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+# Handoff — non-editable install + root-owned `/opt/left4me/src`
+
+## Status
+
+Queued. **Must land before** the deployment-responsibility brainstorm
+resumes (`docs/superpowers/specs/2026-05-15-handoff-deployment-responsibility.md`).
+This is the prereq that makes target-side symlinks of deployment
+artifacts safe.
+
+## The task
+
+Change ckn-bw's `bundles/left4me/` so that:
+
+1. The production install uses **non-editable** pip installs
+   (`pip install /opt/left4me/src/l4d2host /opt/left4me/src/l4d2web`),
+   not `pip install -e …`.
+2. `/opt/left4me/src/` is **owned by root:root**, not left4me:left4me.
+3. The `left4me_chown_src` action and the `/opt/left4me/src` directory
+   item's `owner`/`group` flip accordingly.
+4. The pip-install action moves from "runs every apply" to "triggered
+   by `git_deploy:/opt/left4me/src`" — non-editable installs always
+   rebuild a wheel, so running unconditionally is wasteful.
+
+Local-development install flows (direnv + `pip install -e ./l4d2host
+-e ./l4d2web`) are **unchanged**. Editable installs remain correct on
+developer machines; only the production install model on the host
+changes.
+
+## Why
+
+Two reasons, listed in priority order.
+
+**Security.** The deployment-responsibility brainstorm wants to make
+`left4me/deploy/files/` the live source of truth for systemd units,
+drop-ins, sudoers, sysctl, and helpers, delivered by ckn-bw via
+target-side symlinks (`/etc/foo` → `/opt/left4me/src/deploy/files/...`).
+If the symlink target sits inside a left4me-writable directory, the
+service can rewrite its own hardening drop-in and escape the sandbox
+on next restart. Making `/opt/left4me/src/` root-owned closes that
+hole at the filesystem layer, before symlinks ever come into the
+picture. Defense-in-depth that costs us nothing the production
+workflow actually used.
+
+**Operational honesty.** The only reason `/opt/left4me/src/` is
+user-owned today is that `pip install -e` writes `.egg-info` into the
+source tree. No production workflow ever edits files under
+`/opt/left4me/src/` directly — code updates always come through
+`git_deploy` + `pip_install`. Editable mode buys nothing on the host;
+non-editable matches what the deploy actually does (rebuild + reinstall
+wheel from new source).
+
+## What changes — concretely
+
+All edits are in `~/Projekte/ckn-bw/bundles/left4me/`.
+
+### `items.py`
+
+**Directory items** (`items.py:7-42`) — flip `/opt/left4me/src` to root:
+
+```python
+directories = {
+    '/opt/left4me': {
+        'owner': 'root',
+        'group': 'root',
+    },
+    '/opt/left4me/src': {
+        'owner': 'root',
+        'group': 'root',
+        # Was left4me:left4me before the non-editable install switch;
+        # production now installs wheels, so the source tree is read-only
+        # at runtime. Keeps left4me from being able to rewrite its own
+        # hardening drop-ins / unit files (see deployment-responsibility
+        # handoff for the full argument).
+    },
+    # /var/lib/left4me/* and /opt/left4me/{steam,.venv} stay left4me:left4me.
+    ...
+}
+```
+
+**`left4me_pip_install` action** (`items.py:247-263`) — drop `-e`,
+become triggered:
+
+```python
+actions['left4me_pip_install'] = {
+    # Non-editable install: builds wheels from the checkout, installs
+    # into the venv's site-packages. Source tree is no longer mutated by
+    # pip, so /opt/left4me/src/ stays root:root with read-only access for
+    # left4me at runtime.
+    'command': 'sudo -u left4me /opt/left4me/.venv/bin/pip install /opt/left4me/src/l4d2host /opt/left4me/src/l4d2web',
+    'triggered': True,        # was: ran every apply
+    'cascade_skip': False,
+    'needs': [
+        'git_deploy:/opt/left4me/src',
+        'action:left4me_create_venv',
+        # action:left4me_chown_src removed (deleted below).
