topic Re: The risks of code execution by default on widget change in Get Started Discussions

The risks of code execution by default on widget change

Israel_H — Mon, 05 Feb 2024 20:21:34 GMT

Taking from my experience, the default action of widgets triggering code execution upon value change poses risks that outweigh the convenience in certain scenarios.

While this feature may seem advantageous in some cases, it can lead to unintended consequences and a less controlled development environment. Having a widget's value change automatically trigger code execution during the midst of development or maintenance can have significant ramifications if the code is not adequately structured or tested. Moreover, it becomes even more problematic if the inattentive user fails to perceive that an execution has occurred.

Given these considerations, I believe the default behavior for widget value change should be to do nothing, or at least make it so that the user can customize this setting in their preferences. Additionally, implementing a visual cue in the IDE to indicate that widget changes will trigger code execution would provide developers with a clearer understanding of the potential impacts of their actions.

Re: The risks of code execution by default on widget change

feiyun0112 — Tue, 06 Feb 2024 03:28:13 GMT

click gear icon on top right, set Widget panel settings

Re: The risks of code execution by default on widget change

Israel_H — Tue, 06 Feb 2024 12:08:11 GMT

Yes, I'm aware that it can be changed for each notebook. What I don't think is safe is for it to 'Run' by default instead of 'Do nothing'.

Re: The risks of code execution by default on widget change

Kayla — Sat, 10 Feb 2024 15:50:57 GMT

I definitely have to agree with the original point- if you have a notebook that you import, and you touch any widget value you're running code, most likely accidentally. I'd love to see a workspace or user type option where you can change the default to "do nothing" for all widgets/notebooks.