[Workflow] Fix template generator in uv environments (#7480)

The template generator attempted to install its dependencies with
`python -m pip` every time it started. Fresh uv environments do not
include the pip module, so the install failed and the generator then
crashed while importing its prompt dependency.

This change:

- declares Jinja2 in the root dependency metadata so source and wheel
installs provide the renderer
- removes runtime dependency installation from `isaaclab --new`
- replaces InquirerPy with the existing Rich dependency and native
numbered multi-selection validation
- removes the duplicate template requirements file
- makes generated projects use the kit-less Newton backend by default
instead of installing Isaac Sim
- forwards `isaacsim`, `ov`, `ovphysx`, and `ovrtx` as optional extras
in generated projects
- documents backend selection in the generated README
- adds prompt, launcher, generated-metadata, and wheel-metadata
regression coverage

No new prompt dependency is introduced: Jinja2 was already present
transitively, while removing InquirerPy also removes its
otherwise-unused `pfzy` dependency.

- Bug fix (non-breaking change which fixes an issue)

- [x] <!-- backport-active-release --> Backport this pull request to the
active release branch after it merges into `develop`

Not applicable.

- `uv run python -m pytest --confcutdir=tools/template
tools/template/test_cli.py -q` (4 passed)
- `uv run python -m pytest
source/isaaclab/test/cli/test_misc_commands.py
source/isaaclab/test/cli/test_wheel_builder_metadata.py -q` (18 passed)
- verified the generated-metadata regression fails against the pre-fix
template because `isaacsim` is a base dependency
- `uv run python tools/changelog/cli.py check develop`
- `uv run isaaclab -f`
- generated an external direct single-agent project with RSL-RL in a
clean uv environment without InquirerPy or pfzy, then compiled its
generated Python and parsed both generated TOML files

- [x] I have read and understood the contribution guidelines
- [x] I have run the pre-commit checks with `uv run isaaclab -f`
- [x] I updated the generated project documentation
- [x] My changes generate no new warnings
- [x] I have added tests that prove the fix is effective
- [x] I have added a changelog fragment for the touched `isaaclab`
package
- [x] My name already exists in `CONTRIBUTORS.md`

---------

Co-authored-by: Antoine Richard <antoiner@nvidia.com>
(cherry picked from commit 7483997)

Author: StafaH

.github/workflows/license-check.yaml

@@ -68,8 +68,7 @@ jobs:
         # ``UNKNOWN``, which license-exceptions.json keys on, and joins multi-license
         # strings unsorted. Cap below 6.0 until 6.x ships stable and is re-reviewed.
         bash "$GITHUB_WORKSPACE/.github/actions/_lib/with-python-package-retries.sh" \
-          uv pip install "pip-licenses<6.0" pipdeptree \
-          -r tools/template/requirements.txt
+          uv pip install "pip-licenses<6.0" pipdeptree
         # Put the venv on PATH for later steps.
         echo "$PWD/.venv/bin" >> "$GITHUB_PATH"
 

docs/index.rst

@@ -112,7 +112,6 @@ Table of Contents
    :caption: Getting Started
    :titlesonly:
 
-   source/overview/own-project/index
    source/setup/walkthrough/index
    source/tutorials/index
    source/how-to/index
@@ -147,6 +146,13 @@ Table of Contents
    source/features/visualizer_tiled_camera
 
 
+.. toctree::
+   :maxdepth: 2
+   :caption: Developer Tools
+
+   source/developer-tools/template_generator
+
+
 .. toctree::
    :maxdepth: 3
    :caption: Experimental Features