+    ],
+    'triggers': [
+        'action:left4me_alembic_upgrade',
+    ],
+}
+```
+
+**`left4me_chown_src` action** (`items.py:207-219`) — **delete**.
+The action exists to repair file ownership after each `git_deploy`
+extracts the tarball as root and we needed it as left4me. With the new
+model, root is the target ownership, which is also what `git_deploy`
+already produces. Action becomes a no-op; remove it.
+
+**`git_deploy` triggers** (`items.py:157-183`) — ensure
+`action:left4me_pip_install` is in `triggers`. Currently triggers
+`left4me_alembic_upgrade` and `install_left4me_scripts`; add
+`left4me_pip_install` so that a fresh checkout always rebuilds the
+wheel and reinstalls.
+
+### `metadata.py`
+
+No changes. The `systemd/units` reactor's `WorkingDirectory` and
+timer `working_dir` still point at `/opt/left4me/src` — that path is
+still readable as left4me regardless of ownership (it's
+world-readable by default after `git_deploy` extracts as root).
+
+### `README.md`
+
+Line 48 mentions `pip install -e`. Update to reflect non-editable
+production install and add a one-line note that local dev still uses
+`-e`. Two lines of edits.
+
+### `l4d2web.egg-info/`, `l4d2host.egg-info/` on the live host
+
+These directories exist today inside `/opt/left4me/src/l4d2{host,web}/`
+as a side-effect of editable installs. After the switch they become
+stale (pip installs a fresh wheel into the venv; the in-source egg-info
+is unused). Clean-up options:
+
+- **Leave them**: harmless, ignored by Python. Eventually removed by
+  whoever next refactors the source layout.
+- **One-shot remove on the live host**: `sudo find /opt/left4me/src
+  -name "*.egg-info" -type d -exec rm -rf {} +`. Cosmetic; do whatever.
+
+Either's fine. Document the choice in the commit message.
+
+## What does NOT change
+
+- **`l4d2host/` and `l4d2web/` `pyproject.toml`** — both already declare
+  `[build-system] requires = ["setuptools>=68", "wheel"]` and use the
+  flat `package-dir = {l4d2host = "."}` layout. Non-editable install
+  works out of the box; no packaging edits needed.
+- **`alembic.ini` + migrations** — alembic reads
+  `/opt/left4me/src/l4d2web/alembic/versions/*.py` at runtime. Root
+  ownership + world-readable means left4me can still read; no change.
+- **`examples/script-overlays/`** — same; read-only access by left4me
+  at seed time.
+- **`/opt/left4me/.venv/`** — stays left4me:left4me (pip writes here
+  during the install action, run as left4me via sudo).
+- **`/opt/left4me/steam/`** — stays left4me:left4me (steamcmd
+  self-updates).
+- **`/var/lib/left4me/`** and all subdirs — stays left4me:left4me
+  (application runtime state).
+- **Local-dev install instructions** in `README.md`, `AGENTS.md`,
+  `l4d2web/README.md` — keep `-e`. Developer machines need editable.
+- **`install_left4me_scripts` action** — already copies from src as
+  root, target paths under `/usr/local/{libexec,sbin}/`. Source can be
+  root-owned now (no change in behavior).
+- **Hardening composition + every deployed unit / drop-in / sudoers /
+  sysctl file** — out of scope for this change. Those move in the
+  deployment-responsibility brainstorm, after this lands.
+
+## Verification
+
+Run on left4.me (the production host) after `bw apply`:
+
+1. **Source ownership**:
+   ```
+   stat -c '%U:%G %a %n' /opt/left4me/src /opt/left4me/.venv /opt/left4me/steam /var/lib/left4me
+   ```
+   Expected: `/opt/left4me/src` → `root:root`; `.venv` and `steam` and
+   `/var/lib/left4me` → `left4me:left4me`.
