Configure the repo as a "smart" template

[lebrice]

Requirements:

• It should be easy to update "forks" of the template when the template is updated with new features
  • Ideally, it would be possible to setup a github workflow that would create a pull request in a downstream (private) repo whenever a new version of the template is released.
• The template itself should still be a "runnable", valid python package.
  • Some template libraries use jinja, and as far as I can tell, this requires using {{project_name}}-style filenames or folders, which makes the template impossible to run.

Design / user research

• Take a look at the different libraries for creating and managing templates
  • Consider making the repo a "Template repo" on GitHub
    • Check if GitHub allows making private forks of a public repository.
    • This will probably not allow downstream repos to update themselves though.
  • Take a look at https://github.com/cruft/cruft
  • Take a look at https://github.com/copier-org/copier
  • Seach for other alternatives
• Figure out what questions should be asked when creating a new repo from the template. Get some input from some researchers at Mila.

Implementation

• TDD: Add tests for creating a new repo from the template. Make sure that the user inputs were used correctly and that the resulting repo is usable (e.g. that tests pass in the repo after creation)
• Add the necessary configuration files / non-invasive templating and github workflows so that the repo can be used as a template

Validation

• Ask someone at Mila to be a beta user, get them to go through the workflow of setting up a new research project from the template. Gather their feedback.
• Test out the workflow of updating a downstream repo after new features are pushed to the template.

[lebrice]

Part of this is done: When someone uses the template, they get an automated PR every month to incorporate changes.

Caveats:

• There are no questions asked when creating the repo from the template.
• I'm not 100% sure about how "smart" the PR is. It's probably just a merge.