used by the export path (routes/export.py).
"""
# Resolve LoRA adapters to their base model for accurate detection
resolved = _resolve_base_model(model_name)
@@ -286,12 +236,10 @@ def ensure_transformers_version(model_name: str) -> None:
# Check what's actually loaded in memory
in_memory = _get_in_memory_version()
- overlay_active = _OVERLAY_DIR in sys.path
logger.info(
- "Version check for '%s' (resolved: '%s'): need=%s, "
- "in_memory=%s, overlay_active=%s",
- model_name, resolved, target_version, in_memory, overlay_active,
+ "Version check for '%s' (resolved: '%s'): need=%s, in_memory=%s",
+ model_name, resolved, target_version, in_memory,
)
# --- Already correct? ---------------------------------------------------
@@ -306,11 +254,11 @@ def ensure_transformers_version(model_name: str) -> None:
# --- Switch version -----------------------------------------------------
if want_5:
- logger.info("Activating transformers %s overlay…", TRANSFORMERS_5_VERSION)
- _install_overlay()
+ logger.info("Activating transformers %s via .venv_t5…", TRANSFORMERS_5_VERSION)
+ _activate_5x()
else:
logger.info("Reverting to default transformers %s…", TRANSFORMERS_DEFAULT_VERSION)
- _remove_overlay()
+ _deactivate_5x()
final = _get_in_memory_version()
logger.info("✓ transformers version is now %s", final)