docs/source/_static/setup/walkthrough_project_setup.svg

@@ -0,0 +1,293 @@
+.. _own-project:
+.. _template-generator:
+
+Build your own project or task
+==============================
+
+The template generator bootstraps the package structure, task registration, and
+agent configurations needed to start developing an Isaac Lab task. Use it to
+create either a standalone project outside Isaac Lab or a task intended for
+contribution to the Isaac Lab repository. Both options include a working
+Cartpole example that you can replace with your own environment.
+
+Choose what to generate
+-----------------------
+
+The first prompt chooses where the new task will live.
+
+.. list-table::
+   :widths: 22 48 30
+   :header-rows: 1
+
+   * - Type
+     - Use it when
+     - Result
+   * - External (recommended)
+     - You are creating an application, experiment, or reusable project outside
+       the Isaac Lab repository.
+     - A standalone, installable uv project using a ``src`` layout.
+   * - Internal
+     - You intend to contribute the task to the Isaac Lab repository.
+     - A task package under ``source/isaaclab_tasks``.
+
+Installed Isaac Lab wheels only offer external projects. The internal option is
+available from a source checkout because it writes directly into that checkout.
+
+Next, choose one or more task workflows. See :ref:`feature-workflows` for the
+complete comparison.
+
+.. list-table::
+   :widths: 30 70
+   :header-rows: 1
+
+   * - Workflow
+     - Good fit
+   * - Manager-based | single-agent
+     - Most new tasks. Observations, actions, rewards, events, and terminations
+       remain modular and easy to replace.
+   * - Direct | single-agent
+     - Tasks that need custom step and reset control or a compact environment
+       implementation.
+   * - Direct | multi-agent
+     - Tasks with multiple policies or agent-specific observation and action
+       spaces.
+
+Finally, choose the RL libraries and algorithms whose configuration files you
+want generated. The prompt adapts the available choices to the selected
+workflow. See :ref:`rl-frameworks` for the framework comparison.
+
+Create and run an external project
+----------------------------------
+
+First, :ref:`install Isaac Lab <isaaclab-installation-root>`. Run the generator
+from the Isaac Lab source checkout or from a uv project that contains the
+installed Isaac Lab package:
+
+.. code-block:: bash
+
+   uv run isaaclab --new
+
+The command uses the dependencies from the active Isaac Lab environment. It
+does not invoke ``pip`` or install another set of template dependencies, so it
+also works in the pip-less virtual environments created by ``uv``.
+
+The short form is equivalent:
+
+.. code-block:: bash
+
+   uv run isaaclab -n
+
+Select the following options for a small first project:
+
+* **External** project
+* A parent directory outside the Isaac Lab repository
+* A Python-compatible project name, such as ``my_robot_project``
+* A task family name, such as ``balance``
+* A robot/config name, such as ``cartpole``
+* **No** Isaac Sim UI extension for a headless task package
+* **Manager-based | single-agent** workflow
+* **rsl_rl** with **PPO**
+
+The prompts display the valid options and accept numbered, comma-separated
+selections when more than one choice is allowed. The generator creates the
+project under ``<parent-directory>/<project-name>`` and initializes a Git
+repository there.
+
+Enter the generated project and create its environment:
+
+.. code-block:: bash
+
+   cd <parent-directory>/my_robot_project
+   uv sync
+
+This default environment includes the selected RL library and the kit-less
+Newton backend. It does **not** install Isaac Sim.
+
+List the generated task name and its available presets:
+
+.. code-block:: bash
+
+   uv run python scripts/list_envs.py --show_presets
+
+Copy the task name from the output, then run a quick smoke test:
+
+.. code-block:: bash
+
+   uv run isaaclab random_agent --task <TASK_NAME> --num_envs 16 --viz newton
+
+If the environment launches and the cart moves, the project is ready to edit.
+You can then train and play a policy with the same command surface used by
+Isaac Lab itself:
+
+.. code-block:: bash
+
+   uv run isaaclab train --rl_library rsl_rl --task <TASK_NAME>
+   uv run isaaclab play --rl_library rsl_rl --task <TASK_NAME> --checkpoint latest --viz newton
+
+Choose a simulation backend
+---------------------------
+
+The default ``uv sync`` installs the kit-less Newton backend without Isaac Sim.
+Use a generated ``isaacsim``, ``ov``, ``ovphysx``, or ``ovrtx`` extra when a
+command needs that optional runtime. For example:
+
+.. code-block:: bash
+
+   uv run --extra isaacsim isaaclab random_agent \
+      --task <TASK_NAME> physics=isaacsim_physx
+
+Place ``--extra`` before ``isaaclab`` and keep it on every command that needs
+the optional runtime. See :ref:`backends-and-presets` for the backend and preset
+model and :ref:`isaac-lab-quickstart` for supported physics, renderer, and
+visualizer combinations.
+
+.. _project-structure:
+
+Understand the generated project
+--------------------------------
+
+An external project is a single installable Python package with the same
+standard uv ``src`` layout used by maintained downstream examples. Its root
+``pyproject.toml`` declares the package, development tools, backend extras, and
+``isaaclab.tasks`` entry point.
+
+The project name identifies the repository and Python package. Task-wide MDP
+terms live under the separately named task family. Robot-specific scenes,
