Prefer requirements with upper bounds

docs/html/topics/more-dependency-resolution.md

@@ -160,16 +160,22 @@ Pip's current implementation of the provider implements
 
 * If Requires-Python is present only consider that
 * If there are causes of resolution conflict (backtrack causes) then
-  only consider them until there are no longer any resolution conflicts
-
-Pip's current implementation of the provider implements `get_preference` as
-follows:
-
-* Prefer if any of the known requirements is "direct", e.g. points to an
-    explicit URL.
-* If equal, prefer if any requirement is "pinned", i.e. contains
-    operator ``===`` or ``==``.
-* Order user-specified requirements by the order they are specified.
-* If equal, prefers "non-free" requirements, i.e. contains at least one
-    operator, such as ``>=`` or ``<``.
-* If equal, order alphabetically for consistency (helps debuggability).
+    only consider them until there are no longer any resolution conflicts
+
+Pip's current implementation of the provider implements `get_preference`
+for known requirements with the following preferences in the following order:
+
+* Any requirement that is "direct", e.g., points to an explicit URL.
+* Any requirement that is "pinned", i.e., contains the operator ``===``
+    or ``==`` without a wildcard.
+* Any requirement that imposes an upper version limit, i.e., contains the
+    operator ``<``, ``<=``, ``~=``, or ``==`` with a wildcard. Because
+    pip prioritizes the latest version, preferring explicit upper bounds
+    can rule out infeasible candidates sooner. This does not imply that
+    upper bounds are good practice; they can make dependency management
+    and resolution harder.
+* Order user-specified requirements as they are specified, placing
+    other requirements afterward.
+* Any "non-free" requirement, i.e., one that contains at least one
+    operator, such as ``>=`` or ``!=``.
+* Alphabetical order for consistency (aids debuggability).

news/13273.feature.rst

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Improved heuristics for determining the order of dependency resolution.

src/pip/_internal/resolution/resolvelib/provider.py

@@ -161,14 +161,20 @@ def get_preference(
 
         Currently pip considers the following in order:
 
-        * Prefer if any of the known requirements is "direct", e.g. points to an
-          explicit URL.
-        * If equal, prefer if any requirement is "pinned", i.e. contains
-          operator ``===`` or ``==``.
-        * Order user-specified requirements by the order they are specified.
-        * If equal, prefers "non-free" requirements, i.e. contains at least one
-          operator, such as ``>=`` or ``<``.
-        * If equal, order alphabetically for consistency (helps debuggability).
+        * Any requirement that is "direct", e.g., points to an explicit URL.
+        * Any requirement that is "pinned", i.e., contains the operator ``===``
+          or ``==`` without a wildcard.
+        * Any requirement that imposes an upper version limit, i.e., contains the
+          operator ``<``, ``<=``, ``~=``, or ``==`` with a wildcard. Because
+          pip prioritizes the latest version, preferring explicit upper bounds
+          can rule out infeasible candidates sooner. This does not imply that
+          upper bounds are good practice; they can make dependency management
+          and resolution harder.
+        * Order user-specified requirements as they are specified, placing
+          other requirements afterward.
+        * Any "non-free" requirement, i.e., one that contains at least one
+          operator, such as ``>=`` or ``!=``.
+        * Alphabetical order for consistency (aids debuggability).
         """
         try:
             next(iter(information[identifier]))
@@ -193,12 +199,17 @@ def get_preference(
 
         direct = candidate is not None
         pinned = any(((op[:2] == "==") and ("*" not in ver)) for op, ver in operators)
+        upper_bounded = any(
+            ((op in ("<", "<=", "~=")) or (op == "==" and "*" in ver))
+            for op, ver in operators
+        )
         unfree = bool(operators)
         requested_order = self._user_requested.get(identifier, math.inf)
 
         return (
             not direct,
             not pinned,
+            not upper_bounded,
             requested_order,
             not unfree,
             identifier,

tests/unit/resolution_resolvelib/test_provider.py

@@ -42,47 +42,87 @@ def build_req_info(
             {"pinned-package": [build_req_info("pinned-package==1.0")]},
             [],
             {},
-            (False, False, math.inf, False, "pinned-package"),
+            (False, False, True, math.inf, False, "pinned-package"),
         ),
         # Star-specified package, i.e. with "*"
         (
             "star-specified-package",
             {"star-specified-package": [build_req_info("star-specified-package==1.*")]},
             [],
             {},
-            (False, True, math.inf, False, "star-specified-package"),
+            (False, True, False, math.inf, False, "star-specified-package"),
         ),
         # Package that caused backtracking
         (
             "backtrack-package",
             {"backtrack-package": [build_req_info("backtrack-package")]},
             [build_req_info("backtrack-package")],
             {},
-            (False, True, math.inf, True, "backtrack-package"),
+            (False, True, True, math.inf, True, "backtrack-package"),
         ),
         # Root package requested by user
         (
             "root-package",
             {"root-package": [build_req_info("root-package")]},
             [],
             {"root-package": 1},
-            (False, True, 1, True, "root-package"),
+            (False, True, True, 1, True, "root-package"),
         ),
         # Unfree package (with specifier operator)
         (
             "unfree-package",
-            {"unfree-package": [build_req_info("unfree-package<1")]},
+            {"unfree-package": [build_req_info("unfree-package!=1")]},
             [],
             {},
-            (False, True, math.inf, False, "unfree-package"),
+            (False, True, True, math.inf, False, "unfree-package"),
         ),
         # Free package (no operator)
         (
             "free-package",
             {"free-package": [build_req_info("free-package")]},
             [],
             {},
-            (False, True, math.inf, True, "free-package"),
+            (False, True, True, math.inf, True, "free-package"),
+        ),
+        # Upper bounded with <= operator
+        (
+            "upper-bound-lte-package",
+            {
+                "upper-bound-lte-package": [
+                    build_req_info("upper-bound-lte-package<=2.0")
+                ]
+            },
+            [],
+            {},
+            (False, True, False, math.inf, False, "upper-bound-lte-package"),
+        ),
+        # Upper bounded with < operator
+        (
+            "upper-bound-lt-package",
+            {"upper-bound-lt-package": [build_req_info("upper-bound-lt-package<2.0")]},
+            [],
+            {},
+            (False, True, False, math.inf, False, "upper-bound-lt-package"),
+        ),
+        # Upper bounded with ~= operator
+        (
+            "upper-bound-compatible-package",
+            {
+                "upper-bound-compatible-package": [
+                    build_req_info("upper-bound-compatible-package~=1.0")
+                ]
+            },
+            [],
+            {},
+            (False, True, False, math.inf, False, "upper-bound-compatible-package"),
+        ),
+        # Not upper bounded, using only >= operator
+        (
+            "lower-bound-package",
+            {"lower-bound-package": [build_req_info("lower-bound-package>=1.0")]},
+            [],
+            {},
+            (False, True, True, math.inf, False, "lower-bound-package"),
         ),
     ],
 )