Allow overriding root module version on command line about bazel

[fmeum]

Maybe not as convenient as a flag, but you could use something like buildozer 'set version 1.2.3' //MODULE.bazel:%module to update the MODULE.bazel file in CI.

[SanjayVas]

@fmeum Thanks, that's certainly helpful for the short term. The main reason it's not a true workaround is that CI should usually have --lockfile_mode=error set. Changing the contents of MODULE.bazel also means handling lockfile checks.

[Wyverald]

@fmeum Thanks, that's certainly helpful for the short term. The main reason it's not a true workaround is that CI should usually have --lockfile_mode=error set. Changing the contents of MODULE.bazel also means handling lockfile checks.

With Bazel 7.2.0+, changing the root module version (which doesn't affect module version resolution at all) will no longer interfere with --lockfile_mode=error.

[SanjayVas]

With Bazel 7.2.0+, changing the root module version (which doesn't affect module version resolution at all) will no longer interfere with --lockfile_mode=error.

I just tested this after upgrading to Bazel 7.2.1 and still got an error with --lockfile_mode=error. Running bazel mod deps --lockfile_mode=update updates the usagesDigest field for two module extensions: @@rules_jvm_external~//:extensions.bzl%maven and @@rules_oci~//oci:extensions.bzl%oci.

[fmeum]

You are right, this makes sense: module extensions see the version as declared by any module with a use_extension for them. Since extensions can perform arbitrary logic based on it, there is no way to change the version without invalidating the lockfile to some extent. Having a flag for it unfortunately wouldn't change this.