+registrations, and agent configurations live under ``config/<robot-name>``.
+This separation lets a project add another robot configuration without copying
+the task MDP, or add another task family without creating another repository.
+
+Code shared by several task families can live in a package such as
+``tasks/mdp``. The generated task importer skips packages named ``mdp`` while it
+searches for task registrations, so shared modules do not register as task
+families.
+
+A generated project resembles:
+
+.. code-block:: text
+
+   my_robot_project/
+   ├── LICENSE
+   ├── pyproject.toml
+   ├── README.md
+   ├── scripts/
+   │   └── list_envs.py
+   ├── src/
+   │   └── my_robot_project/
+   │       ├── __init__.py
+   │       └── tasks/
+   │           ├── __init__.py
+   │           └── balance/
+   │               ├── mdp/
+   │               └── config/
+   │                   └── cartpole/
+   │                       ├── agents/
+   │                       └── env_cfg.py
+   └── tests/
+       └── test_registration.py
+
+The generated package ``__init__.py`` is intentionally passive. Installing the
+project exposes ``my_robot_project.tasks`` through the ``isaaclab.tasks`` entry
+point, so importing the package for utilities does not eagerly register tasks.
+
+If you opt into the Isaac Sim UI extension, the generator additionally creates
+``config/extension.toml`` and ``src/my_robot_project/ui_extension_example.py``.
+Launch Isaac Sim with the generated ``isaacsim`` extra when using it. The
+default is a headless task package and does not include these files.
+
+Run commands from the project root so ``uv`` can find the package and task entry
+point. Commit ``pyproject.toml`` and ``uv.lock`` to give collaborators the same
+dependency resolution.
+
+Develop the generated task
+--------------------------
+
+Start with a dummy agent before training. A zero-action agent is useful for
+checking resets and passive dynamics, while a random-action agent also exercises
+the action and observation paths:
+
+.. code-block:: bash
+
+   uv run isaaclab zero_agent --task <TASK_NAME> --num_envs 16
+   uv run isaaclab random_agent --task <TASK_NAME> --num_envs 16
+
+Edit the generated environment configuration and task terms under
+``src/<project-name>/tasks``. The generated package is
+installed in editable mode, so you do not need to reinstall it after each
+change.
+
+Use the remaining project commands as the task matures:
+
+.. code-block:: bash
+
+   uv run isaaclab train_multigpu --rl_library <RL_LIBRARY> \
+      --task <TASK_NAME> --num_gpus 2
+   uv run isaaclab benchmark runtime --task <TASK_NAME> \
+      --num_envs 16 --num_steps 1000
+   uv run pre-commit run --all-files
+
+The generator includes ``tests/test_registration.py`` to verify the task IDs,
+environment entry points, and default agent. Its ``pyproject.toml`` installs
+pytest for development and registers the ``unit``, ``integration``, ``smoke``,
+and ``kitless`` markers. Add project-owned behavioral tests under ``tests`` and
+run them with:
+
+.. code-block:: bash
+
+   uv run pytest tests
+
+The reusable-looking helpers under ``source/isaaclab_tasks/test`` belong to the
+Isaac Lab repository test suite and are not installed with ``isaaclab_tasks``.
+External projects should build their environment harness from public APIs and
+maintain project-local fixtures. Copying ``env_test_utils.py`` into a project is
+vendoring it, so the project must track upstream changes to that copy.
+
+To configure VS Code, run the generated setup task or invoke it directly:
+
+.. code-block:: bash
+
+   uv run python .vscode/tools/setup_vscode.py
+
+Create an internal task
+-----------------------
+
+Choose **Internal** only when working from an Isaac Lab source checkout. The
+generator writes the new task into ``source/isaaclab_tasks`` instead of creating
+a separate project. From the Isaac Lab repository root, list and test it with:
+
+.. code-block:: bash
+
+   uv run python scripts/environments/list_envs.py --show_presets
+   uv run isaaclab random_agent --task <TASK_NAME> --num_envs 16
+   uv run isaaclab train --rl_library <RL_LIBRARY> --task <TASK_NAME>
+
+Troubleshooting
+---------------
+
+**The project path is rejected**
+   External projects must live outside the Isaac Lab repository. Enter the
+   parent directory; the generator appends the project name automatically.
+
+**The project name is rejected**
+   Use a valid Python identifier containing letters, numbers, and underscores,
+   without spaces or hyphens. The name cannot begin with a number.
+
+**The task family or robot/config name is rejected**
+   Use a valid Python identifier for each name. These names become package
+   directories under ``src/<project-name>/tasks``.
+
+**The CLI cannot find the generated task**
+   Run ``uv sync`` and invoke the command from the generated project root. Then
+   confirm the task appears in ``uv run python scripts/list_envs.py``.
+
+**An optional backend module is missing**
+   Add its extra before the command, such as ``uv run --extra ovphysx
+   isaaclab ...`` or ``uv run --extra isaacsim isaaclab ...``.
+
+**The generator reports a missing template dependency**
+   Current versions obtain the renderer and prompts from the Isaac Lab
+   environment; no manual ``pip install`` is required. Update the Isaac Lab
+   checkout or installed package and run the generator again.
+
+The generated ``README.md`` contains the same project-local commands and should
+be kept up to date as the project evolves.