+
+2. **Wheel installed, not editable**:
+   ```
+   sudo -u left4me /opt/left4me/.venv/bin/pip show l4d2web l4d2host
+   ```
+   Expected: `Location:` points inside
+   `/opt/left4me/.venv/lib/python*/site-packages/`, NOT inside
+   `/opt/left4me/src/`. (Editable installs report the source path as
+   `Location:`; non-editable reports site-packages.)
+
+3. **App runs**:
+   ```
+   systemctl status left4me-web.service
+   ```
+   Active, recent logs clean.
+
+4. **Alembic can still read migrations**:
+   ```
+   sudo -u left4me sh -c 'cd /opt/left4me/src/l4d2web && /opt/left4me/.venv/bin/alembic current'
+   ```
+   Returns the current head without errors.
+
+5. **A gameserver starts**:
+   ```
+   sudo /usr/local/libexec/left4me/left4me-systemctl start left4me-server@test
+   journalctl -u left4me-server@test -n 50
+   ```
+   srcds_run starts cleanly. Stop it after verification.
+
+6. **Idempotent `bw apply`**:
+   Run `bw apply left4.me` a second time. Should report zero changes —
+   no chown action drifting back, no pip install re-firing.
+
+## Out of scope
+
+- **The deployment-responsibility reshape itself.** That brainstorm
+  resumes after this prereq lands on left4.me. Do not touch
+  `deploy/files/`, hardening drop-ins, sudoers location, etc. — those
+  are the *next* session's work.
+- **Removing the `bundles/left4me/files/etc/{sudoers.d,sysctl.d}/`
+  verbatim mirrors.** Same; that's the deployment-responsibility
+  session.
+- **Moving `scripts/{libexec,sbin}/` into `deploy/scripts/`.** Same.
+- **Reviewing whether the editable install pattern should change for
+  developer machines.** It should not — local dev wants editable for
+  fast iteration; only the host install model changes.
+
+## Pointers
+
+- **Deployment-responsibility brainstorm handoff** (the parent
+  context): `docs/superpowers/specs/2026-05-15-handoff-deployment-responsibility.md`
+- **ckn-bw left4me bundle**:
+  `~/Projekte/ckn-bw/bundles/left4me/` —
+  - `items.py:7-42` (directories)
+  - `items.py:157-183` (git_deploy)
+  - `items.py:207-219` (left4me_chown_src — delete)
+  - `items.py:247-263` (left4me_pip_install)
+  - `README.md:48` (docs update)
+- **pyproject.toml layouts**:
+  `l4d2host/pyproject.toml`, `l4d2web/pyproject.toml`. Flat
+  `package-dir = {<pkg> = "."}` layout. Non-editable wheel build works
+  with this layout without further changes.
+- **Hardening test plan** (motivates the security argument):
+  `docs/superpowers/specs/2026-05-15-hardening-test-plan.md`
+- **Original deployment design** (the shape we're working toward):
+  `docs/superpowers/specs/2026-05-06-left4me-deployment-design.md`
+
+## Commit messages (suggested)
+
+ckn-bw side (the actual change):
+
+```
+refactor(left4me): non-editable install + root-owned /opt/left4me/src
+
+Drop `pip install -e` for the production install; switch to wheel
+install (`pip install /opt/left4me/src/l4d2{host,web}`). Source tree no
+longer needs to be writable by left4me, so flip /opt/left4me/src to
+root:root and delete the left4me_chown_src action.
+
+Prereq for the deployment-responsibility reshape: makes target-side
+symlinks from /etc/... into /opt/left4me/src/deploy/files/... safe by
+construction (left4me cannot rewrite its own hardening profile).
+
+Verified on left4.me: bw apply idempotent; pip show reports
+site-packages location; web + gameserver units run clean.
+```
+
+left4me side (this handoff doc):
+
+```
+spec(noneditable-install): handoff for the install refactor prereq
+
+Self-contained spec for the next agent to land the editable→
+non-editable install switch and the root-ownership flip on
+/opt/left4me/src. Prereq for the deployment-responsibility brainstorm.
+```