Quiet option removes useful output

[koterpillar]

Description

Running pip index versions produces an "experimental command" warning. Silencing this warning with --quiet silences the actual output first, so there is no way to disable just the warning while preserving the useful output.

The same happens with at least pip show and pip help.

Expected behavior

Commands whose primary purpose is to display output should not omit that output no matter how many levels of --quiet is given on the command line.

pip version

24.2

Python version

3.12.3

OS

Ubuntu

How to Reproduce

Run any of:

1. pip index versions --quiet pip
2. pip index versions --quiet --quiet pip
3. pip help --quiet
4. pip show --quiet pip

Observe no (useful) output.

Output

# pip index versions --quiet pip
WARNING: pip index is currently an experimental command. It may be removed/changed in a future release without prior warning.
# pip index versions --quiet --quiet pip
# pip help --quiet
# pip show --quiet pip

Code of Conduct

• I agree to follow the PSF Code of Conduct.

[Smriti-Prajapati]

hey please assign this issue to me.

[DanielCKL]

Hi, @Smriti-Prajapati

any updates on this? Issue still has not been fixed in Pip version 25.0.1 as of 5 March 2025

CC: @koterpillar

[notatallshaw]

Pip is a volunteer project, if someone wants to work on this they're welcome, no need to assign issue.

If someone submits a PR, and I'm assuming it wouldn't be big, I'd be happy to review.

[DanielCKL]

Hi, @notatallshaw ,

TLDR: I just went through the code, and I think you can close this issue (not an issue). If seeing the INSTALLED and LATEST versions without warning is that important to users, I have a way around it as long as you don't mind me using print statements.

Pip's logging module (pip/_internal/utils/logging.py) defaults to setting the logging level to INFO if nothing has been set. This allows us to see the normal information, warnings, errors, and critical messages. Pip makes use of the default Python logging module to actually filter/display the information, warning, errors, and critical messages.

The default Python logging library has values NOTSET (0), INFO (20), WARNING (30), ERROR (40), and CRITICAL (50). The way the default Python logging library operates, if we disable WARNING, we will also disable all other levels below it (INFO).

Also, since the default is INFO, it makes sense that when the user adds '-q' to reduce output, the level will be set TO 'WARNING' (meaning stop showing INFO, and only show warnings and greater). Maybe the helptext was poorly worded (Instead of saying ' Give less output. Option is additive, and can be used up to 3 times (corresponding to WARNING, ERROR, and CRITICAL logging levels).', maybe it could have said 'Option is additive, and can be used up to 3 times (-q sets logging level to WARNING, -qq to ERROR, and -qqq to CRITICAL).

Also, if seeing the INSTALLED and LATEST versions without warning is that important to users, I have a way around it as long as you don't mind me using print statements. Do let me know if that is acceptable.