Allow packages from the distribution's own package index unpinned (closes #72)

A package from the distribution's own package index now needs no version
and no hash, and pulling that index is allowed, on sneak's answer at
#72 (comment). The
distribution is the pinned base image's in a Dockerfile and the host's
on a host. It is trusted, and everything else stays pinned by hash. A
package source that a Dockerfile adds itself does not get the exception.

The pinning rule of REPO_POLICIES.md and both checklists say so, and the
canonical Go Dockerfile's apk add line has a comment saying why it is
allowed.

Model: opus-5-5

TODO.md

@@ -21,6 +21,15 @@ fmt-check, and commit.
 
 # Completed Steps
 
+- 2026-11-03: A package from the distribution's own package index now needs no
+  version and no hash, and pulling that index is allowed
+  (https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/prompts/issues/72), on sneak's answer at
+  https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/prompts/issues/72#issuecomment-165196. The
+  distribution is the pinned base image's in a `Dockerfile` and the host's on a
+  host. It is trusted, and everything else stays pinned by hash. A package
+  source that a `Dockerfile` adds itself does not get the exception. The pinning
+  rule of `REPO_POLICIES.md` and both checklists say so, and the canonical Go
+  `Dockerfile`'s `apk add` line has a comment saying why it is allowed.
 - 2026-11-03: A first test run that timed out now gets no verbose rerun
   (https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/prompts/issues/61), on sneak's approval at
   https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/prompts/issues/61#issuecomment-165195. The Go recipe

prompts/EXISTING_REPO_CHECKLIST.md

@@ -216,7 +216,12 @@ with your task.
 - [ ] Pre-commit hook is installed (`make hooks`)
 - [ ] No secrets in the repo (`.env`, keys, credentials)
 - [ ] No mutable references in Dockerfiles or scripts (tags, `@latest`) — all
-      pinned by cryptographic hash with version/date comment
+      pinned by cryptographic hash with version/date comment. The one exception
+      is a package from the distribution's own package index, which needs no
+      version and no hash. Pulling that index is also allowed. In a
+      `Dockerfile`, the distribution is the pinned base image's. On a host, it
+      is the host's. A package source that a `Dockerfile` adds itself does not
+      get this exception
 - [ ] Using `yarn`, not `npm` (JS projects)
 
 # Directory Structure

prompts/NEW_REPO_CHECKLIST.md

@@ -243,7 +243,11 @@ are thin shims calling them. Model scripts:
       final stage is missing its `COPY --from=` edge to the gate phases.
 - [ ] No secrets in repo, and none in the build context: enumerate a probe image
       rather than reading `.dockerignore`
-- [ ] No mutable image/package references
+- [ ] No mutable image/package references. The one exception is a package from
+      the distribution's own package index, which needs no version and no hash.
+      Pulling that index is also allowed. In a `Dockerfile`, the distribution is
+      the pinned base image's. On a host, it is the host's. A package source
+      that a `Dockerfile` adds itself does not get this exception
 - [ ] No unnecessary files in repo root
 - [ ] All dates written as YYYY-MM-DD
 

prompts/REPO_POLICIES.md

@@ -20,19 +20,36 @@ style conventions are in separate documents:
   `last_modified: YYYY-MM-DD` in the YAML front matter so it can be kept in sync
   with the authoritative source as policies evolve.
 
-- **ALL external references must be pinned by cryptographic hash.** This
+- **External references must be pinned by cryptographic hash.** This includes
-  includes Docker base images, Go modules, npm packages, GitHub Actions, and
+  Docker base images, Go modules, npm packages, GitHub Actions, and anything
-  anything else fetched from a remote source. Version tags (`@v4`, `@latest`,
+  else fetched from a remote source. Version tags (`@v4`, `@latest`, `:3.21`,
-  `:3.21`, etc.) are server-mutable and therefore remote code execution
+  etc.) are server-mutable and therefore remote code execution vulnerabilities.
-  vulnerabilities. The ONLY acceptable way to reference an external dependency
+  Reference an external dependency by its content hash (Docker `@sha256:...`, Go
-  is by its content hash (Docker `@sha256:...`, Go module hash in `go.sum`, npm
+  module hash in `go.sum`, npm integrity hash in lockfile, GitHub Actions
-  integrity hash in lockfile, GitHub Actions `@<commit-sha>`). No exceptions.
+  `@<commit-sha>`). This also means never `curl | bash` to install tools like
-  This also means never `curl | bash` to install tools like pyenv, nvm, rustup,
+  pyenv, nvm, rustup, etc. Instead, download a specific release archive from
-  etc. Instead, download a specific release archive from GitHub, verify its hash
+  GitHub, verify its hash (hardcoded in the Dockerfile or script), and only then
-  (hardcoded in the Dockerfile or script), and only then install. Unverified
+  install. Unverified install scripts are arbitrary remote code execution. This
-  install scripts are arbitrary remote code execution. This is the single most
+  is the single most important rule in this document. Double-check every
-  important rule in this document. Double-check every external reference in
+  external reference in every file before committing.
-  every file before committing. There are zero exceptions to this rule.
+
+    There is one exception: a package from the distribution's own package index
+    needs no version and no hash. Pulling that index is also allowed. The
+    distribution is trusted. In a `Dockerfile`, it is the pinned base image's
+    distribution. On a host, it is the host's. These commands are examples:
+    - `apt-get update`
+    - `apt-get install`
+    - `apk update`
+    - `apk add`
+
+    These are not trusted, so everything from them stays pinned by hash:
+    - Docker Hub
+    - PyPI
+    - npm
+    - `go get`
+
+    A package source that a `Dockerfile` adds itself is not the distribution's
+    own, so the exception does not cover it.
 
 - Every repo with software must have a root `Makefile` with these targets:
   `make bootstrap`, `make setup`, `make test`, `make lint`, `make fmt` (writes),
@@ -259,6 +276,8 @@ style conventions are in separate documents:
     # run unless lint and test passed.
     # golang:1.x-alpine, YYYY-MM-DD
     FROM golang@sha256:... AS builder
+    # git comes from the base image's own distribution package index, which
+    # is trusted, so it needs no version and no hash.
     RUN apk add --no-cache git
     WORKDIR /src
     COPY go.mod go.sum ./
@@ -394,11 +413,10 @@ style conventions are in separate documents:
       `Pipfile.lock`. It installs no Python there: the tests use the base
       image's Python, which the image's hash pins. If it installs anything else
       there, the step goes after `ARG CACHEBUST`.
-    - Every external reference must be pinned by hash, so `script/bootstrap`
+    - PyPI is not trusted, so `script/bootstrap` installs pipenv and its
-      installs pipenv and its dependencies by hash. It does so with
+      dependencies by hash. It does so with `pip install --require-hashes -r`
-      `pip install --require-hashes -r` and a requirements file in `script/`
+      and a requirements file in `script/` that lists each of them with `==` and
-      that lists each of them with `==` and its `--hash`. pip refuses to install
+      its `--hash`. pip refuses to install a dependency the file does not list.
-      a dependency the file does not list.
     - It then runs `pipenv install --deploy`, with `--dev` when the tests need
       the development packages. `--deploy` installs only what `Pipfile.lock`
       names, checks every package against the lockfile's hashes, and fails when